Need some lawn mower help

[Tom Keels]

My troy built mower is giving me problems. Normally it will barely turnover when I first hit it. I usually have to charge the battery a little to get it cranked. Yesterday, same thing. I get on, turn the key, it turns over a couple of times and the battery is dead. So, go get a new battery (I've needed one for a while), hook it up, now nothing.

I can turn the key and hear the fuel pump click and the solenoid engage, but nothing happens. I can jump the solenoid and the starter will turn, but the bendix will not engage the flyweel, in fact, I cannot even make it do so with a screwdriver. I have checked the fuses and they are fine. When the key is on, there is a small red wire in the wiring harness next to the engine that gets hot to the touch. I cannot see where that wire terminates on the engine because it goes up under the flywheel. I can only assume since this wire is getting hot, that it is probably the cause of the issues.

Also the headlights nor the backup override lights do not light up when the key is on.

Anyone have any ideas? Taking it to the shop will be a chore since it's in the shed in my back yard and I really don't want to push it all the way to the front.

[wevans]

Disconnect the starter wire at the starter and see if the wire gets hot My first impresion is that the starter was the problem to begin with "or become so do to the weak battery" if that don't do it, try disconnecting the hot wire going to the solenoid and see if the wire gets hot

[Tom Keels]

Done figured it out. Solenoid is bad. I can jump it and it will start like a champ. I had to "engineer" a brake holder so I could start it while I wasn't sitting on the seat. Got a solenoid coming this week.

[DixieReb]

Tom, I'm glad you figured it out. I was writing you now to tell you to try replacing the solenoid. I replaced one on my Sears mower a while back for a similar problem. Happy mowing!

[What a mess]

Who needs a soliniod if it jumps save the $ & go fishen.

[Tom Keels]

Well it's a $15 part and it's sort of a pain to jump it since it has a brake safety switch.