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I've got a Toro LX425 w/ a Kohler Courage 20 engine (SV600 series). I was in the middle of mowing the other day when it stalled and wouldn't restart. It cranks fine, just won't start.

I pulled the plug, and have good spark (replaced the plug just in case). I then replaced the fuel filter, and verfied I have fuel all the way to the carb (Walbro single barrel).

I pulled the fuel shut off solenoid, and tried turning the ignition on/off with this uninstalled. The plunger was not moving, and was stuck in the "extended" position (which I assume is shutting off the fuel supply). Assuming this was the problem, I first tried soaking it in carb cleaner with no luck. I then pushed the plunger back down (to the fuel "on" position) and reinstalled it, thinking that if it wasn't moving, with it stuck in the "on" position the mower should start. Still nothing. I removed it one more time to make sure it was still "on", and it was.

Lastly, I dumped about 1 teaspoon of gas directly into the spark plug hole, reinstalled the plug, and tried it. Still nothing.

I am stumped now. How can it not tempoarily start, when I have spark and have manually added fuel? Wouldn't any other catestrophic damage be obvious?

For starters, check to see that you indeed have 12v going to the wire that goes to the carb solinoid when the key is on.

chance123 said:

For starters, check to see that you indeed have 12v going to the wire that goes to the carb solinoid when the key is on.

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Thanks for the reply. I have 11.84V at the solenoid when ignition is in "ON" position.

nobbyv said:

Thanks for the reply. I have 11.84V at the solenoid when ignition is in "ON" position.

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Well,, there's your answer. The fuel shut off solinoid has failed

chance123 said:

Well,, there's your answer. The fuel shut off solinoid has failed

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As I mentioned, however, I manually forced it into the "retracted" position, and the mower still wouldn't start.

nobbyv said:

As I mentioned, however, I manually forced it into the "retracted" position, and the mower still wouldn't start.

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Do you know for a fact that it remained in the retracted position? Regardless, if it has failed, it needs replacing. The process of elimination is replacing all "known" faulty parts in order to do a repair. Otherwise you/we are only guessing. Once that solinoid is replaced, and if it still doesn't run, just continue that process of elimination.
Just curious, but when you pulled the fuel shut off solenoid, and tried turning the ignition on/off with this uninstalled, did you ground the body of it?

chance123 said:

Do you know for a fact that it remained in the retracted position?

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You're right, I don't know that, but figured since it didn't seem to be moving on its own, and it was retracted both before and after trying it, it likely stayed in one place. But I could be wrong. Just bought a new one.

chance123 said:

Just curious, but when you pulled the fuel shut off solenoid, and tried turning the ignition on/off with this uninstalled, did you ground the body of it?

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No, I didn't ground the body at all.

nobbyv said:

You're right, I don't know that, but figured since it didn't seem to be moving on its own, and it was retracted both before and after trying it, it likely stayed in one place. But I could be wrong. Just bought a new one.



No, I didn't ground the body at all.

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Unless you had the body of that solinoid grounded, it would not work. It is normally grounded when attached to the carb. This completes the electrical circuit to make it function.