I bought a used mower on Monday and on tues it just stopped running right in the middle of mowing. I bought it from a repair shop and they had did the usual tune up, spark plugs, all fluid changes and replaced a few things and the owner did not want to pay for it. So I got it. It fired up at the shop just fine.

When I turn the key nothing but a click. I changed the ignition and still the same. Then I went through and cleaned all the connections and checked the fuse. At first I could not get the starter to turn with a straight jump, but after I cleaned everything it engaged. I then could not get any spark. Today I went out and got it to start via a hot wire,but once I got off it and tried to hot wire it to start again it would only turn not start.

Sorry if this seems like I'm jumping around. It still will not engage from the ignition, only if hot wired. Could it be a bad solenoid? But why no spark? Should I bypass the safety switches? Could there be a bad one? Would that cause no spark?

The mower is a craftsman model #917270810 with a Briggs 19.5 #42e707.

Any help would greatly be appreciated.

Safety switches can and will prevent firing, remove the blower housing (the top of the engine), and remove the small black wire from the coil to see if you have fire then.

Removed the black wire and she fired up. I should say she fired up with a hot wire. Still nothing from the ignition. The switch is brand new, maybe solenoid is bad? I could not turn it off with the key, had to choke it to stop it. Also the ampmeter never showed it as charging when I was driving it around. I thank you for helping me with this.