RIDING LAWNMOWER WON'T START .. Is it the SOLENOID or Starter Motor? HOW TO TEST

Always make sure you have a good battery first!!!!! HOW to DIAGNOSE / TROUBLESHOOT WHY a RIDING LAWNMOWER WILL NOT START. How to TEST the SOLENOID and STARTER MOTOR on a Riding Lawn mower. Tractor.
music by BonzaiRod

[waylonmccrae]

I get these in my shop all the time, & the first thing I do is check battery voltage if that is good then pull the spark plug out to make sure it is not hydrolocked with gas due to faulty carb needle float ... if it spins over and gas comes out, it is time for a new needle float valve ...if it doesn't do anything, check all connections and the ground, then I check the starter by putting battery charger on 15 amps, ground negative to the frame then touch the positive to the starter cable lead to see if starter engages and spins over strong ...if it does, then usually solenoid is bad, if it doesn't and starter drags, then I pull it off, take it apart and clean it real good with a copper brush or 400 sandpaper, or rebuild it with new brushes !! That usually does it !! A blown fuse usually kills everything and you will have no power to anything, it will be flat dead !! Always start with the simple things first before you start turning wrenches !! 😉👍

[JH-hnxx]

I GOT Sparks! I GOT started! I GOT the lawn cut! Wife HAPPY! Saved a couple $100. Very cheap part to replace. Thank

[axeman]

Went straight out tried it …….no way! It was the problem cheers🍺🍺

[ImFieldy]

yep that was the answer. Ive ordered new solenoid Ali Ex. to my door 1/3 of price compared to local husky dealer. Thanks matey. 299k views and only 100 comments. puzzling.

[oldfart]

I have a Craftsman rider that wouldn't turn over. The battery tested good. It turned over when I looked at it this Summer. I jumped across the solenoid to stat it. On a hunch, I ordered a key switch. I installed the switch, and it started and ran.

[billlewis]

This was a freaking money (life) saver! Mine did the exact same sparking and I instantly felt at ease. Ran to Autozone, picked one up. Mower started in the next 5-10 cranks! Thank you!

[TheExc]

Thank you for getting right to the point. Thanks for the video

[dafajah]

Well done video. Followed all your steps precisely. When I got to jumping the terminals on the solenoid, nothing happened, starter did not turn, no sparks, nothing. I was perplexed, so I simply ordered a solenoid. I can't for the life of me figure out why a direct connection from battery to starter would not cause the starter to turn or spark. I didn't want to assume starter is bad, because the previous steps indicated a bad solenoid. Anyway that's my story. Guess i'll find out if it's the starter, AFTER I install the new solenoid next weekend. Thanks.

[jessemarch]

Thanks for the advice worked great my solenoid was bad not my starter

[trooper.]

Nice mower bud my craftsman has the same motor but mounted long ways

[patbiat]

Thank you so much for your video. So, what is the problem that it needs to be fixed? First, I tried to start it using Jump cable to connect the starter with the battery, it was like tried to start the motor, but it was not. Then, I tried your method then it started. What do I need to fix? Do you think it is cables problem, Solenoid or key switch? I changed the new solenoid and new battery. But the solenoid I bought was a little bit different with the one I took off. Both are 3 terminals, but different brand.

[JonathonMcDaniel]

I think I shall try this with my mower tomorrow since mine is having the exact same issue seeing how it just began this yesterday.

[paulvanderlinden]

My problem is it would spin the starter but not engage. I started by checking the battery voltage and it was negative. I had the new battery hooked up backwards lol. I flip the battery around and reconnected it, and it started right up!

[countryside]

My question would be does it have a plastic starter ring on the fly wheel or a metal one?

[stevemoll]

Once I found the part, this too was an easy repair!

[lovetheoutdoors]

I have a toro wheel horse it was running last summer but now won't start. All I'm getting is a continuous clicking on the brand new solenoid and the starter is brand new as well. I'm not getting any power to the starter nor sparks.

[SteveSmith-zzih]

Yah number 700 thanks for that just have to find the solenoid on the next door neighbors mower = same issue

[ofklamre]

I've got a similar issue with my mower. Finished up mowing and moved the mower out of the way so I could take care of something else. Got back on the mower to move it to the shed, and it wouldn't start. Made same initial clicking noise as the one in the video, and then it started clicking really fast (sounded like a ratchet in a way). I could put my finger on the solenoid and feel the clicking inside that. I also shorted the two copper studs on the solenoid and the engine still didn't start. For the life of me, cannot find anything online that would suggest what the issue is. You think it might be the starter motor? Guy I bought it from said he had replaced it maybe 2 or 3 years ago. Battery I replaced April 2017.

[Allan-etig]

Hi, great video. I have a question. I have a Craftsman and the video shows lifting the seat removing battery to get a Solenoid. However I think it's accessible externally as you did here so I don't have to go through the many steps with under-the-seat access to solenoid?

[burnoutlife]

So if you bridge the solenoid posts, and it doesn't crank, then it's what? The starter? Lack of juice in the battery? I imagine you'd hook up jumpers and try it to be sure it's not the battery, or hook up a charged one...then you know it's either the starter or bad ground..