Thread: Lawn mower trouble again...

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Well, I just got my Lawn tractor ( 16 HP Craftsmen ) out of winter storage.. battery was bad and would not take a charge so I changed the oil and jump started it and let it run for a few minuites like I do every year.. dropped a new battery in. now I just hear a solonoid click when I hit the key w/ just the battery.. put a charger on it and it will turn over slow but enough to start it.. short the terminals on the solonoid togther with a screw driver and it turns over normal speed..

I know it needs a new solonoid, which in this mower is not in the normal spot on the side of the battery box under the seat, it is bolted to the inside of the dash tucked in on the left side.. easy to short out with a screwdriver but replacing it will require removal of the fuel tank and careful hands as to not loose the bolts... Can I just use a Ford external solonoid on this mower? the hook up seems the same but I'm not sure if the extra relay draw will work on a 3A charging system.. anybody know??



Seems like it's always somthing.. last year I had to replace the deck due to rust out and replace a wheel that cracked in the axle tube

I used a ford solinoid on an mtd 18 hp mower it worked for ten yrs then I gave the mower away. Good luck with yours

Originally Posted by DennyW

Very simple, just jump the solenoid you want to test, and see if it clicks... Make sure the body of the Ford one is grounded though.

cool thanks.. Ford solonoids ground just like the factory solonoids, the spacing on the bolts that hold them in looks the same too..

mower shop is 2 towns over, and an autoparts store that I know stocks them is just down the street.

Well it's fixed.. parts store down the road ended up having the correct solonoid in stock..