John Deere mower won't start

[Mike Buckley]

I have a ~18 year old JD LT180 riding lawn mower (17 HP kawasaki engine and 48 "" mowing deck) that suddenly won't start. It's been in constant use. Battery is charged. When I turn ignition there is a clicking sound . In the picture the contacts with the black and purple wire seem to quiver which is the clicking sound. Otherwise engine does nothing. I appreciate any ideas!

 

[Roadworthy]

It sounds like inability of the battery to deliver adequate current to turn the starter over. The problem is usually the battery, not the starter. If you have a twelve volt system you can jump it as you would a car. Clean and tighten your battery contacts. Check battery fluid level. Check and/or charge battery. Replace battery if inadequate.

 

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks for the quick response! I jumped it with my subcompact tractor and it started up. But, when I disconnected the jumper cables from the battery the JD stopped running in just a few seconds. I tried it a few times, same result. Is it still just time for a new battery or something else electrical?

 

[Roadworthy]

It sounds as though you have one or more shorted cells in your JD battery. You can try throwing it on a charger but I doubt it will charge - too far gone. It's sucking all the power from the mower's magneto trying to charge it. Bite the bullet and replace the battery. Or you could substitute your subcompact tractor battery and see if it runs down flat or operates normally. That should narrow it down. Not being there I can't troubleshoot your system but it sounds to me more like a battery issue than anything else. Try charging your battery to see if it will hold a charge.

 

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks again Roadworthy. You make sense.If I don't know how old the battery is it's probably really old. I'll replace.

 

[Diggin It]

I had an almost identical issue recently with my X-300. Worked one day, not the next. When jumped it would start, but die when the jumper cable was removed. Swapped batteries and it starts and runs fine.

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