RTV 900 clunk sound - won't start

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Badger Sue

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Went to start it and it just gives a loudish clunk sound, then nothing. Battery good, starter replaced today, still no action. The fan jerks, then nothing. Tightened loose fan belt. No change. Oil level good. Hydrostatic fluid good.

What to try next?
 
Welcome to the forum . :) It could be the stop solenoid (although it usually still tries to turn over with that) or the neutral safety switch among other things. There are several threads on here about those. If you go to the search function and type in those items, you will get a lot of threads on them . I would also check the ground where its mounted on the frame. Also wiggle the shifter and make sure thats its in neutral good. bordercollie
 
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bordercollie said:
Welcome to the forum . :) It could be the stop solenoid (although it usually still tries to turn over with that) or the neutral safety switch among other things. There are several threads on here about those. If you go to the search function and type in those items, you will get a lot of threads on them . I would also check the ground where its mounted on the frame. Also wiggle the shifter and make sure thats its in neutral good. bordercollie
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That's was my next thought. I am going to pull it backwards some, but there's no place to push it on the flat. Plus it's frigid cold and snow on ground. The old man wants to try and spin flywheel, but I am trying to avoid him trying that.
 
I don't believe that a hydrostatic transmission is made to push or pull start. I think it might damage the pump seals
 
When you said that about "feeling" it from the seat .. that concerned me . I wonder about just seeing if the engine pulley would move manually. I'd disconnect the battery first though, if it were me . When did this problem show up? was it running fine then parked and this happened or did it shut down in the field on you?
 
How old is your battery? With it that cold up there as you described, it could possible be a weak battery or a battery with internal problems. I'd try to boost it off of another good battery and clean the terminals to shiny before I bought anything else. if it were me .
 
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We could turn the engine manually. Battery is good. When I turn key all the way to start, I hear a loud click, then nothing. I have the service manual amd am researching. All suggestions greatly appreciated.
 
Sure sounds like a battery issue. Worth a shot to try jumping it and if you haven't already ...clean the terminals. Good luck.
 
Double check the ground- That was the culprit with our zero turn mower. I took a single booster cable and went from the negative post on battery to another ground area which was a good shiny bolt on the frame and she cranked right up. This test will eliminate that possibility. I feel your frustration.
 
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I copied this from the internet it's not mine but is my thought :

""" sounds like your not getting full battery to the starter. .. Is it the starter clunking into the fly wheel or is it just the solenoid just clicking .. If its a clunk and not a click then the starter is bad or it is not getting enough voltage to turn it.. If it is a click then the solenoid may be going bad or again it may not be getting enough voltage to full engage. check you cables at the battery.. make sure the connections are clean and shiny where the battery post and the wire clamp come in contact. even just a film of corrosion can cause it to not make good contact. """
 
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bordercollie said:
Double check the ground- That was the culprit with our zero turn mower. I took a single booster cable and went from the negative post on battery to another ground area which was a good shiny bolt on the frame and she cranked right up. This test will eliminate that possibility. I feel your frustration.
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My thought as well as it's happened to me more than once.
Cable corroded on the inside so not visible but the corrosion was such that the battery could get the volts but couldn't get the amps to the starter.
 
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Cleaned battery and connectors and took off ground, sanded, and replaced. Still nothing. I think it's the safety switch and/or battery or connections. Fuses and relays look okay. When this first happened I ask my old man to get a new battery, but instead he brought his battery slightly smaller in cranking amps he bought last year for his grain trailer. Same symptoms. We have had several opportunities to trade up over the past couple of years, but he wouldn't do it. Now he wants it to run so he can trade it in. I am done freezing my a$$ off out there. We bought it 5 years ago and it's been handy as heck, but I knew it would get to a point we couldn't easily fix. Looking online, these 2009 900s have known issues. I will report back if I learn the solution or if I win Mega Millions tonight after which I will post a photo of my new Kubota.
 
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