Small Engines (Lawn Mowers, etc.): Rider wont start, blown fuses, pinion gears

Question
I got to the starter pinion it looks to be in good shaoe and made out of metal.  With this in sight I tried to start and noticed that the pinion from the starter does not rise to engage with the flywheel.  Could it bethe starter?

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Followup To
Question -
Cleaned it up same response.  I did notice that the positive wire to and from the solenoid is heatinfg up when I turn the key.  The mower quit while mowing so I'm skeptical that it could be the starter.  Any other suggestions before my $70 house call?  Thanks for your help.

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Followup To
Question -
When I turn the key on my Craftsman 10hp rider, I get a clicking sound. The batery is fine and there are no blown fuses. This has happened in the past but has seemed to have corrected itself after sitting a few hours.  The noise appears to come from the solenoid area.  Any suggestions?
Answer -
This is the classic dirty connection...I've saw this hundreds of times.  Ready for the fix?  Ok, here it comes!  Can you handle it?


Just my way of trying to let off some steam...I know, kinda of silly and childish.

Anyhow, dis-connect the battery terminal connections, clean with a wire brush.  Clean the battery terminals and the cable ends.  Re-connect and see what happens.  
Let me know if you have any other questions.   Once in a while the negative cable will corrode and prevent a good ground.  This is far less common than dirty connections.  Let me know if cleaning doesn't fix your problem.
Eric
Answer -
I would check the starter pinion gear located on top of the starter.  Pinion gears are made of plastic and sometimes stick when they are wore.  This prevents the starter from turning, and can cause the battery cables to get hot.

Let me know what you find.
Eric

Answer
It could be the starter.  At this point I would try jump start the mower with a car battery.  We have a special set-up with a starter button connected to a car battery.  We actually connect directly to the starter post and ground to check the starter.  You can do the same thing with a car battery and jumper cables, but be careful when connecting the cables to prevent sparks.

Let me know what happens.
Eric