Craftsman lawn tractor....kohler engine..hooked battery backwards!!

[ronryben@yahoo.com]

I put a new battery in my craftsman LT4000 with a kohler 14hp CV14S
engine. I put it in backwards (reverse polarity). I'm over the stupid
mistake now, but the mower isn't!
It won't start. The spark looks weak when I ground the plug to the
block. But there is spark!
What would I have fried? I don't have my multimeter here with me right
now so I can't do any real troubleshooting. I have eliminated the
safety switches, actually I bypassed them last summer.
I'm thinking that there must be someone who has seen this all before?
Any idea what fried?
What does the stator do exactly? If the ign mod/magneto was bad could I
still have spark or do they go bad and have no spark? There are no
points/condensor on this motor. The battery is now very weak (i did the
actual mistake last fall and left the batt in all winter), do I really
need a fully charged battery to have good spark? I'm jump starting it
from my truck, directly to the starter.
Help me out guys!

[Artemis]

ronryben@yahoo.com wrote:
> I put a new battery in my craftsman LT4000 with a kohler 14hp CV14S
> engine. I put it in backwards (reverse polarity). I'm over the stupid
> mistake now, but the mower isn't!
> It won't start. The spark looks weak when I ground the plug to the
> block. But there is spark!
> What would I have fried? I don't have my multimeter here with me right
> now so I can't do any real troubleshooting. I have eliminated the
> safety switches, actually I bypassed them last summer.
> I'm thinking that there must be someone who has seen this all before?
> Any idea what fried?
> What does the stator do exactly?

It produces an electrical current when the the flywheel magnets pass it.

> If the ign mod/magneto was bad could I
> still have spark or do they go bad and have no spark? There are no

Probably not, but I can't say for certain.

> points/condensor on this motor. The battery is now very weak (i did the
> actual mistake last fall and left the batt in all winter), do I really
> need a fully charged battery to have good spark? I'm jump starting it

You need more than a "very weak" battery...

> from my truck, directly to the starter.
> Help me out guys!
>

Rather than jumping from your truck to the starter, why don't you jump
to the battery? I don't know if the ignition needs 12v or not but
bypassing the battery and going direct to the starter makes no sense at all.

Troubleshoot it like any other won't start condition. Don't just assume
something electrical is fried.

To check the spark get an old plug and set the gap at about 1/8 inch. If
the spark will jump that outside the cylinder then the ignition system
is likely to be good.

Is it getting fuel? Is the spark plug wet?

Put a teaspoon full of gas down the throat of the carb and try to start
it. Be very careful of a possible backfire and flame coming out of the
carb. Keep flammable stuff away. If it starts and cuts off you have carb
problems. Take it to the shop.

--
Art

[ronryben@yahoo.com]

Thanks for the input. It's runnin! I cleaned the surface rust off the
magnet on the flywheel and the face of the coil or magneto or whatever
you technically call it.
It did start with a dead battery when I jumped it from the truck.
Continued to run when I took the jumper cables off. So it will run with
even a dead battery.
I was jumping to the starter just cause it was easier for me. I was
kneeling right there anyways while workin on it.
It was getting fuel the entire time.
I thought for sure that I had fried something. I wasn't going to
approach it that way but thought I may as well ask here and get the
quick answer to what would fry if something would
Thanks again!.

[Srgnt Billko]

"Artemis" <Artemis@spamtrap.invalid> wrote in message
news:3bW_f.19856$gE.16918@dukeread06...
> ronryben@yahoo.com wrote:
>> I put a new battery in my craftsman LT4000 with a kohler 14hp CV14S
>> engine. I put it in backwards (reverse polarity). I'm over the stupid
>> mistake now, but the mower isn't!
>> It won't start. The spark looks weak when I ground the plug to the
>> block. But there is spark!
>> What would I have fried? I don't have my multimeter here with me right
>> now so I can't do any real troubleshooting. I have eliminated the
>> safety switches, actually I bypassed them last summer.
>> I'm thinking that there must be someone who has seen this all before?
>> Any idea what fried?
>> What does the stator do exactly?
>
>
> Is it getting fuel? Is the spark plug wet?
>
> Put a teaspoon full of gas down the throat of the carb and try to start
> it. Be very careful of a possible backfire and flame coming out of the
> carb. Keep flammable stuff away. If it starts and cuts off you have carb
> problems. Take it to the shop.
> Art

But first try blowing in the gas tank. Seal your lips in the tank opening
and force air in as hard as you can. Sometimes this can force gas past a
sticky float valve. It has worked for us a few times.

[ds549@webtv.net]

if it isnt charging the battery now,, you may have fried the voltage
regulator...

http://www.minibite.com/america/malone.htm

[Artemis]

Srgnt Billko wrote:

>
>
> But first try blowing in the gas tank. Seal your lips in the tank opening
> and force air in as hard as you can. Sometimes this can force gas past a
> sticky float valve. It has worked for us a few times.
>
>

He got it running yesterday.

--
Art

[Artemis]

ronryben@yahoo.com wrote:

> Thanks for the input. It's runnin! I cleaned the surface rust off the
> magnet on the flywheel and the face of the coil or magneto or whatever
> you technically call it.
> It did start with a dead battery when I jumped it from the truck.
> Continued to run when I took the jumper cables off. So it will run with
> even a dead battery.
> I was jumping to the starter just cause it was easier for me. I was
> kneeling right there anyways while workin on it.
> It was getting fuel the entire time.
> I thought for sure that I had fried something. I wasn't going to
> approach it that way but thought I may as well ask here and get the
> quick answer to what would fry if something would
> Thanks again!.
>

The rust is not what was keeping it from starting.

Glad you got it going.

--
Art

[Mel M Kelly]

No you fries the Diods in the alternator. Wait till you get a price on
that!


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley





http://community.webtv.net/MelKelly/TheKids