Craftsman riding mower won't start

[merc80]

I've got a Craftsman mower that I got used. I'm unsure of the year, but I guessing it's from the late nineties. It has a B&S 19.5hp turbo cool engine. It has a new battery, starter, and starter solenoid. The starter was the last thing I replaced. When I replaced the starter yesterday, it cranked right up the first time. Today, it won't start. The starter attempts to turn, but it's almost like it's not strong enough to turn it enough times to get it to start. If I keep trying to start it, the wire bringing power to the starter begins to smoke where it connects to the starter. I don't think the wire is undersized, I think it's about a 4 or 6 awg. I'm sure my battery is charged, and just to be sure I tried to jump start it off my truck. I'm really just about out of ideas. Any suggestions?

 

[doubleclutch]

I ran into something similar on a tractor one time. I found corrosion on one of the solenoid terminals. I would suggest cleaning all of the wire terminals with a good battery terminal spray cleaner or give it a good cleaning with a wire brush.

 

[merc80]

I'll give that a shot after work today, thanks.

 

[merc80]

I checked all the wires between the battery and starter. I also cleaned all of the connections. I really didn't see anything that looked too bad, but I scrubbed them anyway. When I tried to start it up, the result was the same. It would turn over once, then seemingly get stuck. The only other thing I can think to try is some sort of carb spray, but I think it would just be a band-aid for a real problem. Any more suggestions? Thanks.

 

[flatlandtacoma]

Stuck like hard stuck? Or just not enough oomph in the starter. Can you turn it by hand?

If it's a hard stuck I've seen the charging coil break and kinda wedge against the flywheel on more than one Briggs.

 

[merc80]

Not hard stuck, it does turn by hand. I don't know how else to describe it except to say that the starter just doesn't seem to have enough power to turn it over until it starts.

 

[refuse2]

Are you sure that new battery is still good I've seen some bad ones do that and maybe since it started once the charger system or vibration knocked something loose inside that battery. It looks like you tried everything else what else do you have to lose.

 

[doubleclutch]

I would check that new starter... When you say the wire smoked, I would think that new battery had plenty of power. Check your ground wire connections, especially where it is connected to the frame. One other thing, the new solenoid could be bad. Jump the two terminals on it and see if the starter turns.

 

[Dark Jedi]

what I was going to say. my dads old lowes riding mower would not key start but if you bypass it and connect battery to starter cable. it would fire right up.