Step-by-Step Guide: Recognizing a Faulty Starter Solenoid on Your Kubota
You go to start your lawn mower, but the engine won’t spin. A humming or clicking noise is all you can make out.
If the Kubota’s starter motor turns over without the solenoid, it’s probably broken. Battery chargers can be used to check the functionality of a starter solenoid that is attached to the starter.
When working with the starter solenoid, exercise extreme caution. Please observe all of the security measures outlined in your Kubota’s manual. The black cable should be disconnected from the battery first, followed by the red cable, before any electrical work is done.
Before diagnosing, repairing, or operating, be sure you’ve read and understood all of the safety recommendations in the equipment’s operator’s manual.If you are unsure about how to proceed or if you lack the necessary expertise or experience, you should seek the assistance of a professional.
Table of Contents
A Solenoid for a Kubota Lawnmower: What Is It?
The solenoid on a Kubota lawn mower functions similarly to a light switch. The starter motor is activated by pressing a button on an electromagnet switch.
Locating the Starter Solenoid on a Kubota Lawn Mower
The starter solenoid of a Kubota does not have to be attached to the starter motor for it to function. Solenoids for some lawn mowers are located on the frame of the machine, rather than the starter and battery.
To reach the starter solenoid, use the positive red battery cable.
Solenoids with 3 and 4 Posts
This is a standard wiring diagram for solenoids with three or four terminals. Wiring diagrams are not universal and might vary greatly between models of lawnmowers.
Some Kubota mowers have lights and 12-volt ports, and their schematics will show you where to plug them in. These schematics just illustrate the bare bones of the wiring.
What Does the Solenoid Look Like on a Kubota Lawn Mower?
Solenoids can take on a variety of visual forms. It’s possible that round and square shapes exist. Perhaps three or four posts protrude from it. The starter will have a few solenoids attached to the top.
One side of the solenoid is connected to the positive (+) wire coming from the Kubota battery. To locate the solenoid, just follow the positive cable coming from the battery.
Every Kubota engine that uses an electric starter has solenoids.
What Fails a Starter Solenoid on a Kubota Lawn Mower?
An electrical switch is called a Kubota solenoid. Sometimes, electricity just stops working.
A spring and copper plate are housed inside the solenoid.If the spring in your Kubota starter solenoid becomes weak or the copper plate corrodes, your solenoid will stop working.
If the starter is weak, the battery is dead, or the ground is corroded, the solenoid will not work.
Knowing what to check for during a solenoid diagnosis is helpful.
Lawnmower Kubota Starter Solenoid Problems: Telltale Signs
Turning the key in the ignition and hearing a clicking or humming noise, but the mower still won’t start.
As the temperature rises, the wire may start to smoke or melt.
How to Recognize a Faulty Solenoid on a Kubota Lawnmower
Items Required:
- A Volt-Ohms Gauge
- Screwdriver
- Continuous Lighting
- Test wrenches for slack wiring
- Screwdriver Alternative: Needle-Nose Pliers
- Charger for Batteries (Optional)
There are a few options for determining the problem with your lawn mower’s solenoid.
Charge Your Kubota Battery Fully
Check the voltage of your battery with a voltmeter to make sure it’s at least 12.3 volts. Check out our post 5 Reasons Your Kubota Mower Battery Keeps Dying for additional information on how to test your battery.
Prepare to Turn on Your Kubota Lawnmower
- Put on the brakes and park
- Put your lawn mower in park and give it a rest.
- Put the switch to the “on” position.
Bypass the Kubota Starter Solenoid with a Screwdriver
To avoid using the starter, lay a long screwdriver over the solenoid and touch the two cables. The battery cable and the starting cable are the two wires you need.
When the screwdriver comes into touch with the wires, a spark may be produced. Don’t freak out; this happens frequently.
If the engine starts while the solenoid is disconnected, then the solenoid is probably defective.Needle nose pliers are an alternative to a screwdriver for jumping a solenoid.
Inspect the wiring for corrosion and slack before you replace the starter solenoid. These obstructions can cut off electricity to the solenoid, rendering it inoperable.
Perform a Starter Solenoid Test on a Kubota
Starter-mounted solenoids can be examined. Take off the engine’s starter and plug a battery charger into the solenoid to see whether it works. You can use this to check how well the starting is communicating with the solenoid.
After taking the starter off your lawnmower, connect the negative (-) clamp to the starter case and the positive (+) clamp to the solenoid’s large post and exciter wire. When the starter is out, this is only a fast evaluation off the bench.
Can the Starter Solenoid of a Kubota Lawn Mower Be Disconnected?
When connecting the battery cable to the starter cable on a Kubota, the solenoid can be disconnected by inserting a long screwdriver across the solenoid.
Take caution. A spark is to be expected from the connection and is completely natural. Put on protective gear at all times.
Similar Topics
Water in the electrical system is another possible cause of the mower’s inability to start. For more information, read Why Your Mower Won’t Start After Being Left in the Rain.
Is your Kubota Lawnmower Still Giving You Trouble?
If you keep a lawnmower for long enough, eventually it will have issues, such as starting, not staying running, smoking, leaking gas, cutting poorly, vibrating, or another problem.
I’ve compiled this manual to assist you save time and money the next time your Kubota mower breaks down.
Hire a professional to fix your Kubota lawnmower if you don’t feel confident diagnosing and fixing it yourself.
Injuries to yourself or the lawnmower operator can be prevented in this way. Visit a Kubota dealer or a lawn equipment repair business in your area for assistance.
