# riding mower cranks too slow to start



## junkyarddoggie

Ok guys I have this problem with my riding mower that has just stumped me to no end. I need a fresh set of opinions on this one.

1997 Briggs 14 horse AYP statesman mower. This is what it's doing, cranks too slow to start. The only way to start it is to jump it directly on the starter. You can't even get it to crank fast by jumpering the solenoid. And bypassing the clutch switch doesn't help.

Hear is what I replaced. These parts are all brand new this spring. battery, starter, solenoid, ignition switch. All wires appear good. Battery is fully charged.

It acts just like the battery is week, but it's fully charged.


Thanks Mike


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## usmcgrunt

It sounds like you may have a bad ground wire connection somewhere.Try connecting one end of a jumper cable to the negative side of the battery and the other end to the engine block or starter mount.If it now cranks normally,you have a weak ground connection.Just because a wire "looks" good doesn't make a difference.Remove each connection and use a wire brush on each attachment point until they shine.If the engine still cranked slow by jumping directly to the starter as you have done,then it could possibly be your valves need adjusting.


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## Rentahusband

I had this issue, was driving me crazy. Turned out to be a bad ground connection. Why would the valves cause the motor to crank slow if everything else is strong?


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## junkyarddoggie

Yes the ground thing was one of the first things I tried. It didn't change anything when I used a jumper cable on the ground. I have cleaned the ground wire connection quite well. 

I didn't think the valves had any adjustment on these motors. It runs fine once you get it going. I don't think it's a compression thing because, it will crank slow even with the spark plug out.


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## usmcgrunt

Rentahusband said:


> I had this issue, was driving me crazy. Turned out to be a bad ground connection. Why would the valves cause the motor to crank slow if everything else is strong?


If the valves have to much clearence,the compression release will not function and there will be to much pressure for the starter to overcome,and the engine will crank slow or possibly not at all.


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## junkyarddoggie

It cranks perfectly when I hook my jump box directly to the starter.

With the key switch turned and the spark plug out it doesn't want to crank right. That should let it overcome the compression in the engine.


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## usmcgrunt

The valve information was a reply to Rentahusbands question about the valves affecting compression.

Since you are able to crank the engine by hooking the jumper cable directly to the starter,then you have a bad solenoid,bad wiring or sorry to say,a bad ground somewhere.Is the ignition switch the same as the one you replaced? Something is drawing or loseing to much current from the starting circuit.Separate and inspect all the electrical interlock connections on the seat,brake and transmission for corrosion.


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## Rentahusband

usmcgrunt said:


> If the valves have to much clearence,the compression release will not function and there will be to much pressure for the starter to overcome,and the engine will crank slow or possibly not at all.


:thumbsup:


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## sunray

*Slow crank*

I think it is a compression problem related to the valves that is preventing the engine from turning fast enough to start the motor. I found this video that explains the solution. Riding mower motors need the valves to be adjusted every year. Now that I think about this issue my old mower I had before the current one had the same problem but I didn’t know that the valves had to be adjusted. 

In case you have the same problem some day, here is a video that explains how to adjust the valves. It doesn’t look too difficult so I am going to try this today.


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## Maytag

Ok - when you jump start it by connecting directly to the starter, do you connect one lead to the "hot" terminal of the starter and the other lead to the casing of the starter? Is this different from your other methods as far as where you make the ground connection? I'm wondering if it is the mounts for the starter might be corroded if they use the starter casing bolted to the engine as its ground connection. 

So if the above doesn't answer the problem then make your direct hookup to the starter as you do to get it to start. Then move one lead or the other lead to a new location one step closer to the battery. So if we start by moving the positive lead - take it off of the starter and follow the starter wire back towards the battery until you get to a spot where you can "break" the wire apart (a plug, switch, solenoid connection etc) and inject your 12volts there. 
Mower starts - go back further. 

Mower doesn't start - the problem is between where you were and where you are now.
No change after you tried all the way back to the battery - then put the positive back at the starter and move the ground lead. Touch the engine block, the frame, any ground jumper leads that you might have like the one that attaches the battery to the frame.
Starter mounts could be corroded, engine could be isolated from the chassis ground by oil and grit etc. etc.. Contacts inside the solenoid could be charred.



> Maytag - Good Luck 👋


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## Bustedknucklez1234

junkyarddoggie said:


> Ok guys I have this problem with my riding mower that has just stumped me to no end. I need a fresh set of opinions on this one.
> 
> 1997 Briggs 14 horse AYP statesman mower. This is what it's doing, cranks too slow to start. The only way to start it is to jump it directly on the starter. You can't even get it to crank fast by jumpering the solenoid. And bypassing the clutch switch doesn't help.
> 
> Hear is what I replaced. These parts are all brand new this spring. battery, starter, solenoid, ignition switch. All wires appear good. Battery is fully charged.
> 
> It acts just like the battery is week, but it's fully charged.
> 
> 
> Thanks Mike





junkyarddoggie said:


> Ok guys I have this problem with my riding mower that has just stumped me to no end. I need a fresh set of opinions on this one.
> 
> 1997 Briggs 14 horse AYP statesman mower. This is what it's doing, cranks too slow to start. The only way to start it is to jump it directly on the starter. You can't even get it to crank fast by jumpering the solenoid. And bypassing the clutch switch doesn't help.
> 
> Hear is what I replaced. These parts are all brand new this spring. battery, starter, solenoid, ignition switch. All wires appear good. Battery is fully charged.
> 
> It acts just like the battery is week, but it's fully charged.
> 
> 
> Thanks Mike


You need adjust your valves. Here is a video from taryl


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## paulr44

I know that engine, and I think you're kind of mis-diagnosing. Tell us, does it crank ok and then lay up on the compression stroke, turning ever slowly until it gets past that point and then repeats?
I ask this, as we've seen a number of these have camshaft compression release failures.
Else, the starter could be NFG.


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## lawn mower man

Most of the time when the battery is fully charged and is wont crank fast enough either you have a weak starter to test that you can use jumper cabels and jump the starter is it still wont crank fast enough most likely your valves are out of adjustment also check the ground connection to the frame if it's rusty or corroded take it off clean the connection and see if you still have that issue.


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## apbrasa

I really need help because I can't find the problem. Simplicity Regent 22HP/656cc Briggs & Stratton V-Twin OHV Engine. I have similar problem . I replaced starter, selenoid, ignition switch, and spark plug. Good battery. Slow crank except after the spark plug is removed. Still slow crank when I hook the jumping cables directly to the starter.


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