My Brother flipped my John Deere LX172 riding mower. It started up after he rolled it over, but after shutting it off again, it won't start.The Battery light comes on, but nothing else happens (firing, turning over, etc...). I got it to start once by grounding the solenoid out, but now when I try that, it just whirs and doesn't plunge into the starter.I tested the battery strength, replaced the solenoid and had the starter checked out, but the same thing happens. The dealer told me it could be a safety switch, but I don't have a wiring diagram and don't really know where to start testing the connections & switches.

John Kish, May 2009

Another possibility is that when it rolled over, the engine oil could have drained past the cylider rings filling the area above the piston. Seeing as how oil/water doesn't compress, when the starter tried to turn the engine over (having to compress the oil above the piston) it may have damaged the starter/flywheel gears enough that they failed completely on the next few starting attempts. So it may be nothing more than a sheared key or pin holding the gears in place. This would explain the 'whirring' noise you're hearing. The starter is turning over but the gears aren't.

evilleshepherd, May 2009

It sounds like the problem is in the starter or the related circuitry such as wiring between it and the keyswitch. A roll-over shouldn't have damaged much other than sheet metal and maybe his pride. I'm going on the fact that you said it has ran a few times since the roll-over and that you said the battery is good. I would start by trying a proven good battery, then proceed to the starter, making sure the starter/flywheel gears are intact. Also make sure these gears aren't spinning on their shafts, i.e. keys/pins not sheared.

evilleshepherd, May 2009

The Safety switch in on the bottom of the seat.

Rick, May 2009