Quick Solenoid Test

[Kurt Kling]

What is the best way to determine the diagnosis of the solenoid or the starter switch? One is not functioning properly. Thanks, Kurt

 

[Dell (WA)]

Kurt.......feel yer solenoid. Is it HOT? it is not well. Does it CLUNK under yer hand? it is probably good. Starter solenoids are semi-bulletproof but can have external wiring problems. You can also put a "test-lite" on each side of the solenoid BIG terminals; one-atta-time. Lite ON, terminal is HOT (good) It should be intuitively obvious, the starter motor side should ONLY lite when you push the BIG starter safety button up by the tranny shifter. Remember, the little middle terminal is GROUNDED by the tranny shifter starter button. The little middle wire is known to break from clumsy footed tractor drivers. .......twinkle toes Dell

 

[Jubilee85 (VA)]

get cha a volt/ohm meter - analog or digital.
set it to 12volts+ on the DC scale. Place the black probe on ground (neg ground system)- shiny spot on tractor. place red lead on batt side of post on solenoid, should read 12+ volts (6 volt system should be 6+ volts.) Should have same voltage at battery and solenoid. Then place red lead on OTHER large post and push the starter button. Should get the same voltage there, and tractor should turn over.
Typical problems with solenoids - weak battery, poor contacts, or internals in solenoid. There are contacts inside solenoid that are not fixable. I just replaced one on a murry riding lawnmower......read what Dell said about the grounding type, YOU CANNOT place a good ol car solenoid into your tractor, unless your modify the wiring, the orginal one GROUNDS the solenoid. Post back what you did and the results.
I would - charge battery, clean posts, then try to crank, then use VOM to check.

 

[old]

If you have the correct 3 post solenoid 2 big one small it is easy to figure out. Remove the wire from the starter button and then touch a clean metal part of the tractor. If it spins over then it is the switch if it does not then it is either the solenoid or the wire going to it. No meter no extra tools needed