OutdoorKing Repair Forum Forums Repairs and Maintenance Questions On Ride On Mowers Questions on Greenfield Ride On Mower Frames Greenfield Not Starting - Wiring Issue?

Afternoon,

I wondered if the forum members could help me with a problem...

I have a Greenfield Fastcut 34 - 25hp model that has recently had some trouble starting. The progression of the issue was:

1. Wouldn't fire every time (when the key was turned, it just clicked).

2. For a while, I could move the mower and sometimes it would suddenly fire and start up.

3. Now it won't fire at all.

My initial thoughts were battery or spark plug (I'm pretty novice at this stuff) but when I was looking the machine over, I noticed this wire appears to have become unplugged:



It looks like the black wire (2. in pic) has come free from the white plastic housing (1. in pic).

However, the white plastic housing has two possible connections. The one on the left has a single orange wire exiting from it and the connection on the right has two red wires exiting from it.

I'm certainly not crazy enough to just go connecting them, but I wondered if anyone knows off bat if that's my problem?

Alternatively, if anyone has the same mower and is able to take a picture of the wires (they are just above the main pedal when you lift the bonnet up), it'd be great to see if these should be connected.

Thanks in advance for everyone's help.

Cheers,
Rich

Hi Rich,
welcome here we try to help.
First question is the battery charged? no point going any further till a few things are established first. With the unplugged wire is there anywhere close by that looks like it might plug into. The wiring on these is pretty simple. Battery to solonoid, solonoid to starter motor with a small wire from the solonoid going to the ignition switch. Any other wires in there are for the charging/lighting and have nothing to do with the starting of the motor. The motor has magneto ingition so once started only a kill switch wire is required to kill the magneto to stop the motor

Hi Norm,

Thanks for helping out.

Yes, the battery is brand new. My first thought was battery so I got a replacement and fitted it. The problem still persists unfortunately.

The only thing it looked like the wire could plug into was that white plug marked 1. - otherwise everything looks good,

The wire has nothing to do with the not starting. First thing now is to get to the starter solonoid. Follow the positive wire back from the battery and that will take you to the solonoid.

Sounds to me like a bad starter solenoid or related wiring. The battery in these is at the back and cables run all the way up to the motor. trace them through and check for rubbing/shorting. If that is all good, find the starter solenoid. The usual test for those is short the terminals with a large screwdriver briefly to check that it cranks. If it does but not on the key it is likely that it will need replacing.

Those wires up front are for a different engine, they use the same loom between models and some don't use all plugs.

Thank you Nath and Norm,

I will have a look this morning and see what I can work out! I think I was hoping it was a simple fix of plugging wires haha. With coronavirus it's pretty hard to get anything else sorted.

Anyway, I'll trace the positive wire and let you know.

Thanks so much for your help!

Ok, so I think it's fair to say that tracing the positive is probably beyond my capabilities as it basically goes right through the machine.

I think in all honesty, I will have to try and find a repair shop that is open and take it to them. I'm always keen to try and learn things, but happy to step back when I'm likely to do more damage than good haha.

Quick question: It definitely wouldn't be the spark plugs? I took these out and they were quite black...

Thanks again, Rich

By not starting, do you mean it does not crank over, or do you mean it spins the engine but won't run. 2 very different problems.

If it is the first case, If you can find the starter solenoid (see attached) and short the big terminals you'll know if it is that.

Otherwise, could be fuel or spark. If your spark plugs are black, check your air filter, sounds like its running rich

When you said clicking earlier sounds to me like the starter solenoid.

Yes, 100% just clicks. No life, no firing. Just literally clicks when the key is turned, no movement in the engine at all.

Which would fit with the Solenoid... (didn't see an attachment?)

Sorry about that, this is what it should look like. I cant remember exactly but I think its under the fuel tank somewhere

When it first started to be an issue, I could get it to fire up if I rocked the mower gently, it would click a few times then just work. But it will no longer do that.

Don't know if that helps at all.

Ok, will check. Thanks

If you find it still does the same thing if the terminals are shorted, it could also be a starter motor issue.

Think I found it, although it was right next to the battery?

G'day NG,

Yep, that's it! Think of it as a heavy-duty relay, as that's what it does on a ride-on. Car/truck starters have a slightly different solenoid setup, but we needn't go into that.

Thats it, find a nice thick screwdriver and touch the top terminals. You will get a spark, but it should crank. Only hold it there for a second or 2.

Hey Gadge,

Thanks mate, good to hear I am slowly learning stuff! Haha (I'll leave the cars and trucks for now

So the test is to just touch both terminals with a screwdriver and see if it turns?

Is that whilst turning the key, or just a touch to short the terminals and see what happens?

Thanks everyone for the patience!

Ok thanks Nath, posted at the same time

Off to do that.

Ok cool, so it sparked, sounded like it cranked. The mower lurched forward a little bit and the belt wheel turned a fraction?

Definitely more activity than I get when I turn the key, lol

Just be careful bridging across the solonoid that the cutter is disengaged and the foot pedal is in neutral (middle) because when you bridge the solonoid the motor could fire up and take off somewhere. Key has nothing to do with it at this stage but if it happens to start at least you can use the key to switch it off

Sounds like we are on the money. Any good mower shop will have one in stock, or ebay or online seller are plentiful, should be around $20.

Just have a quick check if yours has 2 small terminals or 1. Either will work but you would need an extra wire one way so it is easier to go like for like.

Oh and just for future reference. In this case we established that by turning the key, there was a click by the solenoid but no cranking. The test i got you to do should be done with key off to remove the chance of starting, blades disengaged and in neutral as norm said. We simply tested that the battery is good, as is the starter motor and that the solenoid is the problem.

Not that i have a problem with mower shops, (i worked at one for 6 years) and i always support local where i can, but this is now like a $20 repair instead of a $100+ repair depending on the shop.

Hi Nath,

Thanks for all your help mate, I really appreciate you taking the time to explain everything to me.

And for Norm K and Gadge for helping out too.

I've learnt plenty and it's really good to get to know a bit more about the machine, rather than just hand it over and get it back without any context.

Cheers,
Rich

UPDATE: So I disconnected the solenoid so I could get a proper look at it (I got my son to film me so I could put it back together) and make sure I ordered the right one. After I'd done that, I put it all back in and connected it up and thought I'd just give it a go.... Started First Time!!! Haha, I wondered if it was just a loose connection somewhere?

I'll order a new one anyway, but just finished mowing the front paddock and kept the wife happy!

Cheers,
Rich

Great!

So inside a solenoid like that is a moving plunger with a set of copper contacts. Over time these get dirty as they arc much like it does with a screwdriver (to a lesser extent). Now you have pulled it out, the dust inside will have moved around and the contacts will be working again.

Good idea to replace it as it will likely fail again.