Hi, hope you can help. I have a 1998 model Murray Sentinel ride on mower 145/102 autodrive. Model 40560X50B. 14.5 hp B&S motor with electric start. Tried to start mower and burned out starter solenoid. Have replacement solenoid but not yet installed. I am now jumping directly from a good battery to the starter motor. The starter goes like crazy with the spark plug out, but it will bearly turn the motor over, once I put my finger over the plug hole. Is there a decompression lever on the motor, or is it something else. One of my friends suggested it may be the valve clearance, would this stop the motor from wanting to turn over? Many thanks, Michael.
Logic would dictate that the starter motor is burning out, drawing far too much current, and that the current overheated the solenoid and toasted it. Now the starter is almost a short circuit and while it spins it has no power. A spendy part to be sure. Perhaps you can find a used one from your friendly neighborhood repair guy.
A compression release is found on old diesel's, but not on gas engines.
Starters can fail from cranking on them for extended periods. They are designed to handle short periods of use, maybe 20 seconds on followed by several minutes (like 15) off. If you have had starting problems and kept cranking to get it going that would explain the fried starter.
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