How Do I Tell If the Starter Solenoid Is Bad on My Kohler Riding Mower Engine?
Most of the large Kohler engines that ride the mower use an electric start-up system.Part of the system is to start the solenoid.Cylindrical solenoid is lowComplete high current relay safelyWhen the ignition key is turned on, the amperage connection between the battery and the starting motor.A bad solenoid can refuse to start the power of the motor and prevent the engine from starting.But there may also be other basic problems.Check the charging level of the mower battery by touching the red lead of the voltmeter to the positive and negative column black lead of the battery.If the meter reading is less than 12.5 V, charge the battery before trying to start your mower.Check all electrical connections between the battery, solenoid, and starter motor to see if they are tight and corrosion-free.Usually, the battery is in the engine compartment or under the operator seat.The starter motor is a vertical metal cylinder installed on the side of the engine about 6 inch long.The starter solenoid is a small cylinder connected to the lawn tractor frame near the starter motor.Attached to the solenoid are two thick red wires, one from the battery and the other from the starting motor.You will also see a thin line on the ignition key that activates the solenoid when the key goes to the \"start\" position.You can also see the individual small ground wire.Clean the connection of any apparent corrosion in the start-up system.First, disconnect the battery.Unlock the corroded connection with an appropriate wrench or screwdriver.Remove corrosion by polishing the connector with mediumReconnect them before the sandpaper is lit.Tighten any loose connection.Check if the shift is in neutral condition, whether the lawn mower deck is out, and whether the parking brake is set.Reconnect the battery and try to start the engine again.Test the solenoid if the engine still cannot be flipped.First, turn the ignition key to the \"on\" position.Look for the thick red wire on the solenoid to connect to the large terminal of the solenoid.At the same time, the metal shaft of the screwdriver is contacted to two large terminals.If the engine turns over and starts, the solenoid is broken and should be replaced.If the starting motor is not running, the motor itself may be defective.On some solenoid, the large terminals are located on the opposite side of the solenoid.In this case, two large terminals are connected using jumpers.VoltmeterJumper cableMetal screwdriverBattery chargerMedium-Some Kohler engine models use a starter where the solenoid and starter motor are an integrated unit and cannot be replaced separately.