[Pig59craft]

I have put in new battery, new solenoid switch and my mower still won't fire. No sound at all.
What seems to be the problem?

[ballengerb1]

Put your test leads on the black and white wires to the solenoid. When you turn the key you should see 12vdc across those two leads. If you have no power start by checking the 3 safety switches found on most Sears tractors. The easiest switch to find/test is under the seat. With no pressure on the switch the circuit is closed and when you apply pressure it should be open. Try the blade, clutch/brake switches also. If all switches test good I'd start looking at your ignition switch, wiggle the keye as you turn it on.

[newaukumdon]

Save yourself some agony and follow the directions do not skip one because "you have already done it" humor me and you will see the light.

You will need a volt meter and set it to DC volts
-Check the battery for 12.5 Volts
-Check the cables attached to the battery for the same voltage checking for good connections
-Attach the positive side of the volt meter to the + side of the battery and the negative side to the engine block, Still got 12 Volts? If not the ground from battery is bad.

-Now keep the ground on the negative side of battery
-follow positive cable to the solenoid and hook volt meter on the cable going TO the starter coming from the opposite side of the solenoid.
Turn key to "start" position you should have 12 + volts

YES-Check the same way on the starter motor where the cable FROM solenoid connects, If less or no voltage then cables or connections bad, If good voltage then starter is bad

NO- Take positive lead from volt meter to small wire going to solenoid and test for 12 Volts with key in the "start" position, If no voltage to small wire safety switch is telling it not to crank or ignition switch is bad (rare) If it does have voltage the solenoid needs replacing (common)

Hope it helps,
.Don

[ballengerb1]

Don, your steps are good but I see you skipped the idea of any problems with the safety switches. Was that an oversight or do you just never see them as a problem? The last two Sears tractors I worked on both had bad seat safety switches, maybe too many big fannies in my neck of the woods.

[newaukumdon]

The last step takes into account the safety switch, and yes they are a major problem but for some reason the obvious is usually overlooked like a bad battery or poor connections.

Thanks for pointing it out though.
Don

[trapperx13]

I have a craftsman riding mower, l5.5 hp, the other day I checked the oil and forgot to screw the oil dip stick in so it blew out onto the maniford, when noticing smoke, I parked it under the shade tree (I'm In Deep South TX, and it's a thousand degrees already, lol), the engine was idling, I shut it off, got a quart of oil, filled it up, tightened the dip stick jumped on the seat, hit the Key, and Nada, zip, 12 volts to the Soleniod, good fuse, juice to the ignition switch, but notheing else, no head lights, not even a click. Anyone got any good advice?

[newaukumdon]

Probably Too much oil, hydraulic lock oil in the cylinder and piston won't come up.

Don

[ballengerb1]

First, your engine heated up a bit due to low oil so it must cool down. Follow New's thought about the oil level and insure it is at the proper level. Remove the spark plug and turn it over. If it is still seized without the plug you have some major damage to the cylinder and/or piston.

[jimchel]

I have put in new battery, new solenoid switch and my mower still wont fire. No sound at all.
What seems to be the problem?

Is the starter cranking?

[seanc]

Save yourself some agony and follow the directions do not skip one because "you have already done it" humor me and you will see the light.

You will need a volt meter and set it to DC volts
-Check the battery for 12.5 Volts
-Check the cables attached to the battery for the same voltage checking for good connections
-Attach the positive side of the volt meter to the + side of the battery and the negative side to the engine block, Still got 12 Volts? If not the ground from battery is bad.

-Now keep the ground on the negative side of battery
-follow positive cable to the solenoid and hook volt meter on the cable going TO the starter coming from the opposite side of the solenoid.
Turn key to "start" position you should have 12 + volts

YES-Check the same way on the starter motor where the cable FROM solenoid connects, If less or no voltage then cables or connections bad, If good voltage then starter is bad

NO- Take positive lead from volt meter to small wire going to solenoid and test for 12 Volts with key in the "start" position, If no voltage to small wire safety switch is telling it not to crank or ignition switch is bad (rare) If it does have voltage the solenoid needs replacing (common)

Hope it helps,
.Don

Hey Don,

I haven't run your tests but had a follow on. I've got a Sears tractor. When you turn the ignition to crank, there is a loud and obvious clunk as the solenoid engages, but it does not crank. I put a test light(no multimeter handy) on the lead to the starter and repeated the test and there is no power. I put the testlight directly on the poll of the solenoid to the starter and it did not light when repeating the test.

