About a year ago we got OT on how to start small gas engines and some
of you guys mentioned feeding the carbeurator some propane gas via
your propane torch.

Well, it's snowing like crazy here in central PA and I haven't needed
to start the Gravely with it's snow blower since I brought it up and
put it in the garage in September. Had difficulty getting it going
the normal way. Flowed a little propane into the carb - turned it
over - fired right away !! but quit. Next time I flowed in the
propane and closed the choke behind it. Fired right up and ran like
usual. Hot darn. The propane trick works!!!!

Thanks for the advice guys.

Now if I could just get rid of the contact gremlin inside the starter
switch so that the starter would catch consistantly. Oh well, what
can you expect for a 23 year old machine that only gets run
intermittantly.

Bob Lamparter


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Now if I could just get rid of the contact gremlin inside the starter
switch so that the starter would catch consistantly. Oh well, what
can you expect for a 23 year old machine that only gets run
intermittantly.

Hell, that machine is just beginning to get broke in G What model have you
got?

I've got three commericial 12s and a model "L". Wonderful machines. Is the
little bendix not throwing the starter gear forward (try cleaning with
mineral spirits and re-oil with very light oil, others may have better trick
here) or is the electric contact switch bad? (replace)

Karl

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 11:54:49 -0600, "Karl Townsend"
wrote:

Now if I could just get rid of the contact gremlin inside the starter
switch so that the starter would catch consistantly. Oh well, what
can you expect for a 23 year old machine that only gets run
intermittantly.

Hell, that machine is just beginning to get broke in G What model have you
got?

Model 5665 Professional w/ 12 HP Kohler engine

I've got three commericial 12s and a model "L". Wonderful machines.
Is the little bendix not throwing the starter gear forward
or is the electric contact switch bad? (replace)

I really haven't done a lot of trouble shooting - it's 12º in the
garage at the moment. I've had the stuck bendix problem before and
relubed that. It's not the bendix. I tried turning the starter motor
a little by hand in case there was a bad spot on the armature inside.
When I turn the key, something clicks but doesn't make any attempt to
turn the starter - that's even with the jumper cable from my car
battery on it, so it shouldn't be the battery. I suspect it's the
switch. I suppose it could be the starter relay down on the right
side too. If it happens again, I may try jiggling the key in the
switch. I thought about looking to see how to jumper the starter
relay but it's dark down there and I didn't have a flashlight.

Bob Lamparter



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Check all the connections in the starter current path; remember the
ground connection too. All it takes is a thin layer of oxide grunge to
get the 'click' results you describe. BTDT - cold fingers and all!
--
Fred R
________________
Drop TROU to email.

In article ,
Fred R "spam wrote:

Check all the connections in the starter current path; remember the
ground connection too. All it takes is a thin layer of oxide grunge to
get the 'click' results you describe. BTDT - cold fingers and all!

In the small engine nobody-will-ever-believe-this dept:

As my MS has advanced, I've found it more and more tiring to carry water
to the barn in Winter, to the point where it's become walk or work,
choose only one. A line to the barn is cost prohibitive because it's
~150 yards of rip-rap former railroad bed. Maybe someday.

My wife and adult son insisted I buy a Gator-type machine or ATV or
something, since I refuse to completely give up on keeping a few animals.

I bought a Yamaha Blaster 200cc ATV on Ebay which worked wondrously well
until Saturday evening. It would not start at all. Mustered the wife and
kids to help me carry water and started troubleshooting after the barn
work.

Good spark, no fuel and nothing else I tried worked. After dark I gave
up thinking: Uh-oh, maybe I wasted a fair chunk of money?

I called a family friend for help. Loy came over Sunday afternoon. We
changed the spark plug, a common problem with Blasters, they spark
outside the cylinder, but don't installed. No go. Checked fuel lines and
carburetor. Still no go. Then Loy noticed a hissing sound when he
removed the new plug.

The cylinder was holding pressure. As a last resort, we removed the
spark arrestor muffler, thinking maybe a mouse or something had built a
nest in there while it was unused for several months. What we found was
ice! Heating the part released a 2-inch slug. Apparently my many short
trips allowed condensation to collect in the low spot, which clogged the
exhaust. If no air can leave the cylinder, none can enter since it was
holding compression. Same as the old potato in the exhaust pipe trick.

I do have to wonder, though: How many times has failure to start/run
been due to a frozen exhaust pipe?

On Sat, 22 Jan 2005 20:36:44 GMT, Fred R "spam
wrote:

Check all the connections in the starter current path; remember the
ground connection too. All it takes is a thin layer of oxide grunge to
get the 'click' results you describe. BTDT - cold fingers and all!

Had that same thing yesterday. A friend borrowed my Kubota to do
some firebreaks as his is waiting for a bearing.
Mine had not been started for about 2 weeks and started a bit
reluctantly, starter did not turn over at normal rate. Loaded it on
trailer and off he went. Would not start when he went to unload,
dead at key but dull testlight at starter solenoid. Relay problem ?
Jumper leads to battery made no difference so we changed battery,
still no go. Jumper lead direct to solenoid and it started so we
traced back. Cause was corrosion on earth lead where it was fixed to
frame. Cleaned it and all is well. Wierd, as it was only about 20
minutes after it first started that it would not go. Temp was about
32C/ so it definitely was not too cold. (VBG)
Alan
in beautiful Golden Bay, Western Oz, South 32.25.42, East 115.45.44 GMT+8
VK6 YAB ICQ 6581610 to reply, change oz to au in address