grounding dilema

I bought an old wards mower, according to the motor numbers it is a 1971, I'm not too sure that it is the original motor to the machine though???

I had a heck of a time getting the switch to make contact from the solinoid after i relocated the battery and solinoid to a metal box that i built on to the back end....In the end i had two problems, the old switch, and not a good ground to the motor and starter.......I rewired  all of my wiring to the back of the machine and got good enough power to the starter......so I welded in my box and set it all up again.....i made sure that I grounded the welder near to every weld...........set it all up again and I couldn't get a good ground to the starter......I don't know if the  welding caused this problem or not??

I ended up making a ground cable from the frame in front and connecting it with a starter mounting bolt .........and going with a push button and the key switch, makes a good kill switch.................works pretty good.....

i have never had this much of a problem with grounding on a vihical before, so i thought i'de tell my story.......maybe it will help somebody out .......\

It's hard for an old man to do all this key pecking

Grounding cables just put a million grounding wires till it works my grandpas golf kart has this issue

It looks to me like the motor may have been reset with some kind of thick washers [1/8"] maybe for vibration???.......one day I'll pull a bolt and see what they are....that could be the ground issue to the motor........the guy that had it was jumping the starter to start it........Until he burned all of the lower end of the starter contacts out.........?? I've got a good ground now.......

A bad ground can cause all kinds of troubleshooting problems, especially when you have multiple problems to deal with........I also had an ignition switch that would work on and off...........The good thing is that I ended up with all new wiring and took out what wasn't needed..

seems legit dont ya just love lazyness

I wonder if it has rubber pads for vibration.  Kind of like a generator.  I have seen some lawn tractors with them too.  The old craftsman that I use for Halloween decor has them on that engine.  I'd need an engine grounding strap like a car in those cases.

I actually had a spare grounding strap from a rebuild job on my blazer and used it on the mower.........both ends all made up......it helps to be a little bit  of a pack rat when you fix your own stuff

The spacers could actually be fiber of some kind.... some day when I get really curious I'll check it out.....

My engine isolators were all shattered when I removed the engine yesterday, mine has a ground cable from the front of the engine beside the spark plug to a ground location just beside the front right engine "mount". I also have the 11hp B&S engine.

I'll have to check the front deck on mine to see if there are any remnents of a ground strap........looking at yours makes me think that this may well be the original engine and  my wards is a vintage 71..........same age as my kid ;-)  

I put my strap on the oposite hole as yours is and routed it around the back right to the starter bracket..

I found that ground cable today when i took the front shroud off [starting work on a bumper]......the connection on the motor end was loose and not grounding,,,..I tightened it up..now i have two good grounds...

That's super!