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click,click and click

#1

D

double yellow

Cuc cadet XT1 ,18 hp kohlor twin cam courage. Most of the time when I go to start mower all I get is a click. starter engaged, good battery. Each time nothing but click. After about 4-8 clicks it startes. Any ideas of the clicks? Some tie no click , just starts after I use starter fluid.Mower 5 year old 174 hrs.


#2

R

Rivets

First check the battery cable connections are clean and tight, plus also check the ground cable to chassis is clean and tight. Hook up a volt meter to the battery the next time you go to start the unit. If the battery voltage drops below 10 VDC it would indicate that the battery is going or bad. Also we need to know what is clicking, the solenoid or starter.


#3

7394

7394

Load test battery, or remove it & take it to local parts store for FREE load test.


#4

C

ChrisBFRPKY

I'd remove the old solenoid, take it in to the local auto parts store and see if they could match up a starter solenoid from an older Ford car or truck. You'll never have to worry about it again. Or, you could put a cheapie replacement lawnmower part back on and be good for a few years, maybe.


#5

R

Rivets

We don’t know if the solenoid or starter is the problem. Plus which starter he has, might be a starter mounted solenoid, where your suggestion won’t work. He needs to do some testing to isolate the problem and post back with all unit and engine numbers. DIY guys throw parts at units before finding the problem. Techs on this forum like to find the problem, then throw parts at it.


#6

C

ChrisBFRPKY

OP gave enough info on the engine and Cub Cadet model to determine it uses an external solenoid. Though I could see some diagnostics if the OP has an amp gauge he could do an amp draw test on the starter to see how much current the starter motor is pulling when in operation. But then again, if he had all the test equipment he'd probably not be here asking. I jumped to the most likely issue and repair suggestion of upgrading to an automotive solenoid. Didn't mean to step on any toes by suggesting a solenoid upgrade to an automotive type.

External solenoids will work with starter mounted solenoids to solve starting issues. If you've never done that, you've spent more money than you had to at some point.


#7

R

Rivets

Not if is an automotive style starter which are used on some Kohlers and Kawasaki.


#8

C

ChrisBFRPKY

I used to think that too.


#9

D

double yellow

Rivets said:
First check the battery cable connections are clean and tight, plus also check the ground cable to chassis is clean and tight. Hook up a volt meter to the battery the next time you go to start the unit. If the battery voltage drops below 10 VDC it would indicate that the battery is going or bad. Also we need to know what is clicking, the solenoid or starter.
Click to expand...
The solenoid . My grandson now has the same problem with a 3 month old CC, Kaw, engine


#10

D

double yellow

Rivets said:
First check the battery cable connections are clean and tight, plus also check the ground cable to chassis is clean and tight. Hook up a volt meter to the battery the next time you go to start the unit. If the battery voltage drops below 10 VDC it would indicate that the battery is going or bad. Also we need to know what is clicking, the solenoid or starter.
Click to expand...
God idea will try it out
Thanks


#11

D

double yellow

7394 said:
Load test battery, or remove it & take it to local parts store for FREE load test.
Click to expand...
Thanks good idea


#12

D

double yellow

ChrisBFRPKY said:
I'd remove the old solenoid, take it in to the local auto parts store and see if they could match up a starter solenoid from an older Ford car or truck. You'll never have to worry about it again. Or, you could put a cheapie replacement lawnmower part back on and be good for a few years, maybe.
Click to expand...
That would be a good idea Ford tough


#13

D

double yellow

Rivets said:
We don’t know if the solenoid or starter is the problem. Plus which starter he has, might be a starter mounted solenoid, where your suggestion won’t work. He needs to do some testing to isolate the problem and post back with all unit and engine numbers. DIY guys throw parts at units before finding the problem. Techs on this forum like to find the problem, then throw parts at it.
Click to expand...
I will check things out the next go around I have
Thanks


#14

D

double yellow

Checked the starter today, removed the top motor cover, where I could see the starter gears when i tried to start it. Looks like the starter is not engageing the flywheel. China starter , The solenoid is within the starter.when i keep trying to start after a few times it engages the flywheel, so I guess I need a new or rebuilt starter.


I think you all for the great help. will tell my grandson the imfo also being he is having the same problem with his CC zero turn Kwa motor. 24HP . His is just 4 months old. Looks like ever where you turn there is junk,


#15

D

double yellow

what kind of ext. solenoid should I get ?

thanks again


#16

R

Rivets

If the starter is spinning, but not engaging, your solenoid is good. I wouldn’t replace it. You might not need a new starter, just need a replacement bendix kit. Please post all engine numbers and we’ll check to see if one is available. Dd you test battery voltage as I suggested in post #2? May be just a bad battery. I wouldn’t throw parts at it until I knew which component was causing the problem.


#17

Fish

Fish

Wait until after dark, then try to start. If you see any sparks, that would be a problem area.


