It is winter time, what weight oil do you have in it. I change to 5/20 in my old wheel horse and it starts like summer time. May be something that simple.

I thought about it too and changed it to 5X30. Didn't help.

It is possible for the engine to have carbon build up under the cylinder heads to create that condition on these. Increases compression effect. More probable if it is an oil burner. I see more tired starters on these though. Best way to eliminate other possibilities (such as funky batter cables) is to use a known solid battery and good jumper cables. Clamp the + lug to a good clean starter terminal, both the battery cables on @ the battery, and hit the block in a safe spot w/ the ground. Assuming there is no engine damage and no PTO drag, usually points back to the starter. If you have never pulled the shrouds, heads and cleaned out the carbon and cooling fins- it isn't a bad thing to try anyways. You would need new gaskets for the heads. If the starter is tired, you can replace or have re-done. A new starter is ~$120.

I'm using good car battery and jumper cables. Exactly as you suggested. It turns engine with no spark plugs but as soon I put them back it stops turning. I was able to start it before gas spill without problems. I'm wondering if gas spill just coincidence or it got into the starter or somewhere else.

I hope this not one them valve adjustment problem engines?

The starter spins with no load on it, but does it have enough torque to crank the engine? (it should want to jerk out of your hands)

I would take the start apart and try to clean it up as last resort before I brought another starter. I use carb. cleaner and fine sand paper. Providing you have know good battery, cables ect... as tom suggested, and the solinod and ign switch is not rusty from being left out in the rain.

If it boils down to another starter google it for a good price. nations starters and alt. may have one for around 69. bucks

If you have a volt meter, run some voltage drop tests across the various components and see WHERE the voltage drop is.
This link will give you an idea how to do it.
Also check across the various ground connections too.
http://www.excelauto.com/online/Tech.d/strvdt.html

This is an opposed twin engine, so it's not the typical OHV "valve adjustment problem".

SO if you had spilled fuel on the starter, it may be a sign that a good cleaning as rc suggested. Maybe all the debris got washed down into the brush area. The end caps are serviceable if need be.

Alex,

Did you solve the slow cranking problem? If yes, what was the solution/problem?

Emilio

I got new starter today and it didn't solve my problem.
Any ideas?

The circumstance, order of happenings, does not make sense.

Walt Conner

Start over again using my first post and report back.

Make sure the area where the ground cable is attached to the frame is clean, and has a new bolt and nut and star washer on it!
Like you say, Walt, this problem just doesn't make sense! Are we being fooled with?
Rustyj

As I stated earlier! If you don't have a voltmeter, buy a cheap one at Radio Shack, Harbor Freight, Northern Tool or???

If you have a volt meter, run some voltage drop tests across the various components and see WHERE the voltage drop is.
This link will give you an idea how to do it.
Also check across the various ground connections too.
http://www.excelauto.com/online/Tech.d/strvdt.html

I did mention that if I remove spark plugs engine spins fine. I guess this means that ground is fine.
I will work on the engine this weekend and going to check all the ground points and check voltage drop as well. Hopefully weather will permit me.

"I did mention that if I remove spark plugs engine spins fine. I guess this means that ground is fine. "

Nope-
When the plugs are out, there is very little load on the starter motor, thus the current draw is relatively negligible.
It's when you are drawing a lot of AMPS, that bad connections, undersized cables etc. show up.
8 penlight batteries are 12V, but they certainly don't provide enough amperage.

I just check voltage drop from diagram 1. It shows from 2 to 3V during cranking. I have + battery connected to + starter and - battery connected to the engine. Battery reading is 12.5 V. It's brand new good battery I took from the boat for winter storage.

It should show maybe a couple 1/10ths!

Divide THAT part of the circuit into smaller portions.
Battery post to cable clamp.
Cable clamp to the actual cable "strands", and on like that to the other terminal to the other post. Isolate that part of the circuit that has the largest V drop.
Just like in STEP 2.

The process can be carried MUCH further!
Across the BIG solenoid terminals.
Starter motor case to engine block.
Engine block to frame.
Frame to - battery cable terminal..... to the - battery post.

A fully charged battery should read 12.6V!
Have you had this battery charged & tested?

I think I narrow it down to defective stator. I just need a confirmation. I have 2 wire connector coming out of stator. If I check resistance between them it shows 1 - open. If I check one of the wires and ground it shows 0 - continuity.
Does it means defective stator?
I was able to unscrew flywheel but I can't get it off the engine. Is there a specific tool for it?

Thanks

Alex

Slow down......
You still didn't answer if you had the battery charged and TESTED.
UNTIL the battery is proven GOOD, you can't proceed with any confidence that ANYTHING else you do will work.
You already bought a new starter. How much more do you want to spend going off on a tangent?

