I have a Pony troy Bilt 8sp mower. The battery never is enough to start the tractor (because its not used enough), so I always put a charger on the battery for a few hours and than it starts. However, recently I tried this and it would not work. Now when I hook up the cables on my charger, it attempts to start and run, but when I disconnect the charger (or jump from my jeep, it stops running. The screwy part is, now when I hook up battery cables to the battery on the tractor, as soon as the other cables are hooked up, the tractor starts and runs, even with the key off. But when I disconnect the battery cables it will not stay running. Seems as if the starter motor is staying engaged? Or the ignition switch is bad. I don't have the money currently to take it somewhere because I have been laid off recently. Is there so way to check this stuff. Something seems to be back feeding or what not. Even with the key off or not in tractor, iff I hook up the battery cables to jump it runs as long as battery cables are attached. Once I this connect one cable, it shuts off. Please anyone... help ?

At this point I would test the ignition switch to take that out of the loop.

The battery battery is more then likely so dead in cells it won't store a charge after the jumping is done.

The starter staying engage goes back to ignition switch again. It may have been melted inside the switch from all the jumping and hard starting which heats up wires and melts things. Take out switch and donuts to dollars its been fried

So fix the key problem and that should do it. If not get back

Here's another dumb question... how do I test the ignition switch.. and by what means ? And which wires.. it has a ornage wire, red & white wire, red wire, red & black, green wire and a yellow wire.

Red & white seem to go to starter/sole. Can I bypass anything to make it run temp. so I can mow my 3' lawn ?

Not having a manual in wire colors here are the basics.

The heavy wire comes off the positive of the battery and goes directly to the starter. There is a small wire that feeds the ignition switch for power there. The added wires there are for lights maybe safety switches to power etc.

In the switch you have power in and when the switch is turned to On that's for all other things to be energized along with the/coil spark for plug.

When you turn to start that allows the juice to solenoid to starter to let the starter know to turn.

So the basic is two of those wires needs to be tied together and the 3rd wire kicks the starter and then that wire needs to be disconnected when the mower starts.

I'm looking for a diagram in the meantime.

I use a DC light wire tester if I don't have a meter with me.

Simply ground the light tester and touch exposed wires