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I'm having issues getting my mower to start. It has the Kohler Courage 27 engine. I recently fixed a leaky valve cover gasket. The first time starting it after the basket repair it was hesitant to start, so I jumped it with my truck and it started right up. I let it sit and run for half an hour, but it hasn't even cranked ever since then. I go to start it and it just clicks. I've charged the battery, bought a new battery, and replaced the solenoid, but it still just clicks. I took off the starter and jumped it with a battery and it spins with no issues. I put the starter back on and it cranked for half a second, but then stopped and right back to the click. I tested the voltage to the starter and with the starter cable removed I get 12v, but when I attached the cable to the starter I only get 3v. I took out both spark plugs and the engine would finally crank, but when I put the spark plugs back in, right back to the click. At this point I'm a bit stumped. Any thoughts?

Start at page 71 for electrical troubleshooting with a multimeter tool. I would first test your seat Safety Switch for being bad. Make sure all electrical connections are tight & secure, especially ground straps & cables.
Scroll down page after clicking on website above to locate your engine manual.

Check the battery voltage with the key in start... if it drops below 10v or so , bad battery. also clean and inspect all grounds..
Did you check the valve lash (Clearance) while you had the cover off for repair?

Scrubcadet10 said:

Check the battery voltage with the key in start... if it drops below 10v or so , bad battery. also clean and inspect all grounds..
Did you check the valve lash (Clearance) while you had the cover off for repair?

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It doesn't drop below 10v. I also bought a brand new battery to rule that out. I'll check the grounds. I did not check the clearance. I feel like the fact that it will crank with the spark plugs removed, but not with them in could be the next clue to follow.

It should have been he first clue
Courage engines have a decompressor built into the exhaust cam
When this fails the starter can crank the engine with no compression but not crank the engine with full compression
The quick & dirty test is to turn the engine over by hand past the compression stroke
Then turn the key.If the engine does around 2 revolutions& stops then the ARC is not working and the most common cause of that is excessive valve lash.