IF the engine will start, check the battery voltage at high speed. It should be around 14 or so VDC if the charge system is working.
IF the voltage seems "funny", switch the meter to ACV. Thee shouldn't be any AC. IF there is, the diode is shorted.

What are the colors of the 2 wires?
Why not test both wires to ground?
Did you try reversing the test leads and repeating the test? One wire probably has a diode in it and will only conduct one way.

There is a flywheel poller for these, but we need to test things before tearing them apart!

battery is good - I recharged it. It reads 12.6V.
I was able to start engine with one spark plug is off. I still unable to crack the engine with both spark plugs in.
I believe I have short in stator area. I have 2 black wires coming out. I check both wires to ground. One of the reads 1 and second is 0. Both of them to each other reads 1.

I have been working on the same identical model number for a few day's with the same Identical problem. Yesterday, I removed the #2 cylinder head which was full of carbon, I checked the valve clearance for that side and it was within tolerance.

Today, I pulled the #1 cylinder head, also full of carbon build-up. cleaned the carbon and checked the valve clearance for the #1 cylinder, it is tighter than tight, I am going to grind the valves a little later on this week.

I'm just learning myself and get alot of help here, but you might want to check your valve clearances, might be the same thing, sounds identical with the same symptoms. after I grind the valves I will let you know if that was all I needed.

WHAT was the battery voltage at HIGH SPEED?
You don't have to keep the information secret!

With 2 BLACK wire, they should BOTH go to a Yellow connector that then goes to a Voltage Regulator-

To Test the stator, set the meter to ACV and a RANGE that goes up to 50.
Disconnect the Yellow connector
With the engine running at "high speed", you should have 20 OR 30 VAC MINIMUM, depending on the capacity of your charging system.
20 VAC for the 10 or 13 AMP systems
30 VAC for the 16 AMP or "Quad Circuit" Alternator.
Output is determined by size of magnets on flywheel.

And how'd we get from a slow cranking engine to testing the alternator, if the engine doesn't crank on a good, fully charged battery?

Alex,

You need to pay attention to the excellent advice you are getting. I am a professional troubleshooter and Bill is offering you a proper diagnostic procedure.

Why not pay attention to what he says? If you don't understand then ask a question.

If you want to go the semi random route then you can do the following:

Try another battery (e.g. try the jumper cable to your car's battery

Take off each wire and with a wire brush or sandpaper and WD-40 clean the terminal, wipe it dry and replace it. The places you need to do this are either end of each battery cable and either end of the cable from the solenoid to the starter.

Assuming the battery is OK (don't assume, try another)then by far the most likely problem is a high resistance connection on one or more of the connections discussed above.

A high resistance connection will cause a voltage drop when the starter is engaged. If you follow Bill's instructions you can painlessly learn which connection it is and only deal with the actual cause of your problem.

Best of luck

I'm really appreciate your help - don't get me wrong.
1. I didn't check battery on high speed.
(I am using backup battery and jumping starter directly. I have jumper cables and jump tractor by putting plus wire at the starter and minus to the engine body)
When I was cranking I was trying to check voltage between plus of starter and body of the engine with one plug out it all the sudden started.
When it started voltage reading was 7v. I check resistance between engine block and battery ground terminal and it was 0. So I assume engine ground is fine. Is there a ground wire from engine to the frame?

Wheelhorse:
As I said I'm using good charged boat battery. I also sandpaper and cleaned all the terminals that I found.
I'm bypassing solenoid.

Typically, the engine is grounded to the frame through the mounting bolts & contact with the frame.

Long jumper cables aren't as good as short battery cables. You get too much voltage drop.
Unless you plan on using your boat battery and jumper cables, why not just get the tractor battery tested and replace if necessary?
We could be 3 weeks ahead of where we are now!

Here the thing. Tractor battery is also brand new but when I connect it to the starter and trying to crank it doesn't even move the starter. I connected different battery just to see if starter is good.

Have you done a valve adjustment?

Nope, I have not touch the valve. I'm hopping it's electrical problem.

Take the tractor battery back and have them charge and test it. It may be bad.

"Take the tractor battery back and have them charge and test it. It may be bad."

Ditto!
It's not as rare as one would think!
UNTIL it's KNOWN to be GOOD....
UNKNOWN to be BAD is not the same thing!

Thanks to everybody. I just got it started. I cleaned all 4 bolts that connects frame to the engine and it got started.
I'm not sure why because I was checking resistance between battery and engine and it was showing 0. Very weird. Anyway... thanks every one for advices and support.

Alex

Now we know what made the difference...but what does that mean that the connection to the tractor frame/engine wasn't the best ??? I read what worked, but why did it work ?

Travis
Gilson drivin garlic farmer...lol