Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): Murray Rider Mower Starter or worse?, battery cables, screw driver

Question
I have a Murray Select 45" with a B&G 17HP HV engine, that was bought about 3 years ago and has been work just fine recently. The mower will not start at all.  Battery is fine, fuse is good, lights will come on when the ignition is in "ON" position, and spark plug is fine.  When I turn the ignition switch to crack it up, nothing happens.

I have done a direct hook up with a battery charger, turned the ignition, and nothing.

Now I have followed the ignition wires down to a piece of electrical apparatus that has two bolts and is connected to my battery cables (a solenoid maybe?).  When I touch my screw driver to both bolts of this apparatus, the starter will attempt to turn the engine (took the starter teeth section apart to see if it would work), but just doesn't seem to be able to move the engine.

Does this sound like a starter that just needs to be changed out, or have I not found the root of the problem yet?  

Answer
Hello,

Follow my No Crank test proceedure below and let me know what you find.

Michael

I would check the starter first.  Jump the positive battery terminal to the starter and it should crank over. If so, skip to step 2.
If not, jump from a battery that you know is good, from a car.  If still nothing, the starter is bad.  If good, then the mower battery is weak.  

Step 2.
If the starter and battery are good, you will need to trace the entire circuit from the starter to the battery.   The solenoid, switches the battery power to the starter, when power from the key switch is sent to the small terminal on the solenoid. To test the solenoid, first make sure that you have power at its large terminal which comes from the battery. Then jump power from that terminal or the battery positive post, to its small terminal. You should hear a click and the other large terminal that feeds the starter should be energized. If not, then the solenoid is bad. If good, then continue tracing the power through the key switch to the battery until you find the break in the power path.   All testing can be done with a 12 volt light or a voltmeter.  Most equipment has safety switches in  the seat and on the blade engagement lever. Check them by temporarily bypassing with a small jumper wire.