917-254271 1993 36" Craftsman 11HP July 16, 1999; B & S Engine: 252707-0621-03 9406074B, Serial: 1567S19838 28

I replaced the starter due to the old one did not engage the pinion gear to the fly wheel, but the new starter is doing the same. Both starters turn but again do not engage to the fly wheel to turn the engine over to start. Could it be the starter solenoid or battery causing the problem & how do I check? Thank you for any advice.

Hi,
Swap the battery cables, I think. It sounds as if it is hooked up backwards.
Peace,
Clarke

Crigby, thanks for the response. You had me doubt myself, so I checked. The positive cable from the battery is connected to the starter solenoid, so it is correct. Could it be a weak battery? I charged it, but it is over 1-1/2 years old. It was starting the mower until October when the old starter began to just spin & not engage to the fly wheel. Or, could it be the starter solenoid? If I take a jumper wire and put it on the positive battery terminal directly to the starter itself, the starter turns but still won't engage to the fly wheel. Hope this helps with a diagnosis.

Follow up to my previous post. Crigby you are on the right track. I took a set of jumper cables & hooked to the old starter that I had removed from the mower. If I hook the negative to the "hot" post & the positive to the plate that bolts to the mower - IT WORKS! The bindex goes up & the pinion gear spring pushes up the pinion gear like it should. Can starters reverse polarity or is something in between the battery, ignition switch, starter solenoid & starter gone bad? What does the fuse between the ignition switch & starter solenoid do? Does it reverse the charge from the battery? All I did was remove the old starter & install a new starter - I did not change any of the battery cables or wiring anywhere in between. Now I am really baffled - this is beyond my teeny weeny knowledge of how the electrical works on mowers.

Hi,
Something screwy there. Starters do not reverse polarity, physical mechanical construction there. Batteries have been known to, chemical and mechanical construction there, very rare though.
The fuse serves as a safety device to preserve the wiring in the wiring harness. The solenoid is merely a high current switch controlled by a small current(within the wiring harness.)
Try disconnecting the battery and jumping a separate battery into the circuit(s) and see what the result is.
Peace,
Clarke