Exmark Lazer won't start

[Teasip]

Exmark Lazer won't start. I bought it used a couple of months ago and it has run great. Went out to start it a few days ago and it won't start. Turn the key and get a click in the back of the engine. The levers are out, the brake is on, I'm sitting in the seat. Replaced the battery but that's not the problem as well. Can pull the PTO out and turn the key and hear another click so I know it's getting juice and contact in the back. Would like to hear from you guys before I wind up spending lots of money on the dealer. Thanks a bunch for your help.

[Guido]

While your sitting in the seat turning the key, have someone tap on the start lightly with a hammer. If it frees up and starts, you have a problem with your starter sticking or its shot!

Another thing you can try is to bypass all the safety switches one at a time, and check the ground wherever there is supposed to be a good one.

Do you have the shop manual for it? It might have a better troubleshooting guide than I can give you.

If I had to guess though from what you said, I would say its a starter problem.

Good Luck, and let us know how it turns out.

[SLS]

It sounds like the starter switch. It is located between the starter and the ignition switch (where the key goes).

I found out mine was bad by simply hooking jumper cables from the battery (which was freshly charged) directly to the starter itself-totally bypassing the switches. Have someone sit in the seat (or a concrete block on the seat), put your key in the "run" position, and make sure the ground cable is connected first. If the starter "clicks" instead of starting the engine then you have a bad starter or starter bendix.

Let me know how it turns out. :)

Good Luck fixing it!

[tlcgrounds]

Your silenoid may be bad!

[Lawn-Scapes]

Try the hammer and starter... This happened once to me and it did the trick.

[Jman]

Be VERY cautious with the hammer. If your starter has ceramic magnets in it for the field coils you can shatter them with a hammer and then buy a starter. What engine and what type of starter do you have? Is it a solenoid shift starter (solenoid mounted on the starter like a small block chevy starter)? If it is that style there has to be a minimum of 8 volts to the small terminal of the solenoid, while trying to crank, to fully engage the starter. If voltage at the small terminal is under that all you will get is a click and no crank. If that's the case, you may have safety switches, key switch or faulty connections bbetween any of the mentioned. Good luck.

[HOMER]

Just had the same thing happen on my Scag. It turned out to be a safety switch on the levers. It made the same sounds as yours and I too thought starter to begin with but luckily it was the switch.........lots cheaper.

[sdwally]

Normally if you can hear it click, it will be the starter solenoid. The click you hear is the solenoid engaging, however the electrical contacts are burned for lots of use. Use a test light and check for power on the solenoid, one should light up with the key in the on postion. Then try the other large terminal while the key is in the start postion if you have power the problem is in the starter(Note: If the solenoid and the starter is all one unit you will only be able to check for main power.) If no power then remove the small wire that goes to the solenoid if it is a spade terminal otherwise touch test light to this terminal. Turn the key to the start position, if you have power then it is the solenoid, if not then the problem is in the safety interlock switches or wiring. Some units also have a relay that can go bad in the safety interlock systems.
Should have posted in the mechanic and repair forum.

[Mid Rivers]

All replies soound legit.

If they don't work I would sell it to me for a couple thousand and write it off as a bad business exspense:D

When you find out what it is let us know. I have a Lazer and this information may come in handy.

[Teasip]

suggestions. I'll print this off and try some of the remedies this weekend to narrow it down.

Mid River -- Be careful what you wish for, I may take you up on your offer!

[Guido]

And tap on the starter. I want to win my prize! ;)

[MLS]

If it is a Kohler motor then there is a white wire on the side of the engine opposite the fuel pump. That white wire is the main safety switch wire. Just disconnect it and try to start the motor if it starts then it is a safety switch. Also the click that you hear when you turn the key is most likely the fuel solenoid on the carburator. I had the same problem last year and it turned out to be the seat switch but I only found this out after I screwed the starter up by banging on it. Good Luck.

[Eric ELM]

Guido, did you see what Jman posted?
Be VERY cautious with the hammer. If your starter has ceramic magnets in it for the field coils you can shatter them with a hammer and then buy a starter.

Are you going to buy him a starter if he messes it up? :D

[Guido]

I said TAP!! ;)

Be careful, and no, I don't waranty my advice unless I'm doing it myself! Good Luck!

[HOMER]

Gee, I never knew that white wire was a safety switch wire! So what your saying is you can disconnect that wire and disable all your safety devices and still run the mower? Cool...........next time mine won't crank that's what I'll try first.

[Atlantic Lawn]

Be very careful these days taping starters. Lotsa' starters, trucks included have begun using ceramics. When you try to warrenty the starter the first thing they look for is TAP marks on the body of the starter, any marks and the warrenty is void. Just my .02

[Jman]

I have to put one more caution note up here. When you try to disconnect the white wire (safety wire), that is the kill wire for the ignition system, safety and from the key switch. In shops they disconnect this wire if a unit spins over with the starter but has no spark. It is only done as a test. If you have multiple employees and someone hops on the equipment and gets hurt because of the safety system being disconnected you'll be sure to get a letter from a lawyer. For testing purposes it's a great idea to determine if spark is lost due to being engine related or equipment related.

[MLS]

Homer,
Yes the white wire is the main safety switch wire and if you disconnect it then you disable all the switches but only do it for diagnostic purposes please. I would hate to see the post where Homer is in a wheelchair instead of pushing the mower.:D