Ferris won't start Help

Hello, I have a Ferris Criterion 3 wheel mower, 22hp briggs. I rebuilt the carb about a month ago and ran the mower, went out yesterday to mow and cant get it to turn over, just click. I replaced the battery(needed to anyways) removed the sylenoid and had it checked, checked good. All my connections are good, anybody have any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Start with the easiest ... Battery cable connections BOTH ends, both cables... If there is any corrosion, you will not get enough current through to engage the starter... :smile:KennyV

I have removed and cleaned all connections, and all seem fine. This has to be simple as it was running not long ago. I have the new battery on trickle charger and the needle is about half. I am going to try jumping the battery first, then jumping the starter to see if it will engage at all. Thanks

Don't forget to check fuses, fusable links, safety switches, contacts in starter (key)switch, ground straps, etc. There is a safety switch on my Ventrac that needs adjustment once in a while (safety switch for park) it won't start if hydro lever is not in park with brake engaged.
-- I've driven myself crazy before only to find something SIMPLE that I forgot to check.

Good Luck !

If your starter is turning (or at least you hear the solenoid clicking), then your safety switches are likely not the cause. I could be wrong, but on mine at least, if they are not all properly engages, you wont get any charge through to the solenoid or starter.

I agree with attempting to jump at the starter - that is a good place to start. If that works then move backward until you validated your cables and battery.

If you hear clicking the system is clearing all the safety switches. With the battery being good, now you got to look at the starter. But, DO NOT hit it with anything! If you have already, it's probably bad now.

Check the voltage at the solenoid, (small terminal) while holding the key to start...
It will be some what lower than the voltage on the large terminal... This difference is the voltage dropped across all the switches, key switch, PTO switch, neutral switch & any other safety switch... Each of these switches will have a little resistance, that resistance will change over time and eventually be high enough that not enough of the voltage will make it through to the coil in the solenoid... JD and others made a kit to take care of the voltage drop problem... It's another relay at the end of this string of switches. This new relay will apply full battery voltage to the starter solenoid... If there is not enough of the voltage at that small terminal on the starter solenoid you MAY hear a click... but it might not energize hard enough to give good current flow to the starter... So measure the available voltage at that small terminal with the key held to start.

And like CajunCub said... Don't hit the starter with anything... You are not going to knock the bendix free... BUT you do stand a good chance of knocking one of the magnets loose or cracking one of them...
Use a volt meter... it will find electrical problems... :smile:KennyV