B & S engine - riding mower starting problem.

I have a Murray riding mower with a B & S engine. It's a 17 HP / 42 inch cut.

Several times, the engine or starter would continue to run after shutting off the key. Tapping it with a hammer / screwdriver stopped that. (I know; bad idea.)

Now, it clicks but won't start at all. Only one click, not a series of clicks.

I had already replaced the battery, the belt, and the blades (what I call the Triple B maintenance plan).

The fat red wire that connects to the starter became hot while trying to start it, but it never did start.

Will I need to replace the starter, or can I rebuild the top-end (what we used to call the "bendix") ??

 

Ok, so I've eliminated the solonoid as the problem. I've been told that the blade engage safety switch might be the issue as well, but don't know how to bypass that (too many wires).

How can I tell if the starter is bad, or if it's some other issue ?

HELP !!!

 

If the new solenoid clicks like the old one but the starter doesn't rotate it will not be the blade engage switch, It would be my guess the starter brushes/armature are burnt up ("cable getting hot").

A tear-down inspection of the starter will yield the issue.

 

How did you eliminate the solenoid as as the problem? After ensuring that your battery is good and fully charged and you have a good ground connection from the battery to the chassis, then using a battery booster cable connect directly from the battery positive to the starter terminal. If starter cranks then it's ok. Then make sure all cable connections on the solenoid are clean and tight. , including small terminal on the solenoid and the solenoid body is grounded to chassis. Try key again. If no crank then remove lead from small post on solenoid and connect directly to it from the positive battery terminal. That eliminates all safety switches.If it cranks then solenoid is good and your problem is safety switches or ignition key. If no crank then solenoid is bad. With a bad safety switch though, there will be no click anywhere. A click means the ignition is sending some power to the solenoid. I recently had a solenoid that would click but still not pass power to the starter on it's internal contacts.

 

If the cable is getting hot, the solenoid is working because there is amperage going somewhere (the reason it is getting hot). I think you had a sticking solenoid which caused the starter to keep turning, but then you ruined the starter by hitting it with a hammer. There are fragile ceramic magnets inside the starter case and a little whack with a hammer is all it takes to crack one. Then it's time for a $120 starter or find parts to repair the current one if it didn't cut the armature windings.