Countax c600he won't start

[davidd]

Morning,

My Countax won't start. Battery has charge lights come on, relays click no whirring from starter..

I'll take the access panels off tonight and run a cable from + to the starter to see if that fixes it, I have a new solenoid on order (only £10 so thought I might as well).

I know there are safety switches on it and I was going to try and trace those back but I don't think they would stop it turning over, can anyone clarify?

Does anyone have any other ideas?

Cheers

D

[Bill]

If the clutch/seat switch isn't activated I get a click as I switch on but absolutely nothing when I try to start it.

[davidd]

Yep sitting in the seat, brakes / clutch on.. Click and nothing..

[Agrispeed]

is it a push button deck start or a lever? our mower (ancient) has a switch on the lever stop, which was sprung to push it down, over time the spring has become fatigued and no longer pushes hard enough, so we have to push it down ourselves.

The switches can be easily checked, if you can find them, they simply push in to activate the circuit and are fairly easy to find if you follow the wiring. the seat one is often problematic as the wires can be worn through on the suspension, it should usually be on a bar that is bolted to the bottom of the seat and is pushed in when the seat is pushed down. I think some mowers also have a bonnet closed switch on them, but I don't think that it is very common. yet....

[andy43]

If it's a Honda engine like mine there's a small wire with a spade terminal plugged onto the starter/solenoid next to the chunky positive battery terminal - that spade terminal is the signal wire from the ignition switch as far as I can tell - if you can confirm that is getting power to it then it must be the starter or the solenoid at fault. I think it's a pink wire from memory.
As already said above, if the handbrake switch and/or the seat switch aren't happy, you'll get clicks or relays but no starter operation.
I've had a problem with the fuel pump leaking a bit (a lot!) of fuel into the engine when it's stood with a full tank. Engine can then hydraulic and the starter can't turn it over to clear the fuel out - worth checking then engine spins ok by hand by rotating the fan on the top. I need to fit a fuel stopcock...

[davidd]

It is a B&S but I suspect it'll have a similar wire. I'll check thanks.

Pistonheads, mowing matters.

[davidd]

Thinking about it, over the past few months it has always been a little lazy to start, I wonder if it is the battery... Claiming full charge but nothing much happening.... Or the starter... hmmmmmm

[davidd]

Connecting the starter directly to the battery and it spins away. Even with the ignition on it does not start (should it?).

So battery and starter are ok, this is good.

I have checked the seat switch and that is being pressed, the brake one was a little stiff but it does seem to be engaging.

Are there any other safety switches? If the solenoid is dead (which I'm hoping) would it start by directly connecting the starter and battery with the ignition on?

Where do I look next?

Cheers

D

[Bill]

Was someone on the seat with the clutch/brake on when you turned it over?

[davidd]

Bill said:

Was someone on the seat with the clutch/brake on when you turned it over?

yes me, so i suspect i might have slipped a little. I'll try again after dinner and maybe shove a paperclip in the safety switches..

[davidd]

Tried again, on seat, foot on brake, ignition on, direct connection from battery to starter. A few sparks whirr and it started!!..

I whipped the jump lead I was using as the connection off and spent an hour cutting the grass.. All done.

so based on the above is there a verdict? Please tell me solenoid..?

D

[Tampon]

Yeap.

[davidd]

Tampon said:

Yeap.

Cool, I ordered a new one yesterday so fingers crossed it'll be sorted for the weekend.

[netherfield]

It could also be a problem with the PCB, I have a D18-50 which would not start, board was the problem.

[Kapenta]

Have you checked to see whether you have spark or not - take plug out, connect to plug lead and rest it against the head. Swing the starter and look for spark between the plug electrodes.
Have you checked whether spraying some petrol directly into the throat of the carb will get it running briefly?

Don't skip the fundamentals - engine needs compression, spark & fuel...

[davidd]

Kapenta said:

Have you checked to see whether you have spark or not - take plug out, connect to plug lead and rest it against the head. Swing the starter and look for spark between the plug electrodes.
Have you checked whether spraying some petrol directly into the throat of the carb will get it running briefly?

Don't skip the fundamentals - engine needs compression, spark & fuel...

Yes I can start it by connecting the starter to the battery and switching the ignition on so spark/petrol etc are ok thanks. Will swap the solenoid out tomorrow (if it arrives) and see if that sorts it.

Cheers

D

[davidd]

Afternoon folks,

I shoved a new solenoid in this morning and it is all up and running again. I was so pleased I also took the old B&S mower apart and fitted a new rope. So I can finish cutting the grass.. Well if it stops raining!

Thanks for your help.

D

[Tampon]

Well done. Nothing like that feeling of fixing a machine yourself.

It awakens the inner man.

[Dycksgrass]

I've used the jump lead trick to start the mower and it ran for 90minutes to cut the grass - great thank you but where is the solinoi on my Series C Countax?

Please help

Richard
Goudhurst
Kent

[davidd]

On my old ones it was (from sitting in the seat) left hand side near the bulkhead. Follow the positive battery cable.