#18

D

double yellow

Rivets said:
If the starter is spinning, but not engaging, your solenoid is good. I wouldn’t replace it. You might not need a new starter, just need a replacement bendix kit. Please post all engine numbers and we’ll check to see if one is available. Dd you test battery voltage as I suggested in post #2? May be just a bad battery. I wouldn’t throw parts at it until I knew which component was causing the problem.
Click to expand...
Battery test good, The starter gear is not going up to engauge the flywheel teeth at times. So i figured maybe the sol. was messing up. When i turn the key to start ]and keep trying to start it , it the starter gears springs up to the flywheel.

Thanks again


#19

D

double yellow

If I remember correctly the starter wad not spinning. I will check that out again next time I get a chance. Thanks


#20

H

hlw49

Rivets said:
Not if is an automotive style starter which are used on some Kohlers and Kawasaki.
Click to expand...
He said it was a twin cam Kohler Courage engine never seen a shift type solenoid starter on a Courage single cylinder engine. Probably the solenoid.


#21

R

RayMcD

Rivets said:
First check the battery cable connections are clean and tight, plus also check the ground cable to chassis is clean and tight. Hook up a volt meter to the battery the next time you go to start the unit. If the battery voltage drops below 10 VDC it would indicate that the battery is going or bad. Also we need to know what is clicking, the solenoid or starter.
Click to expand...
A little bit if dielectric grease goes a long way to keeping you battery terminals in top shape. It also works well in your fuse box, light sockets and any other electrical connections on your mower.. r


#22

D

double yellow

some imfo on the unit, SPEC PS-SV5413218
ser#4706730603
Model# SV541
Model # on hood 13AVA1CS009


#23

D

double yellow

RayMcD said:
A little bit if dielectric grease goes a long way to keeping you battery terminals in top shape. It also works well in your fuse box, light sockets and any other electrical connections on your mower.. r
Click to expand...
Thanks
I use the that grease quite often . Used it in a radio I sent out for repair. and the guy said I found vasaline on the tube pins


#24

R

Rivets

Your engine uses a Kohler 20 098 11-S starter. There is no internal solenoid. If you follow the large cable back you will find an external solenoid. Probably find it under the seat if you remove the battery. In this case, from your description, my experience tells me you only need a new bendix starter kit. This kit includes a bendix gear, thrust or bendix washer, spring and retainer. Any good small engine repair shop should be able to get this for you.


#25

M

moparjoe

double yellow said:
Cuc cadet XT1 ,18 hp kohlor twin cam courage. Most of the time when I go to start mower all I get is a click. starter engaged, good battery. Each time nothing but click. After about 4-8 clicks it startes. Any ideas of the clicks? Some tie no click , just starts after I use starter fluid.Mower 5 year old 174 hrs.
Click to expand...


#26

M

moparjoe

Rivets said:
Your engine uses a Kohler 20 098 11-S starter. There is no internal solenoid. If you follow the large cable back you will find an external solenoid. Probably find it under the seat if you remove the battery. In this case, from your description, my experience tells me you only need a new bendix starter kit. This kit includes a bendix gear, thrust or bendix washer, spring and retainer. Any good small engine repair shop should be able to get this for you.
Click to expand...


#27

M

moparjoe

It could be the armature needs cleaned, maybe new brushes or the solenoid is going bad.


#28

C

Cajun power

from the general read, I suspect that the flywheel starter solenoid is either GOING BAD OR, it's just got crude withing it.

here is what I would do...spray some wd-40 into the neck of the flywheel starter solenoid...saturate it. Let it sit for a while.

now since you have been using your mower battery to try and start it, you could be draining the state of charge quite a bit...and that fake you out thinking the battery is okay, but forgetting that every single time you try to start and it does not run and being a charging cycle, then you are left with less and less energy...So put a battery charger on it...just to be sure. let that sit for an hour..let the wd-40 does its magic. After an hour, take the charger off, and CAREFULLY WITH THE PLASTIC HANDLE OF A SCREW DRIVER, give that starter solenoid a few solid TAPS...NOT STRIKES...just some light taps. Tap it on the body....tap it at the gear...side to side and up and down.

now try to start it.

if the symptoms go away, more than likely the cause is a flywheel starter that has accumulated some rust of grass varnish...internally you just washed that crude out with the wd-40 and the taps loosened some junk up.

here is what I would not do: repeatedly try to start the mower in this condition. if the flywheel starter is not the problem, then you can definitely overheat and overwork a flywheel starter solenoid to the point of failure by trying to rotate the engine over and over and over.

as other have pointed out...there could be another root cause of this problem. One easy way to make sure the engine isn't the issue is to take spark plugs out and rotate flywheel by HAND...if it rotates easily with little resistance, you can rule out the engine as the problem. if sparks plugs out and it's hard to rotate by hand, then you need to start looking at the engine...


#29

J

jviews12

Agree clean ALL contacts including FRAME and STARTER. Load test battery as suggested aboove. If you have an extr battery, just jump this one with a know strong battery and run the experiment. Sure solenoid may be bad, but lets rule out battery first. Clean solenoid contacts but doubt it is it. CLEAN TEST BYPASS and you will find it.


