Question-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
I have a Craftsman 19.5 HP 42" cut lawn tractor (about 6 years old). It will start and run OK if the clutch pedal is in and the mower is not engaged or if the parking brake is on - which holds the clutch pedal in. As soon as I lift off the pedal - usually - or try to engage the mower it stalls. Sometimes it will allow me to lift off the pedal in neutral w/o stalling but again as soon as I put it in gear or try to engage the mower it stalls.
I have already replaced the interlock switches at the clutch and the mower and have jumpered the seat switch to take it out of the loop and still the same problem. I do not see any loose or broken wires or fuses. It actually started at the beginning of the season, it would act up intermittently and then got worse as time went on, now to the point where I can't mow the lawn. Any help is appreceiated. I can provide model number and electrical schematic if needed. I suspect a loose wire somewhere that I have not found?
Obviously it's in the electrical system somewhere, but where?
Thanks!
Nick
Answer -
I agree...it has to be electrical.
Do you have an ohm meter? I had a similar problem one time and it turned out to be corroded terminals on the seat switch. I finally fixed the problem by soldering the wires to the seat switch.
You might try using electrical contat cleaner on the switches to clean them, make sure you unplug them so you get them real clean, and then reconnect them using some light bulb/dielectric grease to ensure a good connection. The cleaner and grease can be found at most auto parts stores.
Let me know about the ohm meter.
Eric
Eric,
Thanks for the reply!
I do have an Ohm mtr. I will take the connections apart again and clean them. I've already scraped at them a little. I didn't see anything too bad but I wasn't really looking either. I'm sure if I could completely understand the schematic and how the switches worked I could pin point the problem. It starts Ok so I know it's not the starting circuit. It runs Ok so I know it's not the ignition circuit. Because of this I can be fairly sure it is not the seat switch. It has to be somewhere between that clutch/brake switch and the mower engagement switch and the ignition. Now it's consistent, as soon as I let off of the clutch/brake pedal or try to engage the mower with the pedal in it stalls. Any more specific ideas?
Nick
AnswerYou can take the ohm meter and test for shorts.
The safety switches normally short to ground in order to ground the ignition module/coil(shut-off the engine).
Look at the wires connecting the engine. You should see some alternator wires and another single wire. This single wire should be the ignition wire.
Does this wire get shorted to ground when you release the cluth or engage the blades?
Let me know.
Eric
