Briggs and Stratton OHV engine won't turn over

Tried a new battery or a jump start? Look out for trickyness like the electrics being 6v.

Failing that check for a bad earth: corroded earth strap or duff terminals on the starter and batttery and suchlike.

Bad Earth or +ve feed from the battery? A high(ish) resistance connection will drop the voltage across the starter significantly.

Also, perhaps the battery is screwed - have you tried another?

Cheers, Mark

Hi David,

What is smoking?

Apart from the other suggestions, another possibility is a knackered starter ring. Mike.

The starter appears to start smoking. If I hold the key on to try and get it to turn over.

I'll try another batter although this one seems to be ok.

Stick a meter across the starter whilst it's cranking.

The starter appears to start smoking. If I hold the key on to try and get it to turn over.

I would say you have a high resistance within the starter which is causing the poor starting effort, and the smoke..

Tim. .

From the OP:

"I've tried another starter motor and am getting the same sort of results."

Chris

Oh scrub that then...

Tim .

Starter motors work in an highly overloaded condition, a continous run motor with the same power would be about 5-6 times the size/weight, have fins on the casing and a fan on the end. If it's held on too long (>10-15sec in 20-30secs) it will smoke even with a low battery. Once it starts smoking it is dead, it's insulation on the winding that's burning.

Holding a motor on when stalled is the very best way to kill it. Using a shot battery, needing an excessively long cranking period is 2nd best way to kill a starter motor.