I have a Briggs and Stratton 16.5hp riding mower. When I first received it from a friend it worked fine, then one day the battery was dead. I put a new battery in it and it started fine then the next time I tried to start it, nothing just clicks and then it went dead. I jumped it from a car battery and it started after charging a few minutes. The next time again dead... tried to:confused: jump it and just clicks occasionally the starter turns but that is it. I bench tested the starter and it spins freely, but when hooked back up it only rotates every few seconds at a slow speed. Changed the spark plug, jumped the selenoid, even direct hooked up the starter to a fully charged battery and same results... spins every few seconds at a slow pace. Any ideas?? Haven't chagned the starter yet... Jim

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Originally Posted by CCrage

I have a Briggs and Stratton 16.5hp riding mower. When I first received it from a friend it worked fine, then one day the battery was dead. I put a new battery in it and it started fine then the next time I tried to start it, nothing just clicks and then it went dead. I jumped it from a car battery and it started after charging a few minutes. The next time again dead....tried to:confused: jump it and just clicks occasionally the starter turns but that is it. I bench tested the starter and it spins freely, but when hooked back up it only rotates every few seconds at a slow speed. Changed the spark plug, jumped the selenoid, even direct hooked up the starter to a fully charged battery and same results...spins every few seconds at a slow pace. Any ideas??? Haven't chagned the starter yet....Jim

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If I had to guess it would be a bad starter... they cost a lot but it is well worth it... do you take the key out when you don't use it?

I can't get the key out, but I make sure that it is all the way off

Sometimes even if the key is in the ignition swith it will take power from the battery... if I were you I would replace the starter and the switch... that would cost you about 75-90 dollors...

Sounds like either the compression release on the cam shaft, or more likely the valves need adjusting. I would lean toward the valves.

"then one day the battery was dead" I am not sure what wrong yet but his valves would not kill a good battery. It was fine one day and dead the next day, that says short or drain like leaving the key on. However he further staes the start only turns a few seconds at a slow speed. Do us a favor and pull the spark plug and then try to start it. How fast did the starter spin this time?

When I pull the plug do I need to direct hook=up the starter to a battery or just try to start it up normally with a charged battery? This thing has been driving me nuts!! Can't figure out what the heck is going on...

Okay I got it.. I pulled the plug and the motor was spinning just fine. But with the plug in it just slowly cranks... compression issue? How can I solve this?

When I pull the spark plug the motor spins fine when I put it back in it turns slowly again . How can I fix this ?