Troubleshooting your Wizard front-engine lawn tractor when it won't start
There are numerous explanations for why a riding lawn mower won't start, including everything from bad gas or a bad battery to a failed starter motor or bad ignition coil.
If you find yourself constantly having to charge the battery before starting the engine, a bad battery or failed alternator could be causing the problem. Connect the battery to a charger and if the battery won't charge fully within 8 hours, then you'll likely need to replace the battery. If the battery is okay, then a problem in the engine's charging system is causing the constantly drained battery. The engine uses an alternator to generate current, which constantly charges the battery and powers the mower's electrical system while the engine runs. When the alternator fails, the battery attempts to power the mower on its own and quickly drains without recharging. Replace the alternator if it isn't charging the battery.
Top-selling Wizard front-engine lawn tractor replacement parts
- Ignition switch. A riding mower ignition switch supplies power to the electrical components of the engine. When you turn the key, a metal contact transmits energy to the various connections on the switch. The ignition switch includes a lock that allows the switch to turn only when the tumblers in the lock are in the correct position.
- Mandrel assembly. The mandrel assembly consists of the housing, bearings, and blade shaft. The mandrel mounts to the mower housing and has a pulley on top. When the user engages the blades, a belt turns the pulley on the top of the mandrel and spins the mower blade.
- Mower blade. The mower blade is affixed to the end of a shaft and has one sharp edge on the top side. As the shaft spins, the sharp edge cuts the grass. Because of the upward angle of the sharp edge, the grass blows upward and out to the discharge chute.
- Starter solenoid. The starter solenoid is a high-current switch that sends power to the starter motor to spin the engine when you turn the ignition key to the start position.