Starter motor on my MTD lawn tractor spins but does not engaging?

Remove the engine cover to expose the starter motor (or take the starter off). Lubricate the starter bendix, its the gear atop the starter motor shaft, use Marvel Mystery oil and then work the bendix a bit and it should fix it. If the teeth on the bendix or flywheel are damaged obviously that is where the problem lies.

DOES IT SPIN FAST
if it does the teeth on starter may be worn
the bendix in starter bad replace starter
turns slow dead battery or connections loose

take it off and see if the gear is broken (you can buy the gear at napa)or did the shaft the gear rides on got a little rusty over the winter

Starter motor spins, but does not engage

1. Check the starter motor for a seized or binding pinion gear.
2. Remove the flywheel inspection plate and check for a damaged ring gear.

Sounds like an issue with the starter. There is a gear on the top (bendix) that will engage with the flywheel to start the motor. Since most lawn tractors don't have an actual solenoid on the starter, it engages by spinning up the starter shaft by centifigal force. I would take the starter off and see if this gear moves up and down the shaft easily. May just be hung on with some debris. Let me know how it works out for you.

The solenoid does two things -- it closes an electrical contact to run the starter motor, and also pulls a lever to slide the motor gear up to engage the flywheel. Since the contact is closing, the solenoid itself must be OK, but the lever could be broken, or the sliding gear could be binding or stripped. Since you're looking at a probable replacement, try cleaning with compressed air, then squirting some WD-40 into the starter gear area - you could get lucky! Otherwise, you can replace the starter/solenoid assembly -- you can find replacements on eBay for about $80. Less expensive but more time consuming is to remove the assembly, disassemble, and replace just the defective parts if you can find them. Good luck! Please rate my answer if helpful, thanks.

Starter motor spins, but does not engage

1. Check the starter motor for a seized or binding pinion gear.
2. Remove the flywheel inspection plate and check for a damaged ring gear.
3. Engine stalls immediately when started
   1. Check the ignition switch condition and operation. The electrical contacts in the run position may be worn or damaged. Try restarting the engine with all electrical accessories in the off position. Sometimes turning the key on an off will help in emergency situations, however once the switch has shown signs of failure, it should be replaced as soon as possible.
   2. Check for loose, corroded, damaged or shorted wires for the ignition system and repair or replace.
   3. Check for manifold vacuum leaks or vacuum hose leakage and repair or replace parts as necessary.
   4. Measure the fuel pump delivery volume and pressure. Low fuel pump pressure can also be noticed as a lack of power when accelerating. Make sure the fuel pump lines are not restricted. The fuel pump output is not adjustable and requires fuel pump replacement to repair.
   5. Check the engine fuel and ignition management system. Inspect the sensor wiring and electrical connectors. A dirty, loose or damaged sensor or control module wire can simulate a failed component.
   6. Check the exhaust system for internal restrictions.

YOU CAN TRY LUBING IT UP WITH SOME W-D 40

Look under 'My Profile' (Longhorn294 in the top right corner of this page)on page 5 at this post and solution. "craftsman riding mower starter will spin but not engage". Dwain

hav you tried charging the battery