I have a Craftsman 917 series riding mower that I purchased last year. It ran fine for the first month or so but after that it was intermittently having issues starting. I noticed the connections on the ignition switch were loose and rusty so I replaced the connectors. Now I am not able to get the starter to engage via the ignition switch but I can get it to crank (but not start) when I apply power directly to the starter. I am not sure if the issue is in the switch/wiring or if its somewhere else in the line of startup processes. I was able to get it started a few weeks ago and it died out after about a minute of running. I verified that fuel was making it past the filter so I do not think that is an issue. I used the wiring schematic from the manual as a guide when replacing the connectors. Any thoughts on how I can determine what the issue is? I would like to temporarily disable all the safety switches to see if there is an issue there but I am not sure how to do so. Can I just remove the connections from the ignition switch? ( I think it would be A1 & A2)
Electrical – Craftsman 917 Riding Lawnmower Not Starting
backyardelectricalenginelawn-mower
Related Solutions
Since you say you have a ceiling system and no direct rain in this protected area, I would think you want a material that will pack down firmly so wheels of equipment and walking won't depress into the material too much. I have used 3/8" stone dust, which is a by-product of the stone crushing process mixed with 3/8" pea stone. This material is heavy, forms grade and packs well. You could also use a clean "packing gravel" which is a very coarse sand used under concrete slabs etc. Another good solution is to use a garage mat over the base to park heavy objects on. These mats are available at many box stores and auto supply places. Another good reason to use a parking mat is that oil or fuel spills can be cleaned up before they seep into the soil. You can also sweep it clean occasionally so it looks neat as well. Good Luck
Contractors at construction sites often place their valuable gear out of reach of potential theives.
Now expecting that this approach may not be practical in your particular case the next best advice is "out of sight is less tempting". Wheel your gear into a shed or garage and lock it up.
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Best Answer
So I was able to get it started by connecting directly to the starter but when the clutch/brake pedal was released it died so I must have either a crossed wire or bad relay somewhere