Cub Cadet 0-turn slow crank

[samcarpen]

Cub Cadet 0-turn mdl # 17AI2ACP056 with Kawasaki FR651V-AS05-R no start. Very slow crank and frequently hangs up. Starter drawing 209 amps with new battery. Flywheel key not sheared. Solenoid and battery wiring tested good. #1 cylinder 106 psi. #2 cylinder 132 psi. Don't have a lot of experience troubleshooting Kawasaki engines so any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks, Sam

[38racing]

when you say battery wiring good , does that include ground to chassis.
see section 17.35
web.ncf.ca/da229/smallengine/mtd-769-01415_electrical-2.pdf
don't know if kawasaki has compression release on valve(s) that might be affected by excessive valve clearance.

[samcarpen]

Ground side tested good. Did pull valve cover on #2 cylinder and did not see any obvious way to adjust valves. Just located a Kawasaki engine service manual on line and it details valve adjustment. Going to give it a try. Hopefully this will solve this problem.

[bgsengine]

how many amps does the starter draw *with the plugs out* ? - Might be helpful in figuring out if you have an electrical problem (voltage drop test your start circuit maybe?) or a mechanical problem (tight components, maybe a bad starter, etc)

[Luffydog]

If I am thinking right they are set at 4 thousandths

[Fulltilt]

If I am thinking right they are set at 4 thousandths

You're not...and they aren't. I set them at .003 dead cold. Spec is .002-.0039 .

[Fulltilt]

don't know if kawasaki has compression release on valve(s) that might be affected by excessive valve clearance.

It does...and it is.

[Luffydog]

If I would have looked that up like u did fultilt you would have said something else regardless!!!!!!

[Arkie]

Seen a tip from a guy on here awhile back when troubleshooting a engine with slow crank.

Too save some time fiddling around with setting valve lash due to slow crank just slip a feeler gauge under the valve stem (stems) and crank to see if any additional reduction in valve clearance will make it crank normal. ( additional compression release)

Of course if valve lash is way out of tolerance valve lash needs adjusted anyway, but just saying this feeler gauge method will give you a idea if you are looking in wrong place for now.

[Fulltilt]

Seen a tip from a guy on here awhile back when troubleshooting a engine with slow crank.

Too save some time fiddling around with setting valve lash due to slow crank just slip a feeler gauge under the valve stem (stems) and crank to see if any additional reduction in valve clearance will make it crank normal. ( additional compression release)

Of course if valve lash is way out of tolerance valve lash needs adjusted anyway, but just saying this feeler gauge method will give you a idea if you are looking in wrong place for now.

You know...that was indeed a handy tip, wasn't it ?
In all the years I been working on this stuff, never thought of that, will be utilizing it now though, right? ( though it didn't come to mind on this thread, oh well)