How to Determine If A Cub Cadet Lawn Mower Starter Solenoid Is Faulty

The mower is making a clicking or humming sound, and the engine won’t start. A faulty solenoid could be to blame for this.

When the starter motor can turn over the engine without the solenoid, you know the solenoid in your Cub Cadet is broken. Battery chargers can be used to test the starter solenoid to see whether it is bad.

Use extreme caution around the starter solenoid. To avoid any accidents, use your Cub Cadet in accordance with the manual’s recommended safety procedures.

A Solenoid for a Cub Cadet Lawnmower: What Is It?

The solenoid on a Cub Cadet lawn mower functions as a power toggle. The starter motor is activated by pressing a button on an electromagnet switch.

It is common practice to attach the starter solenoid to the starter motor, but this is not required for proper operation. Some lawnmower solenoids are placed in a more accessible location, such as near the battery instead of the starter.

Triangular and Quadruplex Solenoids

For three and four-post solenoids, this is a very standard wiring diagram. Keep in mind that not every lawnmower has the same wire diagram.

Some Cub Cadet mowers have lights and 12-volt ports, and their wiring diagrams will show you where to connect those components. The diagrams here merely demonstrate the fundamental structure of the wiring.

Finding the Solenoid on a Cub Cadet Lawn Mower.

There is some variation in the physical appearance of solenoids. Others could be more square in shape. It might have three or four posts protruding from it. The starter will have a few solenoids attached to its top.

One side of the solenoid accepts the positive (+) wire from the Cub Cadet battery. You can quickly and easily locate your solenoid by following the positive connection from the battery.

All electric-start Cub Cadet engines have solenoids.

The Cub Cadet lawnmower solenoid failed, what could have caused this?

A solenoid for a Cub Cadet mower is an electrical switch. It’s impossible to predict when an electrical device will stop working.

A spring and copper plate are housed inside the solenoid.

If the spring in your Cub Cadet starter solenoid becomes too weak, or if the copper plate corrodes, your solenoid will stop working.

A weak starter, faulty battery, or poor ground might potentially cause the solenoid to fail.

When attempting to diagnose a solenoid, it helps to have some idea of what signs to look for.

The Signs of a Faulty Cub Cadet Lawn Mower Solenoid

If the solenoid clicks or hums when you turn the key to start your riding or zero-turn Cub Cadet mower, it may be defective.

If a wire starts to smoke or melt at high temperatures, it’s possible that your solenoid is malfunctioning.

Diagnosis of a Faulty Cub Cadet Lawn Mower Solenoid

Tools Required:

• The Volt-Ohms meter
• Screwdriver
• Continuity Lamp
• Wrenches for inspecting loose wires
• Pliers with Needle Nose (If screwdriver does not work)
• Charger for batteries (Optional)

There are several approaches to diagnosing the solenoid on your lawn mower.

1. Always maintain a full charge in your Cub Cadet’s battery.

Check the voltage of your battery with a voltmeter to ensure it has at least 12.3 volts.

More about: “5 Things That Are Draining the Life of Your Lawn Mower Battery”

2. Start Your Cub Cadet Lawnmower

• Install the brakes for parking
• Put your lawn mower in park and give it a rest.
• Position the switch to “on.”

3. Use a screwdriver to deactivate the Cub Cadet starter solenoid.

A long screwdriver can be used to reach above the solenoid and touch the two cables, thus turning off the starter. The battery cable and the starting cable are the two wires you need.

There’s a chance of a spark if the screwdriver touches the wires. Don’t freak out; this happens frequently.

Solenoid failure is more likely if the engine starts while bypassing the solenoid.

In the event that the screwdriver is not effective in jumping the solenoid, needle nose pliers can be used instead.

To avoid having to replace a perfectly good starter solenoid, it’s important to first ensure that there are no faulty connections or grounds. These obstructions may prevent the solenoid from receiving the power it needs to function.

4. Perform a Starter Solenoid Test on Your Cub Cadet

Starter-mounted solenoids can be examined. Take the engine’s starter off the hook so you may charge it and see if the solenoid works. This is a convenient method for checking the starter’s solenoid connection.

When replacing a lawnmower’s starting, make sure the negative (-) clamp is connected to the starter case and the positive (+) clamp is touched to the solenoid’s large post and exciter wire. When the starting player is sick, we only do a fast bench test.

Is It Possible to Disable the Starter Solenoid on a Cub Cadet Lawn Mower?

If you want to avoid the solenoid on your Cub Cadet’s starter, you can use a long screwdriver to reach across and touch the battery cable directly to the starter’s cable.

Take caution. It’s typical for the connection to produce a spark. Never risk your safety by not donning the proper equipment.