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I have a Ferris 1500 Z with a 21 HP Kawasaki that will not start unless you jump the battery with a jump box. I checked the battery with a load tester and it first showed it was bad in the mower. I then pulled the battery and put a load test on it and the battery showed good. I went ahead and changed the battery anyway. Put that battery in and the mower still won't start. I changed the ground wire to the battery and cleaned the ground connection to the engine block. I also changed the positive battery cable to the solenoid. The mower still will not start. I then checked with a voltmeter from the battery to the solenoid and it shows 12.4 volts. I then checked to the starter and it also shows 12.4 volts. The ignition key is turned on and the seat switch is jumped while doing these checks. I then pulled the starter and cleaned the ground to the starter and it still will not start. I pulled the starter and took it to a starter repair shop and they advised the starter is in good shape. I put the starter back on and still the mower will not start. I then went and bought a new solenoid and replaced it and it still will not start. I checked all the connections again and checked the voltage at all the points as mentioned above and it still is showing 12.4 volts. The ground from the battery to the engine block is showing 0.04 ohms which I believe is good. I contacted the local Ferris shop and they advised they did not know when I explained everything to them. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Won't start means exactly what ?
From the second your bum hits the seat exactly what happens what do hear what do you see ?

The key switch clicks that's it.

Confirm the solenoid by removing the control wire (s) and bridging from the battery side wire to the control wire.
If there are 2 control wires the other goes to ground, They are not polarity sensative.
If there is only 1 control wire also run a ground wire to a clean part of the solenoid body.

Solenoid checks out fine check for 12V at the power trigger terminal and continuity to earth a the other ( if it has 2 control wires )
No voltage then start at the ignition switch terminal B ( they are marked ) which should put 12V to terminal S this then goes to the PTO switch, in and out only when switch is off then down to either the motion control arms and / or the parking brake switch then to the starting soenoid.

If you have a 4 pole ( 2 control wires ) then the earth side of the control wire will run through the relays

Ok I will give it a whirl. The solenoid is brand new and with the key switch turned on I have power to both of the top wires on the solenoid and the two positive battery cables.

rkemp6505 said:

Ok I will give it a whirl. The solenoid is brand new and with the key switch turned on I have power to both of the top wires on the solenoid and the two positive battery cables.

Click to expand...

OK lets try this again.
Solenoid has 2 heavy wires, one from the battery and one to the starter.
By "both wires" I hope you mean the heavy wire from the battery and the thin wire on the same terminal which is the power feed to the ignition switch.

And while we are here is it a 3 pole or 4 pole solenoid ?

It is a 4 pole solenoid with two smaller gauge wires located at the top part of the solenoid. The bottom of the solenoid has the heavy positive battery cable coming from the battery which also has the ignition wire like you mentioned connected to the solenoid. It also has the heavy positive battery cable coming from the solenoid to the starter which all wires are connected to the solenoid and starter. Every wire that is connected to the solenoid with the key switch turned on has a reading of 12.4 volts. The heavy positive cable coming from the solenoid to the starter is also showing a reading of 12.4 volts. I don't have an electrical schematic so that is causing me a problem and the local dealer in our area advises me that they have no clue what the problem is.

rkemp6505 said:

It is a 4 pole solenoid with two smaller gauge wires located at the top part of the solenoid. The bottom of the solenoid has the heavy positive battery cable coming from the battery which also has the ignition wire like you mentioned connected to the solenoid. It also has the heavy positive battery cable coming from the solenoid to the starter which all wires are connected to the solenoid and starter. Every wire that is connected to the solenoid with the key switch turned on has a reading of 12.4 volts. The heavy positive cable coming from the solenoid to the starter is also showing a reading of 12.4 volts. I don't have an electrical schematic so that is causing me a problem and the local dealer in our area advises me that they have no clue what the problem is.

Click to expand...

:welcome:

Sorry very rude of me not to say welcome.
OK now this is a lot clearer .
Run a jumper from the battery ground to a convienant grounding position on the starter motor.
Sounds like you have an open circuit in the starter or a really bad earth.

Ok I will try it. Now I got the starter checked at a local starter repair shop and they said the starter checked fine. But I will try it this evening thanks.

Alright well the verdict is in. I put the jumper wire on and it turned over. Thanks for you're help.

Bad earth strikes again.
When I do a service I always clean the battery terminals and paint them with " Liquid Eleltrical Tape ".
It is a thick gooey rubberised paint that will not wick between the terminal & wire but will stop all moisture so no corrosion.
I use 1.5" long bolts with wingnuts and paint everything from the wingnut to the bolt head leaving 3/4" at the end clean for the purpose of jumping & charging.

This applies double to ZTR's as their batteries are exposed to the weather.