kawasaki electrical issue (starter)

[clueless 2,898]

As some of you know electrical is not one of my strong point all though my wife says my only real strong point is my damn opinions . I'm good up to about 4 or 5 wires okay maybe 6 after that I'm done, can't  remember the difference between amp, watts, voltage and ohms. Now to my issue a couple of weeks ago I finished cutting my yard with my Z turn and shut it off, after blowing it off I turned the key, starter went clunk, turned it again nothing not even the solenoid clicking. So I did a quick check for loose wires and safety switches everything looked okay still nothing so I pushed it in the shop and thought I'd work on it in a couple days, hoping the electrical elves may come at night and fix it, you'll know that happens sometimes. So a couple of days turned into yesterday, still nothing, damned elves, the light on the control panel comes on when the key is on so I know there is power to the switch. So I turned the key of and checked the battery post on the solenoid with my test light it's hot so I disconnected the wire going to the activator side (spade) of the solenoid and tried to jump the the starter, nothing. I checked the activator wire I unplugged from solenoid with my tester and when you turn the key to start it has power. When you jump your hot battery post on to the other post on the solenoid it should engage or at least click, again nothing so I'm assuming (yes I know) that it the solenoid or starter, this one has the solenoid attached to the starter and neither or cheap. Thoughts and help would be appreciated. By the way the battery is good.

Edited December 5, 2021 by clueless

[Skwerl58 634]

My son had a 24 hp Kawasaki that would not start with him and it was the fuel solenoid at the carb bowl. Common issue but I can't remember the specifics of the problem. 

[Achto 26,609]

8 hours ago, clueless said:

When you jump your hot battery post on to the other post on the solenoid it should engage or at least click, again nothing so I'm assuming (yes I know) that it the solenoid or starter, this one has the solenoid attached to the starter and neither or cheap.

 

A quick lesson on a solenoid or relay.

 

Power sent to the small wire/terminal powers up an electro magnet, this magnet pulls the switch closed between the two large terminals.

 

If you jump between the two large terminals on the solenoid the starter should turn. Providing that you have good power to the one large term on the solenoid and have a good ground to the engine and starter.

 

If you have a properly grounded solenoid and jump power to the small term on the solenoid and it does not close then you have a bad solenoid

[953 nut 51,913]

33 minutes ago, Achto said:

it does not close then you have a bad solenoid

Or a bad battery, or a bad cable somewhere in the system. Use a pair automotive jumper cables, put the black jumper on the engine block and "-" battery terminal and red to the starter terminal and "+" of the battery, should turn over.    If it won't turn over take the battery to an auto parts store and get it load tested.