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Solenoid just make clicking noise

#1

R

RonV

I have a XT1 Enduro Series LT 46 in. 22 HP V-Twin Kohler Hydrostatic Gas Front-Engine and Solenoid just makes a clicking noise.
I replaced the Solenoid and still makes a clicking noise, Battery is new and starts my other mower, from the battery to the Solenoid is showing 12 volts but only showing 6.7 volts at the starter when I turn the key using a multi tester and touching starter bolt, I know it should be 12 volts but not sure why its only getting 6.7 volts.

Can anyone suggest what the problem could be
Thanks RonV


#2

Hammermechanicman

Hammermechanicman

Clean the ground cable at both ends.


#3

R

RonV

Hammermechanicman said:
Clean the ground cable at both ends.
Click to expand...
0nly ground wire I see is is on the Solenoid green wire that clips on, the Orange and White wire goes to the key switch I think
This is the OEM Solenoid
Oem.jpg

This is what I ordered on Amazon and says OEM replacement part
replacement.jpg
It says the Solenoid is grounded to the frame, should I add a ground wire to the Solenoid Copper post and then to a good ground on the frame?. or order the original OEM Solenoid with the treadled bolt hole and clip?


#4

Scrubcadet10

Scrubcadet10

I think hammer means also your battery ground to frame , the big Black cable


#5

B

bertsmobile1

Simple test.
Run a jumper from the battery - to the drain bolt or to the starter motor mounting bolt
If the solenoid fire up & mower spins then the main ground cable is either corroded internally or has a bad connection
If still no joy then ground the body of the solenoid on the top photo type or ground the ground wire on the lower type .
No joy again the run a jumper from the battery + to the battery + on the solenoid.

Mowers are cheap so no one ( other than me ) bothers to seal off the ends of the cables
Water wicks in and rots the copper wire
So when you put a meter on it you see no resistance but when you try & draw big amps , it is no way hos`e


#6

StarTech

StarTech

bertsmobile1 said:
Mowers are cheap so no one ( other than me ) bothers to seal off the ends of the cables
Click to expand...
Wait a minute...When I replace cable lugs, I used anti-oxide paste and seal them with heat shrink.

Now being a MTD do I suspect under sized main cables made of copper clad aluminum though most CCs use all copper cables.

Doing voltage drop tests will pin point where the problem lays.


#7

R

RonV

StarTech said:
Wait a minute...When I replace cable lugs, I used anti-oxide paste and seal them with heat shrink.

Now being a MTD do I suspect under sized main cables made of copper clad aluminum though most CCs use all copper cables.

Doing voltage drop tests will pin point where the problem lays.
Click to expand...

So your saying the cable from the Solenoid to the starter is bad because it only shows 6.7 volts and not the 12 it needs?


#8

Hammermechanicman

Hammermechanicman

You need to do a voltage drop test to check the current carrying capability of the ground and the positive to the starter.
Follow this exactly. May need a helper.
Set meter for volts DC. Connect one lead to the negative terminal lug or the battery. Not the wier or the bolt. Connect directly to the battery lug. Connect the other meter lead to the metal frame of the starter. Not the engine block or mower frame. Try to start the engine and note the voltage. A good reading is .2 volts or less. Anything higher indicates a problem with the ground connection.
Next test.
Connect one lead of the meter to the positive lug on the battery and the other to the large terminal on the starter. Try to start engine and note voltage. A good reading is .5 volts or less. Anything higher indicates a problem with the positive wiring or relay/solenoid, whichever you have.
Next test.
Connect meter leads to battery terminals. Note voltage. Try to start engine and note voltage.
These tests will check the condition and current carrying ability of the high current starter circuit.