The testlight lights up on the other pole of the solenoid as expected.

I bridged the posts on the solenoid briefly with a conductor and the motor cranks over as expected.

Is this a bad solenoid? It sounds like it is engaging fine, you can feel a noticeable thud as it engages...

Thanks,
Sean

[newaukumdon]

If it is clicking and you have voltage at the small post on the side when the key is in "start" then you have a bad solenoid. More trouble than it is worth but I will drill out the reivets or bend back the tabs (whatever one you have) and clean the solenoid, they get corroded.

Don

[seanc]

If it is clicking and you have voltage at the small post on the side when the key is in "start" then you have a bad solenoid. More trouble than it is worth but I will drill out the reivets or bend back the tabs (whatever one you have) and clean the solenoid, they get corroded.

Don

Hey Don.

There is power at the small post. I unmounted the solenoid and gave it a knock with a wrench. It worked intermittently(power on the starter side big post).

I drilled out the rivets and took the back cover off. I put 12v on it and it clearly engages, but with an ohm meter across the big posts, it only completes the circuit 1 in 5 times.

I disassembled completely and the large post on the starter side was totally carbon'ed over.

I'm piecing it back together now and will try again in the morning.

Sean

Edit to add... It works like a champ now, all is well and it didn't cost a dime.

[barbp110]

I have a similar problem with my 10 yo 12.5 HP B&S Craftsman riding mower. These tips look great and I intend to do my testing tomorrow.

However, one thing not mentioned in any of these posts-- when I turn the key I get a rather loud buzz and that's it. No clicking, just a buzz. Does this give any hints as to what the problem might be? As I said, I'll definitely go through the testing hints given above.

Thanks alot-- this thread has really helped me!

[seanc]

I have a similar problem with my 10 yo 12.5 HP B&S Craftsman riding mower. These tips look great and I intend to do my testing tomorrow.

However, one thing not mentioned in any of these posts-- when I turn the key I get a rather loud buzz and that's it. No clicking, just a buzz. Does this give any hints as to what the problem might be? As I said, I'll definitely go through the testing hints given above.

Thanks alot-- this thread has really helped me!

Or is it more like a humming sound(like electricity if it had a sound?)

My first guess is the battery is dead and doesn't have enough power to crank the engine.

[detective117]

I have put in new battery, new solenoid switch and my mower still wont fire. No sound at all.
What seems to be the problem?

Did you check the safety switches? On some Craftsman riders there are up to 4 safety switches. There is a seat switch, blade engage switch, deck lowering switch, clutch/brake switch. Some have just a single switch and some are 2 switches in one.

[stellburg]

Stellburg
To all
Craftsman LT 6 speed 38" mower Model # 917.254245 - - won't fire, solenoid just clicks.
Tecumseh 12 HP
I have put in a new battery, new solenoid , new starter, I have bypassed all interlock switches,seat switch,different ignition switch and my mower still won't crank!
Any suggestions?

[newaukumdon]

Save yourself some agony and follow the directions do not skip one because "you have already done it" humor me and you will see the light.

You will need a volt meter and set it to DC volts
-Check the battery for 12.5 Volts
-Check the cables attached to the battery for the same voltage checking for good connections
-Attach the positive side of the volt meter to the + side of the battery and the negative side to the engine block, Still got 12 Volts? If not the ground from battery is bad.

-Now keep the ground on the negative side of battery
-follow positive cable to the solenoid and hook volt meter on the cable going TO the starter coming from the opposite side of the solenoid.
Turn key to "start" position you should have 12 + volts

YES-Check the same way on the starter motor where the cable FROM solenoid connects, If less or no voltage then cables or connections bad, If good voltage then starter is bad

NO- Take positive lead from volt meter to small wire going to solenoid and test for 12 Volts with key in the "start" position, If no voltage to small wire safety switch is telling it not to crank or ignition switch is bad (rare) If it does have voltage the solenoid needs replacing (common)

Hope it helps,
.Don