#30

G

Gord Baker

After checking all cable connections for clean and tight, Connect one Booster Cable to the Starter Terminal and then the other end of that cable to the (+) Battery Terminal. If it starts, you may have a Solenoid Problem.
If it clicks, you may have a Starter problem.


#31

M

MowerNick

If the starter is original thats probably the problem. the newer starter looks different. they have had many issues with starters on all the kohler courage engines.


#32

D

double yellow

I think you are right . come to think about I did see a solenoid under the seat, Forgot al about it


#33

D

double yellow

jviews12 said:
Agree clean ALL contacts including FRAME and STARTER. Load test battery as suggested aboove. If you have an extr battery, just jump this one with a know strong battery and run the experiment. Sure solenoid may be bad, but lets rule out battery first. Clean solenoid contacts but doubt it is it. CLEAN TEST BYPASS and you will find it.
Click to expand...
Thanks, I have checked that also


#34

D

double yellow

Gord Baker said:
After checking all cable connections for clean and tight, Connect one Booster Cable to the Starter Terminal and then the other end of that cable to the (+) Battery Terminal. If it starts, you may have a Solenoid Problem.
If it clicks, you may have a Starter problem.
Click to expand...
Good idea, will check Monday
Thanks


#35

A

aussielawny

My Grav used to do this constantly, installed a starter assist relay, problem solved


#36

Minguen

Minguen

I had similar issues on my Massey 2924D (Simplicity in the US). Had a new starter and all i got was a click as the bendix wouldn't engage fully. Battery was good, so ran a wire from the solenoid direct to +ive on the battery. Started immedately. Checked the voltage from the ignition switch to my solenoid and only had 4 volts! Same on the ignition switch from +ive feed to start terminal. Put a new ignition switch on and all is now good.


#37

D

double yellow

aussielawny said:
My Grav used to do this constantly, installed a starter assist relay, problem solved
Click to expand...
I have a couple of old starters Might try them out


#38

W

warb

aussielawny said:
My Grav used to do this constantly, installed a starter assist relay, problem solved
Click to expand...
My Ariens 1028 Rider will Click Once, hesitate, then start turning over & finally Start. This happens
when Mower Sat for a week. Starts ok when shut off while Mowing. What is a Starter Assist Relay ?


#39

D

double yellow

warb said:
My Ariens 1028 Rider will Click Once, hesitate, then start turning over & finally Start. This happens
when Mower Sat for a week. Starts ok when shut off while Mowing. What is a Starter Assist Relay ?
Click to expand...
Don,t know about the starter Assist relay.
My start fust don,t engage the flywheel when I try to start. after a few clicks it engages the flywheel. Think I will try a used sol. that I have,


#40

A

aussielawny

warb said:
My Ariens 1028 Rider will Click Once, hesitate, then start turning over & finally Start. This happens
when Mower Sat for a week. Starts ok when shut off while Mowing. What is a Starter Assist Relay ?
Click to expand...
Not sure if l should post a link to another forum (delete if not allowed) but this explains it perfectly, and is where l did mine from https://www.mytractorforum.com/threads/starter-assist-relay-assembly-and-install.209618/


#41

D

double yellow

Looks good, I have and old starter relay that i might can work. Will try anyway. Messed with the org one for a while today, they sure stingy with enough wire length to work with

Thanks for the help


#42

D

double yellow

Bought a new ing. relay from HD, but have not installed it yet Hope this solves the problem Lenoard brand


#43

7394

7394

That would be a Plus.


#44

D

double yellow

7394 said:
That would be a Plus.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Sure hope it works


#45

D

double yellow

Well instaled a new so re;ay. worked fine for about two weeks. than click. click. Done that for about 4 ties then started.
Don,t know what happened to the quality of the cc now days.


#46

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

sounds like a problem i've ran into before, a couple of times... and installed a "starter improvement relay"


#47

StarTech

StarTech

Those are use mostly for solenoid shift starters where the trigger wire has a very long run and drops a lot voltage at the solenoid.

I would also check the supply voltage to the solenoid.

Without knowing what engine and starter we are dealing with anything is possible.


#48

D

double yellow

The engie is the twn 18 hp kohlor courage org starter Mower has 220 hrs on it. You can here the sol. inguage the starter, but that is about it. I have oiled and cleaned the starter also. Maybe China junk.


#49

StarTech

StarTech

Most Kohler Courage engines I worked on has an inertia starter setup. They do bind as the top bushing next to the starter Bendix wears egg shape. Just recently replaced one that was binding on cold starts. It was only two years old. I was thinking it was battery voltage problem but eliminated that during the testing phase.

The kit with the relay is for solenoid shift starters where there is not enough voltage/current to fully shift the starter leading to either starter not even turning or turning but not have the starter Bendix fully engage with the flywheel ring gear.


#50

D

double yellow

Thans for the imfo. Would a new starter cure the problem? Seams to me that the manufactor would recall junk pieces. Same goes for the auto manufactors.


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