B&S Vanguard 16hp

12 years ago

Hi
I would appreciate some advice please.
The starter spins freely but the gear cog does not climb the bendix and engage with the flywheel under normal operation of applying 12v to the starter.
If I manually turn the gear cog it does so.
The device the cog sits against spins at the same time as the cog, I assume this should not? Is this referred to as the starter clutch?
Thanks

Steve

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Comments (7)

walt2002
12 years ago
Have you just installed a new battery? IF so, are you sure you connected the terminals correctly? Sounds to me like the battery is connected backwards.

Walt Conner
Francophile69
Original Author
12 years ago
Thanks Walt

You sir are a genius....I on the other hand an (expletive deleted) idiot.
During the Winter I re-wired the battery, solenoid and starter and yesterday fitted the new battery.
How I managed to reconnect it the wrong way round is frankly beyond me! I no longer have the old battery, I wonder if the terminals were reversed (frankly grasping at straws now!)
I'm more familiar with AC motors, both single and 3 phase, Reverse the direction of 3 phase motor by changing any 2 phases. Did not know the direction of DC motor was reversed by swapping +ve and -ve. Guess you live and learn!
Thanks again, you've saved me forking out for a new starter motor.
Cheers
Steve
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mownie
12 years ago
Beware, having already connected the battery to the electrical system in reversed polarity.........you may also have caused another (as yet undiscovered) problem.
Connecting the electrical system in reverse polarity can ruin a diode in the charging system, resulting in not recharging the battery when the engine runs.
So, if you find later that your battery is too weak to start the engine, you will need to check the charging output of the alternator.
rcbe
12 years ago
OP - Also be advised that when purchasing a 12 volt battery for a lawn/garden tractor from other than the OEM, it is not unusual to get a battery with the terminal polarity physically reversed from what your original battery was..... they come both ways.
bill_kapaun
12 years ago
Off the top of my head, I recall reading something about the "reversed" polarity batteries have an "R"? suffix with the group number???
walt2002
12 years ago
Mistaking the position of the battery posts as indicating the same polarity is common. As Mownie said, my next suggestion was going to be look for a fuse (I hope there was one) otherwise, you have fried the diode(s) in the charging system. I would have thought there would have smelled it and seen smoke.

I have repaired many done the same as yours.

Walt Conner
walt2002
12 years ago
Sorry for duplicate.

This post was edited by walt2002 on Thu, Apr 17, 14 at 21:53