What Is a Lawn Tractor Stator?
by Susan Revermann
A stator can be found inside the alternator system inside your lawn tractor and is easily recognized by its shape and appearance. When the stator goes out or starts to go bad, you will notice that you are not getting the appropriate charge needed for the lawn tractor to function properly.
Description
The stator is part of the alternator system of an engine. The rotor spins around the stator, which produces a magnetic field. The stator creates an alternating current from this magnetic charge. This current is then used to create electrical power to be used by the engine, as well as recharge the battery and run electrical loads.
Physical Attributes
A stator has a round metal body, usually cast iron, with a hole in the middle. The outside of the round body has sprockets that resemble square-tipped gear sprockets. There is copper wiring wrapped around the sprocket areas. You will find a wiring harness coming off one section of the stator.
Location
The make and model of lawn tractor will ultimately determine the location of the stator. However, most stators are often located outside the flywheel. If the stator needs replacing, repair or maintenance, you will most likely have to remove the blower housing, rotating screen, rewind clutch and flywheel to access the stator. Wires that go to the stator need to be positioned away from the flywheel to prevent damage to the wiring.
Testing a Stator
To find out how much output voltage your stator has to check if it is still good, connect a volt meter between the two wires that come off the stator. Set the volt meter over 28 volts in the AC setting to get the best reading. Start the lawn tractor engine and run it at 3600 rpm. A good stator will read over 28 volts. If the volts read lower than that, you may need to replace the stator. Visually inspect the stator for burnt sections or evidence of overheating and address these issues if present.
