Hi guys , changed the battery today and low and behold the thing fired up .... so i guess i can rule out most of the mentioned parts
but just for good measure i have put a meter across the battery to see if its getting a charge .... now here lies the trouble .... 12.4 volts at tick over ... and according to the manual should be 14.5 at 2000 rpm ... what have i got ???? ye you guessed ... 12.4
so should i set fire to it now ????????