Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): 04 craftsman lt1000, craftsman lt1000 lawn tractor, negative battery cable

Question
hi there.i have a 2004 craftsman lt1000 lawn tractor with the 18hp briggs and stratton motor.i just purchased it used and it seems it has a draw on the battery.i've put 2 new batteries in it and ,if i let it sit for a day or so,the new batt is dead.i'm very frustrated with this.does this sound like an electrical draw??is there  a way i can isolate the circuit that's drawing current,or atleast tell if there is a draw??please help!!!!!thank you,
          Mark

Answer
Hey Mark..

I feel your pain on this one..  Been there a time or two myself.

Start with a good fully charged battery.  A battery that is fully charged and load tested.  

Make sure your key is off.

Remove the NEGATIVE BATTERY CABLE...Do you see sparks?

Reconnect the ground wire..

Unplug your fuel solenoid, disconnect the ground cable....sparks?  Reconnect and continue unplugging components until you find the component that is not giving you sparks.. This is where your draw will be.

The two places I usually find them are the Electric Clutch and the stator being shorted under the flywheel.

Hope this helps.