Outdoor Power Equipment (Lawn Mowers, Snow Blowers, Chain Saws and more) Discussions

Any ideas?  I have a Craftsman 536.88790 electric start snowthrower.  It started and ran fine all last winter and earlier in the summer when I started it.  Went to prep it for winter over the weekend and electric start "whirs", but motor doesn't start.  The motor does start with the hand crank.  I have a bad heart and am not supposed to use hand cranks, especially in the cold during winter.  One time on Saturday the electric start was able to start engine, but all the other times I"ve tried the past 2 days it only whirs, and doesn't start until I hadn crank.  Anyone have any ideas?  Thankx

The starter is going to have to come off to look at it.... It is only a few bolts... Mostly they need lube on the shaft where the gear rides....

Look at this picture ... check the condition of the teeth, they are nylon so they may wear sometimes...



http://i371.photobucket.com/albums/oo151/friiy/gear1.png

Good luck,

Friiy

As previously stated, pull the starter to inspect the condition of the starter gear that engages the flywheel. Also, while you have the starter out, plug it in and give it a jolt to see what happens. Watch to ensure the gear rotates with the starter motor shaft. Could have sheared. Not sure if these starter have a bendix mechanism to move the starter gear to the flywheel of the engine. If it does, make sure the gear moves up the shaft to make contact with the fly wheel.

      The bendix gear is cut on the shaft of the starter,  Not like the old Briggs with a  removable bendix with removable gear .  The shaft of the Starter (the Bendix) gums up and dries out ,  the starter spins but the gear will not travel up the shaft sometimes...

Friiy