Battery cable spark

[JBurd]

Just replaced the starter solenoid on my Kohler command 18 and after i hooked it up, the starter sounded good but there was a big spark on the positive battery cable right where it connects to the battery. I tried it a couple times and had the same thing. I didn't keep turning it enough to see if the engine would actually fire up all the way. What causes the spark? How do I check if I hooked something up wrong? How do I check for a short?

The reason I replaced the solenoid to begin with was because I noticed the threaded post that the positive battery cable hooks up to was loose and the plastic housing cracked.

 

[Benjamin]

Loose or dirty connection is probably your problem.

 

[Russ Johnson]

Loose or dirty connection is definitely your problem.

 

[JBurd]

Well, have you ever heard that the definition of insanity is trying the same thing and expecting different results...well its not true. A better saying is "third time's the charm". Cleaned and tightened everything AGAIN, and now I'm good to go. Thanks for the advice guys!