Cub Cadet slt 1554 starting issue

[Howlinge]

I have a 2006 Cub Cadet Slt 1554 last year at the end of the season the tractor developmed a starting issue. It would just rapid click when you turn the key.

So this spring I put a new battery in and a new starter solenoid, cleaned a the grounds. It fired up and I drove it around for 15 min.

Wanted to cut the grass yesterday so started the tractor ran for 45 seconds and died, tried to start again and the solenoid just clicked once. I pulled the starter ran power to it and it spun and engaged. Checked the 20amp and 5 amp fuse they are good. But still only getting one click out of the solenoid and nothing out of the starter even though I get 12v when key is turned.

Any help would be great.

 

[tomplum]

It would have been good to know if the starter would turn the engine if jumped direct. Can you turn the engine via the screen up top? If yes and yes, clean the cables and ground spot up.

 

[Howlinge]

I'll see if I can spin the motor by hand. Tried to turn the starter over unbolted from the motor with all the factory wiring hooked up and all I get is the same one click from the starter solenoid. Only time that the starter turned is when I unhooked wiring and jumped it (removed from engine)

I'll bolt it back up and try jumping it.

 

[charlie g]

older kohler engines with solid lifters are known to crank hard or just give a click like a bad starter or battery, if your motor is a solid lifter model. adjust the valves to spec. the manual shows every 200 hours, personally i have found 50 hours to be where mine acts up.. if loose the automatic compression release built into the camshaft fails to hold the exhaust valve open correctly,by lowering the cranking compression, even just a few thousands loose will cause what you talk about.

i was a auto/diesel/ase master gold tech for 45 years, and will state i was dumbly shocked when my own acted up like yours. i was thinking battery or starter, my cadet dealer picked up the machine checked it over, called and told me,the valves are loose,

 

[Howlinge]

I really think it's an electrical issue. If I just unbolt the start from the engine and leave all factory wiring hooked up and run a ground to the starter it doesn't spin. I checked voltage while turning the key and had over 12 volts at starter but still only a click while removed from the engine.

Undo factory wiring and run jumper cables to the unmounted starter and it spins.

I just bought a new Exmark zero turn but I still need the tractor to pull trailers.

 

[RandyT]

Check the connection of the ground wire that connects to the battery, and also were it connects to the frame. Remove any corrosion, and see if that helps.