Timberwolf TW160 cut out

[Mark Bolam]

Job going well on a lime rj, came down to have a chip up to keep the deck clear.

 

TW160 fired up on the button, choke in, revs up, walked round to start chipping and before I could engage stop bar and press green the engine just cut, as if the emergency stop had been activated.

No one anywhere near it.

 

Bollocks, I thought, fuel has run out.

Chucked in a few litres of E5 but noticed it wasn’t empty.

 

Went to restart, dead dead.

Not a click.

Nothing.

Digital hour clock comes on, that’s it.

 

Recent new battery, so I doubt it’s that.

Jumped it with a power pack, nothing.

 

There’s an idiot switch activated by the blade change panel, that seems to be clicking fine.

 

All I could think of is low oil (and I’ll admit it is overdue an oil service).

The Honda GX690 has a float switch which kills everything if the oil level falls below a minimum level to prevent engine damage.

Dipstick didn’t reveal much, possibly low, but they are pretty shit and not very accurate.

I added about 0.5l of 5W-30 because I didn’t have any 10W-30 to hand, but still nothing.

 

Is it possible for the float switch to get stuck, and where is it?

 

I’m doing an oil dump, oil filter change, and added exactly the right amount of 10W-30 tomorrow or Monday, but after that I’m lost.

 

Any input from TW160 owners or mechanically minded Arbtalkers welcome.

 

Thank you to Greenplant who are only ever a phone call away for sage and free advice on the phone, as always.

 

Day ran out before South African Dave could suggest any other tricks I could try, and my go-to man Danny Brennan was out on site.

 

Job competed, my mate Von rocked up with his TW230 and it was Stella o’clock in time to get me home for tea.

[Will C]

Not sure on the starter set up on them but on a lot of small engines there is a Solinoid separate to the starter, you can bypass this to see if it’s at fault. If you run the starter direct the solinoid may be faulty if the starter fails to go it could be that. 

have those got a pull start as well? If it will start from a pull you know it’s a starting issue if it won’t it could deeper electrical 

[AHPP]

Simplest first. Check battery leads if they've been off recently. Check other ends of them in case they needed to be loosened or something.

[AHPP]

Shunt the E stop to check it isn't that. Or the opposite. Do they break or make a circuit to kill the engine?

 

Edited July 19 by AHPP

[Duncan.]

This happened on my mates 160 after a lot of head scratching timberwolf technicians diagnosed it straight away. It was a fuse behind the ignition bit fiddly to get to but they said it was quite a common problem although it hasn't happened on mine yet. Hope it's this as it's a nice simple fix. I imagine green plant have already ruled that out though?

[Mark Bolam]

We haven’t got that far yet Duncan, but it’s something else to look at.

Thank you.

 

E stop and battery terminals already checked, but I’m sure it’s not a battery issue.

[Mark Bolam]

11 hours ago, Will C said:

Not sure on the starter set up on them but on a lot of small engines there is a Solinoid separate to the starter, you can bypass this to see if it’s at fault. If you run the starter direct the solinoid may be faulty if the starter fails to go it could be that. 

have those got a pull start as well? If it will start from a pull you know it’s a starting issue if it won’t it could deeper electrical 

 

No pull start on this one Will, but if it’s the oil float switch it wouldn’t start anyway.

[Mark Bolam]

2 hours ago, Duncan. said:

This happened on my mates 160 after a lot of head scratching timberwolf technicians diagnosed it straight away. It was a fuse behind the ignition bit fiddly to get to but they said it was quite a common problem although it hasn't happened on mine yet. Hope it's this as it's a nice simple fix. I imagine green plant have already ruled that out though?

 

Thinking about this, why would a fuse on the ignition switch kill the engine when the machine was already running?

[AHPP]

Fuses, relays, sensors. Oil level sensor wire?

[Duncan.]

Good point. I don't know. Thinking about it maybe it just wouldn't start, it was a few years ago now.

Worth a check though I reckon.