Is my starter toast?

Mower info: Craftsman, Briggs & Stratton I/C Platinum 19.5hp Turbo Cool

The other day my mower quit working. It was running just fine before i shut it off to refuel and when i went to start it it wouldnt. It was turning over but wouldnt turn on and i lifted the hood while it was turning over the starter wire was throwing sparks all over the place. It was very loose. I tried to tighten it and the whole stud was turning with the nut. When i turn the key now i just get a "kachunk" sound probably from the solenoid. I am getting 12.5 volts at the starter wire so I am assuming the starter is bad? I got an older identical starter from my neighbor and it wasnt any different. Any info or suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks

Josh

Sounds like just the stud is loose.....There are 2 nuts, one below the power wire and one above it...Get a skinny wrench to hold the inner one while loosening the outer one....When you get the wire off, you can tighten the stud.....not too tight.

I've tried that. It seems like the stud is stripped out or something

If you have rotated the stud in the starter you may have shorted it to the starter case...
You need to remove the starter, open it up and see that you have not damaged the insulator bushing around the stud and the wiring inside the starter...
Activating the starter with the lug shorted to the starter case can and will destroy the solenoid... it can weld it's contacts and take out the battery and battery cables...
Be sure you don't have a shorted starter before you engage the starter solenoid...
Be careful, electricity makes things hot very fast... :smile:KennyV

you can just get a new brush assy for the starter and install it and that should fix it.

Well I took the bottom of my starter and the wire for the brushes had come loose from the power stud so i guess i gotta try and find some new ones.