#9

R

RonV

Hammermechanicman said:
You need to do a voltage drop test to check the current carrying capability of the ground and the positive to the starter.
Follow this exactly. May need a helper.
Set meter for volts DC. Connect one lead to the negative terminal lug or the battery. Not the wier or the bolt. Connect directly to the battery lug. Connect the other meter lead to the metal frame of the starter. Not the engine block or mower frame. Try to start the engine and note the voltage. A good reading is .2 volts or less. Anything higher indicates a problem with the ground connection.
Next test.
Connect one lead of the meter to the positive lug on the battery and the other to the large terminal on the starter. Try to start engine and note voltage. A good reading is .5 volts or less. Anything higher indicates a problem with the positive wiring or relay/solenoid, whichever you have.
Next test.
Connect meter leads to battery terminals. Note voltage. Try to start engine and note voltage.
These tests will check the condition and current carrying ability of the high current starter circuit.
Click to expand...

UPDATE: I removed the Starter and used jumper cables to the battery and it does not spin or click, I taped the starter several times with same results, going to buy new starter and try, also going to buy new cables for ground and starter to have in-case and on hand for later if needed.

It it will not start I will run a ground from the battery to the starter bolt on frame, if no start I will run new cable from the Solenoid to the starter.
If no start then will need to trouble shoot more.
The Solenoid was $10 and the Starter $45 and cables under $30 so $100 is a good investment and spare parts if not used.


#10

StarTech

StarTech

For anybody this thread please DO NOT HIT small engine starters with anything as the contain glued on permament magnets that can be knock loose causing problems. Small engine starters are not like automobile starter are wound wire and are bolted down.


#11

R

RonV

RonV said:
UPDATE: I removed the Starter and used jumper cables to the battery and it does not spin or click, I taped the starter several times with same results, going to buy new starter and try, also going to buy new cables for ground and starter to have in-case and on hand for later if needed.

It it will not start I will run a ground from the battery to the starter bolt on frame, if no start I will run new cable from the Solenoid to the starter.
If no start then will need to trouble shoot more.
The Solenoid was $10 and the Starter $45 and cables under $30 so $100 is a good investment and spare parts if not used.
Click to expand...

UPDATE: Cleaned all the battery cables, I grind the frame to bare metal for battery ground and now getting 12.6 volts to starter cable, now waiting on new starter.

Thanks for all your help and will update when the starter is installed.


#12

Fish

Fish

StarTech said:
For anybody this thread please DO NOT HIT small engine starters with anything as the contain glued on permament magnets that can be knock loose causing problems. Small engine starters are not like automobile starter are wound wire and are bolted down.
Click to expand...
Same goes for children!!
Their magnets are quite brittle!!


#13

B

bertsmobile1

Always much better to test by bypassing than reading numbers which few actually understand and can be a sign of several different problems.
Directly by passing the entire mowers electrical system with jumpers as you finally did is unequovial and generally faster .
If the starter does not turn when directly connected to a known fresh battery , then it can only be a bad starter.

ON the subject of starters, get one from a mower shop , a dedicated mower parts supplier or auto electrician .
Nearly all of the starters on evilpay & Amazon are cheap 2 pole starters that draw a lot more current and will burn up if you crank them for more than a minute .
Good ones have 4 magnets inside .
Cheap ones have 2 magnets inside
It makes a big difference regardless of the length
Over the past few years I have probably replaced better than 50 or so of these "Extra High Power long starter motors " hat have burned out .
And of course in about 1/2 these cases the starter was not the actual problem in the first place..


#14

R

RonV

Update and Fixed: it was the Starter. thanks to all the help here getting it fixed. For other having the same problem Test your starter first with jumper cables then the Solenoid , clean all the cables from the battery to the frame and test you are getting 12 volts to the starter. I found that the starter was going to be $197.00 and on Amazon they had a replacement for $44.00, mine was a 9 tooth and the replacement was 10 tooth but fit perfect and turned faster IMHO, just make sure the part number on your starter matches the numbers on Amazon. For being $44.00 I asume it has 2 magnets and not 4 but for the cost but I could buy 5 starters for the cost of just 1. Mine did not have an -S at the end of the number and the new starter did, the -s just means a revision to the starters.
RonV


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