Dead in a puff of smoke

[Jonthecarver]

I have a 99 Bigfoot I just acquired. During my shakedown ride, I shut it off, then couldn't get any spark. Voltage meter would not move, click when turning the key. Started it will pull start, and turned back to the barn. Crossing the road to get to the other trail and I get a puff of smoke from the left side of the engine compartment, and everything dies. No volts on the meter, nothing from the pull starter. Engine isn't seized. Brakes are good.
Drive belt looks fine. I haven't started pulling parts off yet to see what the source of the smoke was. I'm wondering where to start looking for expensive things to start swapping out to get it running again. Any suggestions?

[trevorakm1]

report back when you get the answer please. always good to know for the less mechanically inclined, myself included.

[racerone3]

what engine? sounds like a wiring issue. start be checking all grounds

[Jonthecarver]

Started pulling parts off today to take a look. Getting some major grief getting the muffler off so I can look deeper in. I'll try better words tomorrow. Looks like a carbonized mouse nest between the heat shielding and the front cylinder. Thinking that may be the source of the smoke. Enough juice to run the cooling fan when I turn the ignition, but just a click when trying to start. I didn't try the pull starter other than to be sure that nothing is seized. I'm not much of a mechanic. I think that before I get too deep into taking off parts that I can't identify I'll work harder at the pull start.

[Jonthecarver]

what engine? sounds like a wiring issue. start be checking all grounds

The factory B&S 18. No blown fuses. I'll dig around with it more soon.

[argohunter]

Do you own a multimeter? If you do, start checking the battery voltage and go on from there, checking each wire connection for sufficient voltage. You might want to start with a freshly charged battery. It can be time consuming to check stuff especially if your not a "wrencher" but you should examine each wire in every circuit and each ground. A critter may have nibbled the wires.

[ARGOJIM]

Key switch failing?

[Jonthecarver]

Do you own a multimeter? If you do, start checking the battery voltage and go on from there, checking each wire connection for sufficient voltage. You might want to start with a freshly charged battery. It can be time consuming to check stuff especially if your not a "wrencher" but you should examine each wire in every circuit and each ground. A critter may have nibbled the wires.

Thanks. Gonna try this. I think that I found the smoke source. There was a carbonized mouse nest in the heat shielding on the front cylinder. Thinking that burned a wire. Now I just need to start looking for the break I hope.

[Jonthecarver]

Key switch failing?

Cooling fan runs.

[Jonthecarver]

Mystery solved. The multimeter suggestion helped. Starter solenoid is bad. As for the smoke and no start after, I had a friend who is far more experienced with engines take a look. First thing that he noticed was that the air cleaner was filled with oil. Looks like there is a breather tube from the engine that goes back to the carb, all the up and down on really steep areas allowed that to send enough oil back into the carb to choke off the engine. We cleaned it up and a couple of cranks on the pull started got it started, once enough of the oil burned off, it's back up and running. Lesson to me is that I need to keep this old girl off the trails that the fuel injected modern machines use.

[john swenson]

good job...... sometimes it just takes a while and someone else to spot the trouble . happy it's come together . i've noticed running my mower up steep slopes too much , it starts running weird . same thing . jboy

[JWW]

Make a catch can for the crankcase breather hose. There are plenty of plans on line that can be adapted.