QuestionQUESTION: I have a John Deere L130 that out of the blue stopped mowing. Not sure if it is the PTO clutch, seat switch, PTO switch, etc? What's odd is once the engine is running, I can release the parking brake and the engine will continue to run without being seated on the seat. I have checked the continuity of the seat switch and it appears to be okay so why wouldn't it kill the engine when not pushed in? I also checked the continuity of the contacts of the PTO switch and they too appear to be ok, as the engine will not start if switch is pulled out, but will when pushed in. When engine is running, switch has no effect as to whether it stays running or not even off seat, and I never need to push the reverse switch to go in reverse no matter what setting. I also checked the 20 amp fuse and it is fine. When the mower died, there was a slight rumble and at first I thought it was the mower belt, but everything is fine there too after looking things over. I'm thinking it's a bad PTO clutch, but then why would the engine continue to run with the parking brake off and off the seat? In the past, engine would shut off if I left the seat without first applying the parking brake. Been working on this now for two weeks. Please help...
ANSWER: Hello David:
Either the Clutch Switch or the Seat Switch is Bad. If the Engine Still Shut Down when you are Off the Seat and Engage the Blades, then the Clutch Safety is the Cause of the Problem. Usually the Contacts Get Burnt Together Inside the Safety Switch and Weld the Contacts Together. A Wire in the Harness May be Broken Also. Check for Fire at the Plug. Remove the Spark Plug. Wrap a Wire Around the Threads and Attach the Other End of the Wire to the Engine Block Turn the Engine and See if the Plug Fires. If No, then Disconnect the Shut Off Wire at the Control Bracket First, Check for Fire at the Plug. If Still No Fire at the Plug; Then Disconnect the Shut Off Wire at the Coil (usually requires removal of the blower housing) and Check for Fire at the Plug. If No Fire at the Plug , then the Coil/Ign Module is Bad. The Coil/Ign Module to Flywheel Gap is .020in. On Some Model JD Engines, there is a Igniter that Goes Bad and Not the Coil. The Igniter is the Same as an Ignition Module. If the Plug Fires at Anytime During these 2 Checks, then a Safety Switch or Wire May be the Problem. Yes the Engine will Turn Even with a Bad Safety Switch. The Blade Safety is Usually the Cause of this. The Starter Turns and The Engine Doesn't Fire is an Indication of a Bad Coil/Ign Module or a Faulty Blade Safety Switch. The Clutch Safety Prevents the Starter from Engaging so the Mower Does Not Move when the Starter Turns the Engine. The Seat Safety is Designed to Stop the Engine if the Blades are Engaged or the Clutch Safety is Not Engaged when you Leave the Seat. You can View a Breakdown/IPL of the Mower at this Site Addy, http://jdpc.deere.com/jdpc/servlet/com.deere.u90490.partscatalog.view.servlets.H and Enter the Model Numbers and Click Find. Then Select the Sectional File. Then Select the Section of the Mower you Wish to View Online. If you Hit a Snag or this Does Not Correct the Problem, I am Here if You Require More Assistance. Hope this Helps. Let me Know What Happens, Please. Thanks.
Good Luck
Respectfully
John
PS: I am Allowed to Answer 10 Questions a Day. If you See I am Maxxed Out, then Try Submitting your Question at or Just After 8pm EST (US). My New Day Starts then. Thanks.
Respectfully
John
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hello John, and thanks for your quick response. I apologize, but I'm a little confused by your response, or maybe you misinterpreted my original question? To put things differently , the engine on my John Deere L130 lawn tractor starts, runs, and stops fine. The mower also moves forward, & reverse and drives just fine. There is nothing wrong with the running of the lawn tractor or the engine itself. The problem lies in the fact the the mower blades don't even try to engage with the electric PTO switch. In my trying to troubleshoot to find the problem, I put an ohm meter on the seat switch contacts with the seat switch disconnected and removed from the seat, as well as doing this with the yellow PTO switch which I removed from the dash and isolated, and they both "appear" to be okay due to the change in resistance across the contacts when pressing or releasing either of the switches. The PTO clutch though never engages the blades and I thought it might have something to do with a safety switch of some kind hoping it wasn't the clutch itself as that would be the most expensive repair at several hundred dollars. This is why I first tried the seat switch, but whether it is connected to the plug or not, there is no difference in the running if the lawn mower engine which I thought was designed to shut down the engine if your foot was off the brake and you lifted off the seat, but it doesn't anymore. (What's odd though is the change in resistance on the meter making it appear as though the seat switch safety is functional). Also, the electric PTO switch can be pulled up or down whether I am sitting on the seat or not while the engine is running and there is no effect or shutting down of the engine. (Once again, I thought if in the up position and off the seat, the engine was supposed to shut off?) Although, if in the up or "on" position while trying to start the engine, it will not allow the engine to start. Also, the engine will not start without first depressing the foot brake as designed, so this appears to be working correctly as well. I've checked the wiring harness in terms of it "looking" ok and there doesn't appear to be any exposed or disconnected wires, and the ground wires appear to be solid. Would the PTO clutch going bad cause the safety switches to appear to not work properly? If so, is there a way to check the cluth itself that engages the blades to see if it is indeed the faulty part?
Thanks ahead of time John for any more help you might be able to give me to get me looking in the right direction again! Greatly appreciated!
AnswerHello Again David:
Sorry. I Misunderstood the Question. The PTO Ground May Require Cleaning. If you have an Ohmmeter, Disconnect the Wiring Harness from the Front of the Clutch and Check the Resistance of the Clutch. You should have around 4 or 5 OHMs. If at or near Zero, the Coil has Shorted. If the OHM Test Shows the PTO Windings to be Good, then the Ground is the Cause of this Problem. The PTO Ground is a Common Problem with Electric PTO Systems. If you Hit a Snag or this Does Not Correct the Problem, I am Here if You Require More Assistance. Hope this Helps. Let me Know What Happens, Please. Thanks.
Good Luck
Respectfully
John
PS: I am Allowed to Answer 10 Questions a Day. If you See I am Maxxed Out, then Try Submitting your Question at or Just After 8pm EST (US). My New Day Starts then. Thanks.
Respectfully
John
