Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): Need help asap. Snapper mower wont turn over and job needs finished right away., briggs and stratton, snapper mower

Question
Hi Michael,
Hoping you can help me. I was trying to do a favor for a friend and was using his snapper rear engine ( briggs and stratton) riding mower to reclaim his lawn while he was on vacation.  His mower is the fun zippy kind with the near zero radius turn and the joystick steering so I was actually kind of enjoying myself. I Mowed about an acre no problem and had just made a few runs through some thicker grass when the engine died. Now it won't turn over. I do hear a click but nothing else. Had a nearly full tank of gas so that's not the issue.  In trouble shooting I have made sure that the blades, belts and everything I could see under deck was clear, checked the oil ( needed a little so added some), charged the battery and checked the connections. The positive terminal has just a tad bit of corrosion and the negative was not as tight as I would like it to be ( if you pull it will come out) but seemed like it was making connection just the same. Please won't you wave your magic wand ASAP and tell me what tragedy has befallen the mower and how/why it took a sudden turn for the worse whilst in the thicker stuff? Half the yard in about to flower in clover and my friends return soon. Thanks in advance.

AC

Answer
Hi Amy,

So sorry for my delay.  (Due to the holiday.)  

The clicking is probably due to a faulty solenoid or a safety switch.  Follow my No Crank proceedure below and let me know how you make out.  (If you haven't gotten it running yet.)

Michael

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