Briggs stator problem

I have a 12HP flathead Briggs and fininshed wiring it today using fearlessfronts wiring diagram and the stator charged the battery great but when it turned it off I noticed the stator was drawing about 3 amp. any ideas

Stupid question but have you connected the ammeter the right way round? If you have the wires wrong on the ammeter it will say -3 amp when in fact its +3 amp. I would connect up a small 12 volt motor or lamp, connect 1 wire to the charging circuit and on to the ground. If you motor or lamp comes on when the engines running, your alternator is working fine and you have the wires on the ammeter the wrong way round. If the motor or lamp doesn't turn on with the engine, You have an alternator problem.

Was the charging circuit working normally before you worked on it?

I tested the lamp thing and it worked but when I went to charge the battery it uses 3 apms when the battery is connected to the mower. another thing is I hear a small tic sound coming from under the flywheele. Ill take the flywheele off today and clean the stator.

Well is the alternator is able to power the light, without the lamp or the alternator being connected to the battery then you it should simply be that you have the wires on your ammeter the wrong way round.

It shouldnt be drawing anything when its off, you probably have your wires on your ammeter wrong. The alternator doesnt take any load because its not motorized.

Yesterday I took off the fly wheele and found only half of my stattor.
The other half was gone and I could tell it had melted