UPDATE!! JD 140 Lawn Tractor: Solenoid?

Hello again.

I just put a jumper wire from the battery to the starter. I put the positive on the positive post, the negative on the negative post, the other end positive on the starter and the other end negative on the ground on the engine block. Major sparks, but I heard the engine turn over. So I tried it again and just touched the negative on the engine ground and the engine turned over. The key was in the off position.

Then I just hooked up the positives, and nothing happened. I don't understand this though: the negative cable on the battery goes to the bolt on the engine block, so why does the engine only turn over when I hook up the negative jumper cable from the post to the ground bolt? The existing cable that is there does the same thing correct? I bypassed the solenoid and got it to turn over, so I am thinking the solenoid is shot. But I don't understand why the negative jumper wire caused it to turn over and the existing cable on the tractor does not with the postive jumper cable hooked up. I cleaned my connections, just don't get it.

Thanks again for all the help and sorry if I am a little (or a lot) slow on this topic.

Sounds like the negative battery cable has failed.

That has to be it. I will check to see if it is continuous. It looks like it is in good shape but must have a problem.

Thanks Bob.

Just had that happen on a grain auger, the cable looks good, but no continuity from the cable to the "eyelet" end.

Did ya blow a fuse ? Between switch and solenoid .

I had a 165. To start it, it was not unusual for me to have to turn the key a half dozen times to get the starter to engage. It was not a bad solenoid. they had a wiring kit to correct the problem.I think I later found a switch that had been buried under some old grass,that needed to be cleaned or replaced.
SDE