Help with Toro electric start problem

[Chris B.]

I just got a push Toro mower with an electric key start option on it along with the traditional pull start. It's a few years old and the electric key start is not working correctly. It makes a loud screech noise when I crank it but the engine will not turn over. I took the cover off and I can see the starter solenoid. It has a small steel gear that drops down into a large gear that spins the larger gear and starts the engine. The problem is the small gear is dropping down to engage the larger gear but it just won't line up(the teeth) and it just spins on top of the large gear causing the screeching noise. I can manually engage the 2 gears and then crank it and the engine starts right up. How do I get the small gear to properly drop down so the teeth engage? I can try to get a picture if that helps. Thanks!!!!

 

[Chris B.]

Here is a picture:

 

[mechjames]

is the battery have a proper charge? if you're on the original battery after a few years it might be time for a replacement.

 

[meep]

x2 on battery, that motor has to spin up quickly to snap the gear into place. is it a helix-cut shaft, like a drill bit? maybe some wd-40 or LIGHT machine oil?

M

 

[Deltona_Dave]

Originally Posted By: meep
x2 on battery, that motor has to spin up quickly to snap the gear into place. is it a helix-cut shaft, like a drill bit? maybe some wd-40 or LIGHT machine oil?

M


+3 on the battery. Most push mowers have NiMH or NiCd batteries and will not hold a full charge after a few years. Also check the Bendix spring under the starter gear, to make sure it is not broken or bent. Lube the shaft splines too (WD-40 for a start).

Dave

 

[Chris B.]

Not sure if the battery is holding a full charge. If I put the gear teeth together by hand and then crank it it starts right up. The center threaded piece that goes through the small gear does look like a drill bit. When I crank it is seems to spin really fast but it just skips across the top of the large gear and does not want to enguage it. If I toggle the switch on and off it will some times enguage the large gear but not consistantly.

I was thinking of using my dremal and grinding the small gear's teeth on their sides to give it more of a wedge shape to help it drop down into the large gear better.....would that be a good idea?

 

[mechjames]

You might want to hook your battery up to an automotive trickle charger at like 2 amps for a little while, sometimes when the batteries start losing capacity and get drained, that little charger that came with the lawnmower just can`t bring it up all the way

If you have one of those intelligent auto chargers, they will desulphulate the battery, possibly getting you a couple more years out of it. I did that with a 3 year old tractor battery that sat for about a year without running, dropped down, and it`s still working 2 years after!

 

[kwijibo]

I have a 06 Toro push mower which I bought in the spring of 07. So it's 3 years old. It also has an electric start and I have the same problem. I tried the auto trickle charger which mechjames recommended and it did help with the starting. I talked with a mechanic at a local lawn mower repair shop and he said you have to use the starter to keep the battery healthy just like on a rechargeable drill.

 

[JimPghPA]

On older cars starters sometimes required a shim between the starter and engine block. If the clearance for the two gears is real tight you might want to see if you can add a similar shim.

 

[Chris B.]

I grinded the ends of the gear teeth in to a v shape and now they drop down in to the fly gear and it starts every time. Not sure why the engineers can get this [censored] right.