[Fred from Reading]

Help !! I bought this 2000 machine used on Craigs list...my first riding lawn mower. When I bought it, I was aware that there was an issue with the battery cables needing replacement. I have replaced the cables and fixed a broken wire as well as replaced the solenoid that is near the battery compartment due to significant corrosion. Battery is a 2006 model. Anyway, tried to start the mower and no luck. Starter didn't turn over. Checked the battery on my multimeter and it read 10.4V, so I charged it for a few hours and got it to read over 12.5V. Tried to start the mower and it started on the very first crank. So far, so good. However, after running for about 10 minutes, it sputters and then just dies. After it has died, I cannot get the starter to crank at all. I recheck the battery and it is again back at 10+ v. So I go through this process again and get the same results....charging gets a clean start but after 10 minutes it sputters and dies. What baffles me is that I would think that once the engine starts, the battery would not drain. Any ideas where to go next? So far I've driven the mower less footage than I have pushed it to get it back to the shop.

 

[SonnyT]

Sounds like it isn't charging. I would check all of the wires for corrosion and make sure wires are on in the right place. Maybe the Regulator has corroded wire terminals. When it is running use your multimeter and check and see how many volts you are getting at the Battery. Should be close to 14v when the engine is running. If not, then something in the charging system. :trink39:

 

[UrbanTractor]

It does sound like a charging issue -- almost sounds like the engine is drawing from the battery to make the spark.

Another possibility is that you have a weak battery. My hunch is you will need to replace the battery regardless, so you might start there and see if it corrects things.