cliffyk

I am not familiar with the Mule, however the angle of those axle shafts seems quite extreme to me--at full extension they must be nearly vertical...

BINGO!--I read this in your first post " has a lift on it " and thought to myself--well there you go... Contrary to popular web-based "fast &furious" opinion, and every now & then, the engineers that design this stuff actually do know what they are doing.

My 2020 Coleman Outfitter 400 claims to do this (though I've not had any problems to test it). It's a pretty complete list (from the service manual):

It looks like this:

Which measurement brought you there? Mostly curious, however we might be able to validate your conclusion... Follow the heavy wire from the battery + post, to the starter solenoid, then from the solenoid to the starter...

The brake and "park" interlocks (if present) are most likely to be just switches wired in series with the "start"position of the ignition switch--as there is relatively little power required to activate the starter solenoid (a fancy word for relay) it would make no sense to use additional solenoids for those safety devices. The first thing I would check would be the voltage across the battery terminal clamps, not the battery posts, but the cable clamps while attempting to crank the engine. If the starter solenoid clicks and the observed voltage does not drop to 10.6 V or so then then it is probable the starter solenoid is bad--but don't rule out wiring or connections in the main supply to the starter motor just yet. If the voltage does drop to 10.6 V or so then the starter solenoid is good and the starter nay be seized up or otherwise bad. To check the main supply path to the starter measure the voltage between the positive battery post (post, not cable clamp) and the positive terminal stud on the starter--while attempting to crank the motor. In an ideal world it would be 0.0 V, however in our world 0.1 to 0.25 V would be normal. If more than 0.5 V then there is a bad wire, connection, or some other component in the path 'tween the battery and the starter. Next measure voltage between the battery + post and the next connection "back" from the starter (likely the starter solenoid output terminal)--while attempting to crank the motor. Is that 0.1 o 0.25 V? If it is then the wire between the solenoid output and the starter is bad (corroded or loose terminal or ???). If not measure between the battery +post and the starter solenoid input post (again while cranking). If that is low (0.1 to 0.25 V) then the solenoid primary contacts are bad--replace the solenoid. If high (>0.5 V) the cable from the battery to the starter solenoid is bad--OR-next measure between the battery + post and cable clamp. If high (>0.5 V) than the cable clamp/battery connection is bad. Or just disconnect, clean, and reconnect each connection between the battery and starter motor--don't just look at them to see if they "look OK", take them apart and clean them, reconect with a dose og dielectric grease (or any grease you have on hand--even Vaseline from the bedside table will work!).

^^^This^^^ 99.44% of the time now, with this damned ethanol gasoline, you'll find a jellied up ball of crap in the float bowl or diaphragm cavity if a diaphragm carb...

FWIW--This is how my Hisun HS400 works,,,

I interned for a manufacturer and lived in Montreal for 2 years--they would have to do so or not work at all. We had to plug our cars in at night (block heaters) so they would turn over (at all) in the morning...

Probably would, certainly wouldn't hurt. Super Lube's PTFE grease is commonly available--good for that and a whole bunch else--I use a couple tubes a year...

My maternal grandfather (a Scotsman ME) always told us that "...the last time any machine started and ran properly may well have been the last time it will start and run properly." Also, "God created men and they are imperfect--men created machinery, so guess what that makes machines."

Methinks you found the problem...

