My perfectly working Mountfield R28M ride on Mower not starting after a 'good' wash!!

sujsuj

To my perfectly working Mountfield R28M
ride on Mower, I decided to give through wash (like what I do with my car). I even sprayer water into engine bay not just under blades. Water is throughly sprayer using pressure washer!

Now its not even kicking..? what could have gone wrong..? What I did is absolute stupidity..? How could I recover..? what should I check.

As you see its resting side ways on a wood piece now hoping to drain out water..Any tips please..

elsien

Have you tried calling their technical helpline?

DB1904

sujsuj said:

To my perfectly working Mountfield R28M
ride on Mower, I decided to give through wash (like what I do with my car). I even sprayer water into engine bay not just under blades. Water is throughly sprayer using pressure washer!

Now its not even kicking..? what could have gone wrong..? What I did is absolute stupidity..? How could I recover..? what should I check.

As you see its resting side ways on a wood piece now hoping to drain out water..Any tips please..

Numerous things, for starters is that the correct way to tip your mower when it has oil and fuel in?

sujsuj

no kicking..can't believe battery down as it was working just until my wash!

no oil leak, but i know this could be problem. thanks.

Bendy_House

It's a nice sunny day, Suj - just let it sit there for a good few hours.

It'll likely be water on the ignition electrics, in which case it should dry out and be fine. Usually...

Can you identify any of the parts such as the spark plug, ignition coil and stuff like that? If so, you can pull the plug cap off the sparkie, give the plug's porcelain a good wipe, a quick spray of WD40 or similar, a squirt up the plug cap, and a little more over the HT cable as far back as it goes.

Water could have gotten further in, of course, in which case it'll take a lot longer to dry out.

Just leave it in the sun and breeze for a day...

(I'd sit it upright, tho', and let it settle. Then withdraw the dipstick and check the oil looks clean and is at the correct level - not higher...!)

Section62

Bendy_House said:

(I'd sit it upright, tho', and let it settle.....)

Emphasis on this^.

It needs to be put back on the ground and left for a long period of time to make sure all the oil has returned to where it should be.  That should also be enough time for any water to dry out naturally.  (e.g. 24 hours plus)

Any further attempt to start the engine without doing that first could result in a written-off engine.

knightstyle

Have you tried starting after moving the gear lever and drive to blades lever back and forward a couple of times? Plus there is a switch under the seat that needs a weight on it.  Finally take the cover of the top of the starter and turn the starter gear wheel a couple of turns.

Bendy_House

sujsuj said:

no kicking..can't believe battery down as it was working just until my wash!

no oil leak, but i know this could be problem. thanks.

Just noticed this. Are you saying it doesn't even crank over - the engine does not actually turn at all? (Assuming it has an electric start?) Or is it a case of it DOES spin on the starter motor, but doesn't FIRE UP?

Does it go 'click' when you turn the key? Any noise at all?

Are there panel lights on it, to show when the power is on, that sort of stuff? If so, does it come on at the first key position? And then when you go on to the next 'crack' position?

Do you know how to remove the spark plug? (I'm guessing there's just one - single cylinder?)

Does it have a manual start option - ie you pull on a cord?

Ok, if you can, remove the plug(s) and try the electric start again - see if it turns over. If not, then repeat using the manual option if it has one. Ie, you want to check if the engine can physically turn over.

Bendy_House

Whilst it's sitting there drying off, I'd disconnect the battery - just in case there's some sensitive electronics slowly being fried by wet leccy leakage.

GDB2222

Bendy_House said:

Whilst it's sitting there drying off, I'd disconnect the battery - just in case there's some sensitive electronics slowly being fried by wet leccy leakage.

On the plus side, the op has done a fabulous job of washing it. It looks like new.

Section62

GDB2222 said:

Bendy_House said:

Whilst it's sitting there drying off, I'd disconnect the battery - just in case there's some sensitive electronics slowly being fried by wet leccy leakage.

On the plus side, the op has done a fabulous job of washing it. It looks like new.

Just needs the Turtle Wax shine to finish.