266-H: Turning key does nothing except relay clicks

[silence 0]

Hi all,

I'm trying to help fix a Toro Wheel Horse 266-H mower with a Kohler CV16S engine. Model 72084, serial 59024XX. Original owner purchased in ~1995 and has about <700 hours of running time.

 

The symptoms are that when turning the key to start the engine, there is only a slight, single clicking sound that seems to come from the relays. Nothing else. No cranking of the engine, no turning over.

 

• I can turn the freewheel by hand (in some positions there is more resistance, I'm guessing that is normal)
• All 4 dashboard lights come on when key is in run position (PTO dash bulb is dead but I tested it with another bulb). Front lights also work
• Battery seems good, only 2 years old. I also tried jumping just in case, but no difference and of courses making sure the battery is fully charged.
• I cleaned all the terminals, ignition key, PTO, battery, ground etc. Nothing helped.
• Fuses are all good
• All 4 relays seem to work (i.e. I feel movement clicking when turning the key)
• The safety kill switches don't seem to be the problem. When I sit on the mower, with brake on and PTO off and turn the key, it sends > 12v through the blue wire in the picture I attached (otherwise it doesn't).
• If I try to turn key when PTO is on, there is an additional louder click coming from PTO (another check that PTO seems to be OK)

 

I haven't found any resources that cover issues similar to the mower I have. I'm guessing the blue wire in the picture connects to the solenoid which is directly connected to the starter. All lot of content I've seen these are separate. 

 

Any ideas on how to proceed would be very welcome. I've downloaded all the toro docs for my model. Is there a way to supply power directly to the starter to further isolate issues?

 

 

 

[WHX?? 50,935]

26 minutes ago, silence said:

 Is there a way to supply power directly to the starter to further isolate issues?

You can use a jumper cable to go from the battery + to  the blue wire post. You should hear or feel the solenoid engage and if there is power on the large red cable the motor should turn over. Sounds like you are getting 12v to the blue wire tho. A other quick check is using a meter see if ther is continuity from the blue wire post to ground. 

As always check all grounds. 

 

Edited September 25, 2023 by WHX??

[953 nut 58,485]

Why won’t my starter turn over from the key switch?\

Lets take a logical step by step inspection of your starter problem.

Is your PTO in the ON position, a wheel horse will not start with the PTO on.

Have you had the battery load tested at an auto parts store?

Have you cleaned and tightened all electrical connections including grounds?

Are all fuses good and fuse holders cleaned?

If these have all been done, we can check components of the starting system as follows; don’t skip a step or you may miss the problem.

Be sure the transmission is in neutral and the parking brake is set.

Take a pair of automotive jumper cables and connect the black cable to your battery  "-" and a good clean spot on the engine. Now connect the other cable to the large post on the starter and touch the other end to the battery "+" terminal, does the starter turn over? If the starter turns over the battery and starter are good. If it didn't turn over try the same steps with the battery in your car/truck, if that cures the problem then the "good" battery wasn't so good.

Presuming the starter turned over move the jumper wire from the starter post to the other end of the wire going to the starter which is one of the large posts on the solenoid. If the starter turns over when the battery is touched by the jumper as before then that cable is good, if not you have found your problem.

Presuming the starter turned over move that jumper to the other terminal of the solenoid, connect the other end to the battery and use a small piece of wire to temporarily connect the battery "+" terminal to the small terminal on the solenoid, this should cause the solenoid to close and the starter to turn over. If not, the solenoid is probably the problem.

If this was successful remove the large jumper cable and use the small jumper wire to the small terminal of the solenoid, the solenoid should close and the starter turn over. If not the cable to the battery is the problem.

Presuming all of these have been successful remove the black jumper wire and repeat the small jumper to small terminal, if the starter turns over the ground is good.

If all of these components test good then remove your ignition switch, be sure the transmission is in neutral, parking brake on, clutch depressed and PTO off. Use a small jumper to connect the terminals that were connected to the “B” and “S” terminals of the ignition switch. If the starter turns over then the PTO switch and other safety switches are operating properly and your ignition switch may be bad.

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