This mower has a Briggs & Stratton Model 289707, Type 0154-01 12.5 hp engine. When I try to start it, I hear a click and can see down at the motor, through the screen, and the round device inside goes about a quarter turn.

I discovered that the negative battery cable had been fried and replaced it but the result is the same, just the click. Battery is fully charged. I can't get to some of the wiring and also wondered if there's a way to remove the back body to get to them.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I paid good money to send my oldest son to mechanic's school so he could become an A1 mechanic. He is and lives 900 miles away.

JAG

Did you check that the engine is free turning, that is can you spin it by reasonable hand force?


Morrowrj

Yes, the engine is free turning. I went out to it this morning and decided to check all the wires since I had put a new negative cable on the battery. The positive cable going into the starter was loose but it was loose inside the starter. The post it attaches to is broken. I wiggled it back into the starter and, while the engine didn't start, it turned about 4-5 times, not just the one click.

I am hoping that this is the problem because they seem to be pretty costly. Would you recommend changing the solenoid at the same time?

JAG