Need help with wiring.

[robinson01]

Hi everyone. My 1995 max iv is going back together. So far all is good. I even gave it a little test drive and noticed and imedaite difference. However i am having trouble getting the battery to charge and the started to turn over. The starter was working befor it came out. Anyhow I am looking for som help. There is a a terminal affixed to the motor stand. Most of the wires from the front run ot the terninl . Any adivce is appreaciated.

[egoperf]

there should be a ground strap from the engine stand to the frame

[Eldon]

Right on egoperf...my thoughts too.The engine is mounted on rubber mounts and that ground strap would be easy to forget.

[Planter Bob]

...and don't forget the obvious; a bad battery itself. If the ground strap is hooked up, be sure the battery is up to speed. Take off the vent covers and inspect the cells for liquid level and visual condition of the plates. Disconnect one side of the battery, and see if you have 12 VDC or close to it.

Once you do have it started, hold a voltmeter set for 25 VDC minimum in parallel with the battery terminals. You should be reading at least 13.7 volts or higher with the engine at mid-throttle.

The other thing to check is corrosion on cables. That can happen inside the insulation quite often, and be difficult to see. If you gently bend all along the cable, you can find soft spots, a telltale sign there is internal corrosion. If you had any corrosion there to start with, when you removed the engine you bent the cables and broke down what little conductivity was in there.

Regardless, cables are cheap enough that when I replace an engine they always are replaced with new. This is especially important on engines like the Kohler KT17/M18 models that have battery ignition. Without the battery, your rig turns in to an expensive mud ornament.

Hope that helps...

Planter Bob

[robinson01]

that certainly does help and I will be looking into those things tomorrow. I did check the ground wire. It was hooked up.
I have a 18hp briggs. The positive off of the battery I believe goes to the terminal on the one post (terminal? this thing is external to the motor, mounted on the motor stand with all the wires runnig to it) and the starter is connected to the other post. There is a ground runnig off of it. A green wire off of the front. And another red to the post witch I hooked the positive from the battery too. These all runn back into some type of wiring harness. Hope that make sence. I should have taken a picture befor I ripped it apart.
Thank you in advance.

[coosaridgerider]

The part you are talking about is the solenoid for the starter,There should be a positive from the battery to one side of the solenoid then one from the starter to the solenoid,The little green wire goes from the switch to the solenoid,Iwould check the ground strap and the battery ground to make sure they are cleaned and tight.

[robinson01]

That helps clear things up for sure. I will clean everything up and give an update tomorrow. Thanks again.

[robinson01]

Well she is charging nicely.. Cleaned the contacts up like you guys suggested. But still no starter. Looks like it may be pooched. Any home remedies out there to check it. Or getter going again? Also, I am getting a grinding noise when I drive. New chains. I tightened them acordingly. 1/4 inch up or down. Seems to becoming from the rear axel? Any thoughts?

[coosaridgerider]

I would pull the hot wire off the starter and use a set of jumper cables and jump it from the battery.Put the ground side on the starter housing or the starter mounting bolt to make sure the starter is grounded and touch the hot wire to the starter terminal,If the starter don't turn over then you will no it is a bad starter.It could be a bad solenoid.If the starter is bad you can have it rebuilt,I take mine to a place that rebuilds alternators,They also rebuild starters or you could take the starter to them and they can check it for you,usually at no cost.That grinding noise could be one of your axel bearings.

[robinson01]

I did as you mentioned and it seems the starter is pooch. So I decided to take the bolts off of the back of the starter and as you might have guessed cant get it back together. So i am now starting the task of taking the starter off. Does the fly wheel have to come off. Seems like I have some work ahead of me. Any tips. I have only taken the housing off and cant see where it bolts on. What a bummer. I was so close to rippin again.

[Heaven's Pavement]

Hang in there

Hang in there Robinson, my my MaxII is in total pieces right now, lots of welding(metal/plastic) wrench time and clean clean clean,my the bottom of my tub has enough grease for a whole grease gun
Keep us posted on your progress.
Question?.....
Where is your solinoid mounted ?

[robinson01]

Thanks heavens pavement. It is good to hear others are in the same position. I to spent about a day removing the large amount of grease in the bottom of the tub. Thats when I found all the holes in it. At least I can smile abouit it now.
The selinoid is mounted to the motor stand next to the starter.
Hope to get he starter off this weekend and take it in monday morning.

[Heaven's Pavement]

Solinoid placement

Robinson01 would you mind posting a pic with the solinoid me me and others in my shoes.
Basic tub cleaning done.
Found out that I need to replaces all 3 center rods that the Axles bushings go into and the log rod that goes through the jack gear
Down but not out....

[robinson01]

Sorry, I tried to post the pic taken from my blackberry and as i did so it wiped my cell out. Not sure what I did.
Anyhow, that can be fixed.
I appologize but I can only descride it. The solinoid is next to the motor, sitting on top of the back of portion of the motor stand. It is directly infront of the positive terminal of the battery. I will posted a pic as soon as I can.
Not sure if that helps?

[brushcutter]

Rob, probably the reason you can't get the starter back together is that the brushes are sticking out in the way. To fix this try bending some small wires to hold the brushes in place then once the armature is in place the wires can be pulled out which will allow the brushes to go into their correct position. This will be easier once the starter is off. I have the horrizontally opposed 18 hp Briggs, and the starter can be pulled without removing the flywheel on it, if this the case with yours then you should be able to do the same. Hope you get it going soon.