Solenoid just make clicking noise

[RonV]

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.

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.

 

[Fish]

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.

Same goes for children!!
Their magnets are quite brittle!!

 

[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..

 

[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