QuestionQUESTION: I have a John Deere STX38 (12.5 kohler engine) I replaced the solenoid. Not sure if I wired it right when I hook up the positive to the battery it wants to start with out touching the key. I have 2 red wires to 1 post a small light blue wire to a post and the copper ground off the starter to the other post. I am pretty sure this is how it was wired. Thank You for any help.
ANSWER: Unfortunately Deere gives little online help as far as wiring
shematics, so the colors won't help much.
The solenoid is basically a high voltage switch, which sends full battery current to the starter, without the full current going through the keyswitch.
The solenoid has two big posts, one post has a cable going to the
starter, and one to the battery. Along with the large cable to the
battery, a smaller wire is usually attached, which goes to a fuse, then depending on how it is wired, to the "B" post on the keyswitch
And on the "S" post on the keyswitch a wire goes through several
saftey switches, and makes it's way back to the small post on the solenoid, so that when the key is turned to "crank", voltage is
sent to the small post, and the solenoid works and the engine cranks.
That is roughly how most mowers are wired. A few model Kohlers
have a starter with a solenoid made onto the starter, and they are wired a little differently.
Are the two red wires you described the two large cables?
If so, each must go on each post, and the other wires like I described, and any ground should ground on the frame.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: The big red wire from the battery is going to the solenoid there is another small red wire off the battery going to a small box (relay box I think) beside the battery then out of the small box to the solenoid I have this small red wire hooked to the big +red wire on the solenoid and the small blue wire going to the small post on the solenoid. The starter starts as soon a I hook up the +red cable to the starter.
ANSWER: You have the solenoid that is apart from the starter, or one that is mounted on the starter?
If it is apart from the starter, then hook the one large cable from
the starter to one of the large terminals, then hook the cable
from the batter to the other one, and leave the other wires disconnected for now.
The one little cable off of the positive lug on the battery must be
the supply to the tractor and keyswitch, and when you turn the key to crank, one of the two other wires will be energized, that is the one that plugs onto the small terminal of the solenoid.
If you indeed have it wired correctly, then you could have another part, like the keyswitch, fused internally.
Go to JDparts.online.com, and go to the parts lookup
It will have two choices, yellow or black deck, then several different versions seperated by serial numbers, and different wiring harnesses depending whether you have a starter with a built in solenoid, or a solenoid mounted on the frame.
Go there and find your exact tractor, and let me know which one you have, and I can call the Deere dealership in the morning
and get a wiring schematic.
Or if you can just tell me the model and serial numbers of your
tractor, and the deck color, and the engine's numbers, I will try to get it for you.
Fish
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Fish, this has a yellow deck the solenoid is mounted to the starter It is a:
John Deere STX38
Serial #:*M00STXB103330* (I Think its a 1994)
Kohler Command OHV
Model # CV12.5S
Spec #1249
Serial #2022000308
Thank's for all your time, hope this will help. Mark
AnswerI stopped by the Deere dealer today, and my friend was gone for a few days to a funeral, so no one would help me with the schematic.
But I must ask for the whole story.
Why did you replace the "solenoid"?
Anyone that would have ordered that part, should have told you that
the cost of the whole starter/w/solenoid was only $20 more,
which is why I have never just replaced that type of solenoid.
Give me some info, why did you feel the need to replace just that solenoid?
All details. Any details.. Would be helpful...
