OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions On Ride On Mowers Questions on Greenfield Ride On Mower Frames Greenfield Tractor 11 28inch cut, motor Honda GV 4

Thank You Very much for the pics Keithb, now I can have a understanding on how the brake works. The only problem I have come across now is that I was using my ride on last week, running really good then all of a sudden it stopped on me.
It barely turns over now I think its the starter I had recondition last year. its burnt out again. I'm leaning towards buying a second hand brigs for it at least they are cheaper to fix than a honda.

Cheers Shane

If it stopped while running and now won't turn over, the first thing to suspect is that the engine has seized up. This is easy to check: disconnect the spark plug, turn off the main switch, and try to turn the crankshaft by hand. If it won't turn, stop trying to operate the starter before you burn it out, and find out what is wrong with the engine. Nearly all engine seizures are due to having run out of oil.

Grumpy Have already checked that, its not seized. Its like the starter hasn't enough grunt to turn the motor over. might get a quote from someone to install a pull start on it. it might be a cheaper way out.

Shane

Priced a new starter around $850 abit to steep for me

Hello Shane,

$850 sounds like you are purchasing it from "Ned Kelly Spares", most I have seen for is about $400. Try Ebay should be able to get one lot cheeper than that.
Before it gets to expensive, check that the brushes in the starter motor are ok, I had an incident where the starter was sluggish and found it to be only worn brushes, quick clean up of the commie with some crocus paper, new brushes, from memory not expensive, and back to normal operation.
I another thing I have experienced, is that some starter have washers between the stater mounting and the engine case, if they are required, and mising, it results in the starter cog messing with the flywheel to hard and makes the start sluggish.

Cheers Keith.

It might be the starter Shane, but it also might be a deteriorated battery or wiring. I don't know if the GV400 has a decompressor, but if it does, and it isn't working, that could also cause the starter to be unable to turn it over properly. (This is an endemic problem with the B&S OHV engines, on which the effectiveness of the decompressor depends critically on the tappet clearance being exactly right. Many, many starter motors have been destroyed by people who had not adjusted their tappets properly.)

At the moment I don't see a potential explanation of why your engine stopped while you were mowing. It would be unusual for two unrelated faults to occur simultaneously.

This to reply to both the price for a new starter is from Honda, there is no after market one. yes I am about to replace all wiring and try that first. but I did try starting the starter start from the battery bypassing the switch but still no go. I haven't try another battery, because the one I have is new. It could be a dud battery. Is the decompressor that starter switch or am I missing something.

shane

The decompressor is a mechanical device inside the engine that holds one of the valves partly open during part of the compression stroke, when the engine is turning at cranking speed. It is just about universal practice to have an automatic decompressor on high compression mower engines (this mainly means overhead valve engines) and is commonplace on the larger mower engines such as yours. I do not know whether your engine has a decompressor or not. The purpose of the decompressor is to make it easier to turn the engine over for starting. There are several different methods used. Most small Briggs engines just have the intake valve stay open 0.010" during much of the compression stroke, whether the engine is starting or running. (Not much gas leaks out through that small opening in the milliseconds of the compression stroke when the engine is running fast, so Briggs found it to be a practical way to make their engines easier to start. The feature was called "Ezyspin".)