mechanic mark
Lawn Pro
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2013
- Threads
- 175
- Messages
- 7,491
See YouTube: how to test starting circuit on bmg5425ko?
54 inch riding mower just clicks, won't start
- Thread starter JP98
- Start date
albert Hampton
Forum Newbie
- Joined
- Jul 21, 2020
- Threads
- 0
- Messages
- 1
make sure all cables are clean and connections are tight , tighten the screw are bolt that wholes the solenoid on. Try it again , if it still clicks . try the jumper cables again
if it cranks you have a bad battery, ! the charger will indicate is a full charge but not always true .
I have a Craftsman ZTS6000 that was doing the same thing last season. I see you said in your first post that it would crank when you jumped it. A couple of things come to mind that I discovered.
1. Make sure you clean the battery terminals and the cable ends real good. The fact that jumping seems to work could indicate corrosion resistance that is overcome by jamming more current down the line.
2. Try jumping around the positive line from the battery to the next connection point, if you can do it safely. This can indicate a bad cable that has interior corrosion so it isn't delivering full current to the starter. Same on the negative side to ground. You may have a bad cable.
My experience is that bad cables or connections are often overlooked while relays, switches, and starters are more often blamed. You can't tell if a cable is good just by looking at it. You also cannot rely solely on reading the voltage through a cable. It may read 12.5 VDC but can't deliver the amount of current needed to drive a starter.
1. Make sure you clean the battery terminals and the cable ends real good. The fact that jumping seems to work could indicate corrosion resistance that is overcome by jamming more current down the line.
2. Try jumping around the positive line from the battery to the next connection point, if you can do it safely. This can indicate a bad cable that has interior corrosion so it isn't delivering full current to the starter. Same on the negative side to ground. You may have a bad cable.
My experience is that bad cables or connections are often overlooked while relays, switches, and starters are more often blamed. You can't tell if a cable is good just by looking at it. You also cannot rely solely on reading the voltage through a cable. It may read 12.5 VDC but can't deliver the amount of current needed to drive a starter.
My Toro was doing the same thing. I ordered a new Solenoid from Amazon... I went ahead and bought a new battery and the mower started right up. So it could still be the battery.I can't get any love around here. No other suggestions??
Does anyone read the entire thread before posting? 45 posts and over half keep repeating check connections and battery. Constantly repeating the same solutions is not providing useful information and can get very frustrating.
GearHead36
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2023
- Threads
- 21
- Messages
- 303
If the engine spins over when you short across the solenoid, then:
- the battery is good
- the battery terminal connections are good.
- the engine is not hydro locked.
I'd suspect a safety switch. Do you have a test light? If so, check to see if 12V from the ignition switch is getting to the solenoid. There are YT videos out there detailing how. Basically, disconnect the small wires from the solenoid, then hook up the leads from the test light to those wires. Turn the ignition switch to the start position. The test light should light up. If it doesn't, then the problem is upstream of that. Either a bad ignition switch, bad safety switch, bad relay, bad wiring, etc.
- the battery is good
- the battery terminal connections are good.
- the engine is not hydro locked.
I'd suspect a safety switch. Do you have a test light? If so, check to see if 12V from the ignition switch is getting to the solenoid. There are YT videos out there detailing how. Basically, disconnect the small wires from the solenoid, then hook up the leads from the test light to those wires. Turn the ignition switch to the start position. The test light should light up. If it doesn't, then the problem is upstream of that. Either a bad ignition switch, bad safety switch, bad relay, bad wiring, etc.
