I'm working on an exmark lazer z with 25 hp Kohler engine. Everytime you turn the key to start it, it blows the fuse. I have done everything from replacing all the safety switches, I put a whole new wiring harness in it, and have cleaned all the connections. It still keeps blowing fuses. The battery is reading a solid 12.3 volts. The ignition switch is showing continuity. Please help and before you go rough on me I am no electrical expert.

 

If it only happens when you go to start.... the problem is in that path.
Try disconnecting the wire from the starting solenoid and see if the short is still present.

 

do you have a wiring diagram it may help to narrow down what the fuse is suppling power to my guess is something is shorted to ground testing the starter and charging system would be 2 components to check for being shorted.

 

Thank pjmax
It is not if I disconnect the red wire from the harness it will not blow. From what I've seen is that red wire from the harness goes on the battery side of the solenoid. It is the red wire from the harness not the battery cable.

 

Yes I do have a wiring diagram and it appears everything is hooked up correctly.

 

If you remove the red switching wire from the solenoid and it doesn't short..... the solenoid is what is shorted.

 

Thank you pjmax. That's what I figured to that was going to be my next purchase was a new solenoid. Why would the solenoid short out is it bad or not grounding properly?

 

It's just a coil of wire and with age the insulation wears out and creates a short.
If it wasn't getting ground..... nothing at all would happen. It needs a complete circuit to activate.

 

Ok so I got the new starter soleniod put on and still blowing fuses. Would a bad key start switch cause it to do this?

 

I believe the red wire you are disconnecting is the harness power supply. Removing it eliminates everything from the circuit, so that's why it isn't blowing with that red wire removed. Get a 12v test light, disconnect the negative battery cable and connect the light from the neg cable to the neg battery terminal. Unplug the fuel solenoid on the carburetor and turn the key on. The short will make the light come on. Go through and unplug every component until you find the one that turns the light off. That will either show you what component is bad or put you at least in the right area. Some of these have relays that get condensation inside and short out, also an interlock module on the back side of the control panel that could be a problem.