1650 Clicks When Turning Key

[cleon001]

Have a 1650 that was running great last week. Went to start it this week and I just get a clicking sound when i turn the key. I checked the battery connections to make sure they are tight an good. Checked all ground connections. Tried jumpping the battery. Cleaned the ignition switch and connections, checked the starter and it appears to be OK, jiggled the PTO switch, pulled the wires off the PTO switch put it back on and it still wont do anything besides click when I turn the key. Checked the brake saftey switch which was bypassed, checked the bypass connection to make sure it was solid and it still won't start. Tested the magnetic switch by putting a screw driver across the terminal leads and it sparked and make the click sound. Does that mean the magnetic swich is bad? or is this what is expected? Any ideas of what else to check to get it going is appreciated as I am at a loss of what to do next.
Thanks

Cleon01

[flood]

I think you are talking about the solenoid when you mentioned magnetic switch.
This should "click" when you turn the key to the start position. This throws the big power to the starter. You can bypass this (for testing) by connecting one end of your jumper cable to the positive terminal of the battery and touching the other end to the terminal of the starter with the BIG wire. (expect a spark, don't be timid when touching the terminal--a weak contact will produce more arcing) If the starter is grounded and your battery has juice, the starter will turn.

[Matt G.]

If you short the two big terminals on the solenoid to each other and it doesn't crank, it's something between the solenoid and the starter or the starter itself. Is the cable good between the solenoid and starter? If it isn't the cable, the starter likely needs new brushes, or (far more unlikely) has a bad armature.

[cleon001]

Thanks Flood and Matt G for ideas of where to check further. Found out what was causing the problem. I took off the starter tested it and it tested fine. Before I put it back on I checked where it goes into and found that a little rodent had started building a nest and stuffed the section the starter goes into with all kinds of nesting material. I cleaned out the nesting material put the started back on, hooked up the battery and it turned over when I turned the key. I then took apart the air intake to see if I could see more nesting and sure enough it was all round the air filter. Took the air filter plate off and noticed part of the engine by the fly wheel was loaded with more nesting. I pulled out the shop vac and sucked it all out. Turned the engine over a couple times to make sure i got it all and didnt see any more nesting material. Put it all back together started it up and ran it for bout 10 min no issues. Turned it off waited a couple min turned the key again and it started right up no problem. Never would had guessed the starter issue was due to it not being able to move due to the mouse nesting. Any ideas on how to keep mice out of a 1650?

Thanks

Cleon01

[young enthusiest]

Constant use!

[Matt G.]

Keep it somewhere that doesn't have mice, i.e. a garage.

Get a cat.

Get a lot of mousetraps.

[super1914]

I have heard mothballs in a mesh bag will keep mice away as well.

[Roy Najecki]

Cleon,

I use the moth ball method when I store my five Cubs and wood splitter for the winter. I put a cup of moth balls in a mesh bag, or old womens panty hose, lay it on the engine, and close the hood. I also put a big tag on the steering wheel saying 'Moth Balls'. That's so I don't forget and start the Cub without removing the bag, otherwise I would have a molten sticky and stinky mess.

Come springtime I remove the mesh bags, and put them in a Zip-Loc bag in the shed so they are ready to go next fall. Since I begun doing this a few winters ago I haven't had any mouse nests in the engine area.