I bought a older Snapper zero turn 61" cut has a 23hp Kholer.
Had 3 months has done a good job only mow my yard about 2.5 acres.
It has a 5 gallon sprayer 10' boom..
No user manual on it

Last month using it the mower would not start every time. I would turn key and a not start. I kept doing it about 3 or 4 times andit would always start.

Now it will not start at all.. So I thought the switch I got one but that was not it.
well guy told me its the starter. I took a screw driver jumped it, it would turn over but not start..another guy told me the starter.. I took it off yesterday ad took it to ORileys they checked it and its OK.

now when it took the switch off I see a brown spot were a wire connects..
now with the switch out of the box its in I can turn the KEY ON AND WIGGLE THE WIRES AT THE END OF THE BLACK connecter and it will start. I grab all the wires end of the black connector and wiggle back and forth and it starts...

i went to a mower shop the olde man told me I had to bring it in he had not parts to sell
What else could it be you think.
Here is a pic of the black part I'm looking for.. No manual

 

Usually, those connectors only come with the harness. However, if you can isolate exactly which wire is causing the problem, you maybe able to secure it enough.

 

The spade terminals will come out of the connector so you can squeeze them back together and fit tight again. You'll see a notch in each hole where the connectors are. Push a tiny screwdrive in the notch from the end opposite of the wires and this will release the catch that holds the connector in. Pull it out from the wire end and bend the catch back out and squeeze the connector together a little so that it will fit tightly on the keyswitch terminal. Then push it back in the black plastic piece until it clicks in place. It looks like the terminal on the switch marked "S" is the one closest to the camera, and if so, that means the purple wire is the one that needs the connector repaired, unless the batter supply wire is loose, and that would be the wire that connect to the "B" terminal (the brass one).

 

wow mr. cheese I will give that a shot, so it does sound like that black connecter is my problem?
thank you

 

Well, the problem is the actual metal connectors inside that black piece. The black piece just holds the connectors in formation to fit the switch. It would be better to fix the individual connectors inside than to cut the wires and wire on another entire assembly.

 

I would say that Cheese has you on the right path for now, but you mentioned twice that you have no manual. Someplace on your machine should be a metal tag with the model and serial number, with which I believe you can download the manual(s) from Snapper's site. Might not need them right now, but may prove worthwhile in the future.

 

Yes, and Snapper was recently acquired by Briggs and Stratton, so you may also find the Manual there; you're in good company.

 

I had my daughter come out and sit on seat and turn the Key all the way on. I jiggled each wire nothing happen. Then I TOOK OUT each wire. They all looked connected tight I open up the sides a little more. Put back in there got each one tight..
still no start... I dunno I'm about give out, just glad my yard don't need mowing

 

Move down the line, to the next connection. Since both ends of the wire move, it could be at the next plug.

 

This is where a manual with a wiring diagram would be handy, but there is probably at least a PTO switch and seat switch in the start circuit. You can check them with an ohmmeter.

 

So wiggling the connector no longer makes it start? Maybe it was coincidence before? Do you have a test light? If so, we can track down the problem. Check for power first at the wire in the connector that connects to the brass terminal on the key switch and post results.

 

And if you do have a test light, you can check for continuity from the battery through the ignition switch to the little post on the solenoid . . . . when the key is momentarily in the "START" position.

It could be that the ignition switch is bad (loose) in that specific spot when the key is twisted to the right to make contact. The operator should know that twisting the key harder won't make the engine start any faster; but human nature sometimes still causes them to put more stress on that part of the switch than is necessary.

If it's visible, you might just have to tighten up a rivet on the back of the ignition switch for the wire that leads to the solenoid ?

 

OK I have the engine spinning trying to start every time i turn the key.
i pulled out every connector and sanded it all over both sides
BUT IT DON'T START UP just spins,, what color wire makes it start?
I might have one upside down in the black connector.
Tomorrow I will take em out and see but what letter starts
Tks

 

The terminal marked M is the one that kills the engine. Normally the brass terminal is battery power, but not on that switch. This switch looks new... has the mower ever run with this switch on it?

 

This is the switch that it came with, he did tell me he put a new one (this one) on less than 6 mos ago after I bought it 3 mos ago..

 

If the engine spins (but doesn't start) then the "S" connection to the Solenoid is good, and you're getting power from the "B" Battery . . . . but somehow your "M" Magento is shorting out to the "G" Ground instead of creating a spark for you Ignition.

Have you checked for a spark ?

 

Turns out there was a FUSE that was blown, when I was sanding down the connectors I did put it down on the frame one time and it sparked.. Also I did find one of the connectors M purple wife was loose on one side..
Well now it CRANKS AND ALL IS WELL.

I want to thank everybody on helping me get his fixed

Cheers

 

Great! Glad you got it!!!!!!