Mower hours OH_NO

The other day I went into my garage just to start up my Scag. Its winter here in Cleveland and there is about a foot of snow on the ground. I figured I would just start it up. Well the engine didn't turn over I was a little concerned so I got a space heater the other day just to warm up the garage. Well I went to start up the mower again and it wouldn't do anything. I accidently left the key in the on position. The battery was dead not a problem but the hours read like 2173 oh &**&&. I had about 146 hours when I put it into storage. OK what can or should I do???? My new machine is reading like a 8 year old work horse???? what now??? Help

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

That is very interesting! From what I have read, the meters can not be reset. I thought the meter only ran when the motor was running and the spark plug was firing not when the key is left on. Maybe you could take it apart and experiment with it?

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[picframer]

Originally Posted by tomcat172002

The other day I went into my garage just to start up my Scag. Its winter here in Cleveland and there is about a foot of snow on the ground. I figured I would just start it up. Well the engine didn't turn over I was a little concerned so I got a space heater the other day just to warm up the garage. Well I went to start up the mower again and it wouldn't do anything. I accidently left the key in the on position. The battery was dead not a problem but the hours read like 2173 oh &**&&. I had about 146 hours when I put it into storage. OK what can or should I do???? My new machine is reading like a 8 year old work horse???? what now??? Help

Call your dealership and explain you left the key on and what happened and you want the hour meter reset and at least here they will. I have seen this happen at Deere on tractors so I know it can be done, but get it done, it is very, very important in your case, a few hours fine but 2,000....boy that is out there.

I suspect you have burnt the points out of it by leaving the key on that long, personally because it's down time, I would take it to the dealership and ecplain what happened and ask them to go over it while resetting the hour meter.

[Steve]

I suspect you have burnt the points out of it by leaving the key on that long

How does that happen? Is there current going through the points when the key is on?

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

How does that happen? Is there current going through the points when the key is on?

Eli is the proper person to answer this (Superior) however basically yes, the points, condenser and coil, you have everything lit up and if it can't release then you have a problem, I have seen points back in my high school days when I rebuilt engines as a hobby, points welded together as the person left the key on whatever, could have been a motorcycle, lawn tractor etc.

The exception is a diesel, you could leave the key on forever and all you would do is run the hour timer up and eventually kill the battery, but that would generally take days, there would be no damage as a diesel only uses a glow plug and generally that is only on for 30 seconds max.

[Steve]

the points, condenser and coil, you have everything lit up and if it can't release then you have a problem, I have seen points back in my high school days when I rebuilt engines as a hobby, points welded together as the person left the key on whatever, could have been a motorcycle, lawn tractor etc.

Ahhhh that makes sense. So even if you change the battery, if the points are welded together, the engine isn't going to start.

Maybe he could take them off and check to see if this is the case? If so, maybe there would be a way to ease them apart without breaking them? Or maybe simply replace them?

[picframer]

Originally Posted by Steve

Ahhhh that makes sense. So even if you change the battery, if the points are welded together, the engine isn't going to start.

Maybe he could take them off and check to see if this is the case? If so, maybe there would be a way to ease them apart without breaking them? Or maybe simply replace them?

In this case the mower is too new and still under warranty, if he takes anything apart then the warranty is out the window on a lot more than just the points, I would not touch it, take it to the dealer and have them service it and explain what happened so they can reset the hour meter.

As for doing it yourself, I could service whatever gear we have, tear any of their engines apart and rebuild them but I don't, I take them to the dealer or if I didn't have a dealer take it to someone like Eli (Superior Power on our site), some guys have the time to tinker and do a great job at it, in my case my time is better spent doing other things and I don't mind paying for the service I get. This way is something gets screwed up it's not my problem, I would take it back to whoever fixed it in the first place.

[Steve]

In this case the mower is too new and still under warranty, if he takes anything apart then the warranty is out the window

That is a very good point.

[biodale]

My hour meter is wired to the electric clutch. So the meter is running only when the blades are turning. The few hours when the engine is idling is not important (in my mind). It will keep an accident like you described from happening.
For what it is worth.

[Steve]

Was this something you were able to change or was this the way the manufacturer set it up?