2086 Starter Problem Runs Continuously

[tbengal]

This super garden tractor has the 20 HP Kawasaki gas engine and was built in the late 90's.

I replaced the original starter and solenoid about 2 months ago after having an intermittant starter problem for 2 years. Then one day I tapped on the solenoid with a hammer and it immediately cranked over.

Here's the latest problem. After only using the new starter and solenoid for 5 starts, it now is acting very odd. It will crank, but when I release the key, it continues to crank! I even removed the wires from the switch and it still cranks. The engine sometimes will start, but then it will stop running, but the starter continues to crank!

Is there something wrong with the new starter and solenoid, or is it now another problem?

 

[dsauve]

Tim that sure seems like a bad part to me. Hows the wiring? If the wires are harnessed together and there was some chaffing it is possible that it is drawing power from else where.