garden tractor starter snafu

My 1987 Honda HT3813 tractor won't start. I have a new battery and
new solenoid. I turn the key, get a click. Sequentially, where do I
start the diagnosis process? Do I have a broken wire that won't
deliver enough juice to the solenoid? Do I jump from battery to
terminal with another wire? Do I splice in another wire from the
starter switch and attach that to the small in terminal in the
solenoid that carries a smaller voltage from said switch?
Must be a simple way to piece this together, suggestions very
welcome. Gotta be simple. thanks all, Mike

 

If you get one click every time you turn to key to START, that
probably indicates you have worn out brushes in the starter, which
requires
engine removal and flywheel removal before you can get to the starter.

If the starter solenoid clicks rapidly several times, that indicates a
weak battery.

The best way to find out whether the solenoid contacts aren't making
good connection is to jumper from one big terminal to the other. If
the starter cranks, it's the solenoid.

You can also jumper from the battery directly to the terminal on the
starter, if it's accessible. If the starter cranks, the problem is
somewhere in the cables, perhaps just a bad connection at the battery,
solenoid, or starter.

One problem which isn't obvious to most mechanics occurs when the
engine block corrodes and the starter can't make a good ground to the
engine.

And, if there is a ground jumper from the engine to the chassis, make
sure that's making good contact.

 

Before you get too carried away with the other stuff, listen for a whine
after the click, which would indicate a failed engagement mechanism OR a
stripped gear on the starter. Also WATCH the flywheel. If it tries to
move just a little bit and stops, that could be a sign of a seized engine.

 

You also could try tying a rope to the tractor, the other end to your
car, and have someone pull the tractor along at a couple MPH and
drop the clutch to push-start it and see if the engine at least fires.

Ted

 

If the solenoid is clicking, you're getting juice to the solenoid. I'd
check the connection from the solenoid to the starter motor itself next.

Easy check is to run a length of starter cable from the battery to the
starter motor itself. If it spins, the problem isn't the starter motor,
but the wiring between it and the switch or, most likely, it and the
solenoid.

 

On most recent lawnmowers, there is no "clutch".
Will that work with a modern hydro-static transmission ?? I doubt it.

Like modern automatic car transmissions void of a "rear pump" that won't
push start, I'd think the same would be true of a lawn mower hydro
drive......but I don't really know.

Both of mine seem to have a distinct braking function when the pedal is
neutral.

 

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m314/Restrorob/Honda/HondaHT3813Starter.jpg

The solenoid is right there at the starter, it shouldn't be much of a
problem to
jumper from the solenoid to the starter.

The starter has a bendix drive and what looks like a one-way sprag
clutch on the reduction gear.