Check the battery voltage (at the cable clamps, not the battery posts) while attempting to crank the engine--it should drop to 10.6 V or so. If not the starter is not getting sufficient power--i.e.; the is likely an overly resistive wire or connection in either the supply (+) or return (-, ground) pathways to the starter. To determine where that might be measure the voltage from the positive battery post to the positive terminal on the starter. In a perfect world (which this is not) it would be 0.0 V; however in our real world it might normally be 0.1 to 0.25 V, a value representing the voltage "drop" (an indicator of circuit resistance) across the pathway from battery to starter. If more than 0.5 V there's a overly resistive (corroded, loose, etc.) connection, component, or wire) in that pathway. Ground connections are often overlooked in this sort of diagnosis, so do the same between the negative battery post (while cranking it over) and the starter body to determine voltage drop in the return (ground) path. Again 0.0 V would be perfect, 0.1 to 0.25 V nice, but anymore than 0.5 V is bad. 99.44% of the time a high voltage drop in the ground path is a bad connection at the engine/frame ground wire connector, an often overlooked connection often located in a place subject to all sorts of opportunity to corrode, vibrate loose, etc. If the ground cable terminates at a frame/chassis connection look for a chassis to motor block cable--if you don't find one consider adding one. The steel frame/chassis is a terrible conductor of electricity. Getting back to the positive side of things;if the voltage drop is excessive (> 0.5V) b'twixt the positive post and positive stud on the starter then "back up" the measurement point along the pathway back to the battery post. I.e. check between the +post and the wire terminal at the starter end--this removes the terminal to stater connection "+" stud from the path to the battery--if the voltage drop is reduced then the problem was the terminal to starter "+" stud connection. Similarly keep "backing up along the path", and check the voltage drop (while cranking) at each connection point along the way. When you find a lessening of the voltage drop you have found the bad connection. component, wire--it's between the current measurement point and the previous point. Measuring voltage drop under load is a simple way of testing an electrical path to determine the resistance of each component of same. It is far superior to visual and/or physical inspection as it can "see" poor conductivity that we mere mortals would not recognize on our own. It works best in high current circuits where the drops will be significant. I once found a bad terminal on my step daughter's Yugo (I know, I know...) that the dealer and two auto-electric shops had failed to diagnose--the voltage drop at full charge rate (w/a 300 A carbon pile load across the battery) was over 2 volts! Cutting tghe wire back and crimping on a new terminal (properly potted in dielectric grease) fixed it right up. I went back to the dealer with her and made then give he a refund for the battery they had sold her. Thy didn't like it but they did when I explained "we can do it this way, or we can meet in small claims court (where consumers win 75%+ of the time)"

Idling for 10 minutes after a cold start in the cold (or at all) is not good practice--it allows all sorts of nasty, corrosive, combustion by-products to build up in the crankcase. Instead start it, let it it stabilize foe 30 to 45 seconds, then drive it under light load 'til it's warmed up. It will actually warm up faster and be much better for the lower end bearings. rings, etc. If you do continue 10-minute idling to "warm" the engine considered it VERY SEVERE duty and change the oil every 40 to 50 hours of operation--or just kiss-off optimal engine life... I often wonder about things like this when I see negative reports about how this , that, or the other "cheap Chinese engine" sucks because of oil consumption. knocking or bearing failure. My step-son for instance performs absolutely zero, zilch, nada preventative maintenance on machines he owns and then gripes about "what pieces of crap" they were. He burned through a $14k Yamaha 1500 cc jet-ski in 6 months--no break-in, he just beat the crap out of it right from the box, and never changed the oil--then seemed surprised when in October it had no compression-- not even enough to start and run poorly...

Anyone with even a μC (micro-Coulomb) of electrical knowledge would know that...

The power density (Ah capacity) of 4 commonly available 12 V batteries (starting duty or "deep-cycle") would be inadequate to the task--giving people something else to bitch about...

Truth very often is offensive and/or vulgar; especially from the perspective of those seeking to be offended...

I damned near cried--and not ashamed to say so...

And we lost Rush--a damned cold day...

They are built for a very severe duty, high discharge rate, application (which running a trolling motor or a television in an RV ain't), Compare prices per Amp Hour (Ah) capacity rather than by voltage--you'll see the 8 V batteries are actually the same $$ or a bit less...

In the old days my first thought would have been a vacuum-lock in the fuel tank, a common situation that occurred--primarily with gravity feed fuel systems--when the fuel tank was full or nearly full; and was due to a clogged vent (often in the cap) that could not pass air to relieve the vacuum created as fuel was consumed. i don't know if the tanks on contemporary EFI fuel systems are susceptible to this, but I'd sill check to see: Next time the engine stalls crack the fuel cap and listen for a rush of air. Then try to start the motor, if it starts you know the problem and where to look for solutions--if not you're no worse off...,

I lived in New England for 45 years (been here in FL for 30)--that was an everyday occurrence in the winter, when I was in Maine it could happen while you were driving...

I had used Plexus for years on my motorcycles--it was never cheap, but then 3-4 years ago they went nuts with he price. ($30-$45 for a 13-oz. spray can (now $25+ at Amazon ) is was the best I ever used. West Marine had a similar, nearly as good house brand product, for around $15--don't know if they still do. Beyond that just be careful--nothing except not letting it get scratched will "prevent" it from getting scratched...

Good question, or "holes in both seats"--we had a "two-holer" at the farm when I was a kid...

If they are like these, I'd use a sleeve of 3/4" or 1" steel pipe as a spacer (once proper height adjustment is established) to distribute and shift the load away from the stud and weld.