starter solenoid problem- Really weird!

[brian M]

Okay, so I've had problems starting my tractor for months now. I finally traced the issue back to the starter solenoid. I had 12.4 volts at the two small contacts when the key was turned to start, but the solenoid wouldn't click or close (I made sure that all the safety interlocks were closed, of course.)

I took the solenoid out and hooked the small poles directly to a 12V battery known to be good... Nothing.

So, I went and got a new solenoid and checked the NEW one like above just to make sure that I did the "hotwire" test above correctly... "CLICK" (okay, I did the test right.)

I proceeded to install the new solenoid, hooked up the wires and turned the key (without the starter wired up) to make sure I still got a "CLICK", and I did. All looks good at that point.
I hooked up the starter to the large poles of the solenoid and tried to turn it over... no click (WTH?)

Thinking that I must have wiggled a wire loose, I checked voltage at the small poles with the key turned and there was 12.4 volts.

I took the solenoid back out and connected the small poles directly to the battery and got no click. thinking I had somehow fried the new solenoid, swore at it and put it on the workbench.

Being very persistant, I picked up the OLD solenoid that I had just tested about 3 hours earlier and hooked the small poles to the battery and... CLICK. it was NOW WORKING...

A few hours afterward, I checked the NEW solenoid and it was also working, but it quit working about 15 minutes later when I was halfway through reinstalling it.

my question is, can these solenoids become "stuck" in the open position? I now have an OLD solenoid and a NEW solenoid that are both working only intermittently when I directly wire them to a battery that I know is GOOD. I can check these solenoids and find them working, then come back 20 minutes later and find one or the other is no longer working, then come back to find them none of them working, etc, etc.

 

[Rivets]

One of the small terminals carries battery voltage from the switch. The other small terminal is ground. I would check whether you have a GOOD ACD CLEAN ground connection.

 

[reynoldston]

There are different style starter solenoids don't know just what you have? If you have the solenoid with the external ground one of the small terminals go to a ground.

 

[brian M]

There are different style starter solenoids don't know just what you have? If you have the solenoid with the external ground one of the small terminals go to a ground.

Thanks guys, but I checked all that. A bad ground doesn't explain why the solenoid quits working even after I pull it out and connect it to a good 12v battery. I was hoping somebody had some history on solenoids working, then quitting, then working again, then quitting again.

 

[ILENGINE]

I have changed out three of the Briggs solenoids in the past month under warranty. Two were the 5409K solenoids. One stopped working after 3 starts, the other after the first engine start. The 5410K wouldn't click sometimes, other times would click but wouldn't energize the starter, or would energize but starter would turn slow. Other times it worked fine.

 

[impalass]

Okay, so I've had problems starting my tractor for months now. I finally traced the issue back to the starter solenoid. I had 12.4 volts at the two small contacts when the key was turned to start, but the solenoid wouldn't click or close (I made sure that all the safety interlocks were closed, of course.)

I took the solenoid out and hooked the small poles directly to a 12V battery known to be good... Nothing.

So, I went and got a new solenoid and checked the NEW one like above just to make sure that I did the "hotwire" test above correctly... "CLICK" (okay, I did the test right.)

I proceeded to install the new solenoid, hooked up the wires and turned the key (without the starter wired up) to make sure I still got a "CLICK", and I did. All looks good at that point.
I hooked up the starter to the large poles of the solenoid and tried to turn it over... no click (WTH?)

Thinking that I must have wiggled a wire loose, I checked voltage at the small poles with the key turned and there was 12.4 volts.

I took the solenoid back out and connected the small poles directly to the battery and got no click. thinking I had somehow fried the new solenoid, swore at it and put it on the workbench.

Being very persistant, I picked up the OLD solenoid that I had just tested about 3 hours earlier and hooked the small poles to the battery and... CLICK. it was NOW WORKING...

A few hours afterward, I checked the NEW solenoid and it was also working, but it quit working about 15 minutes later when I was halfway through reinstalling it.

my question is, can these solenoids become "stuck" in the open position? I now have an OLD solenoid and a NEW solenoid that are both working only intermittently when I directly wire them to a battery that I know is GOOD. I can check these solenoids and find them working, then come back 20 minutes later and find one or the other is no longer working, then come back to find them none of them working, etc, etc.

Go to an auto part store and buy a car solenoid much more reliable.

 

[Carscw]

Go to an auto part store and buy a car solenoid much more reliable.

That's what I do. Tell them you want a old ford solenoid that goes on the fender.

(( cowboy up and get over it ))