The belt on this thing broke last year and I finally got the new one on, but now it won't even turn over. Just before I put the elecric clutch back on, I cranked it to get the keyway lined up better and it was weak. Put a full charge on the battery after cleaning the terminals and using some dielectric goop. Took the clutch back off and still no crank. I can hear a very slight click but that's it. The shop gets $75/hour and if I can, I'd prefer to not spend a lot on having them diagnose.........could get expensive. Little help...............
I'd double check all the safety stuff that inhibits the starter: brake on, blades off, in neutral, on the seat, etc. Otherwise: battery, solenoid, key switch, electrical connections....
Have you tried by-passing everything and jumping the solenoid posts? Make sure nothing is engaged first... KaptJaq
Mine was doing the same thing, had to replace solenoid. Of course it was pretty much buried. Must been design by GM! Gary
Cub cadet what? Mower? I would check the lectric conections you may or may not have unhooked first for the safty crap. You may also want to check the connection behind the gas tank that is buried between it and the dash board (this is asumming it is a garden tractor) that shuts the lectric clutch on and off. It may have come unplugged. Just guessing so your milage may vary.
Yeah, sorry, it's a GT1554 that I bought back in '07. Solenoid is out in the open. I'll go over it again in a couple days when I have more time. I was thinking maybe something in the "safety crap" is malfunctioning. I was on the seat (this one can start if the parking brake is on too), PTO switch off. I pulled the switch connectors to check for corrosion, and they were nice and clean. My thought at first was maybe the wiring to the clutch got messed up, but I hung that up from a bungee to keep it stress free. Tempted to just go buy a cheap lawnmower and let this sit for a minute. Gas tank is under the seat and fender assy.
I don't know if this will help ya but here's a Professional Shop Manual http://service.mtdproducts.com/Training_Education/769-02100/1000_1500_series_shop_manual.htm All manuals http://cubcadet.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1722/~/cub-cadet-professional-shop-manuals
Thanks HDR, but I have that already and it doesn't specifically deal with my issue. The best info I found was a YouTube vid of a guy who turned his tractor on it's side to replace the drive belt. Better than the manual, which just says to take out the old one and put in the new one. Really? No kiddin'. I already knew that, but needed info on HOW. Should have just gone to Sears and gotten an $800 riding lawn mower instead of this thing. I wouldn't have so much buyer's remorse.
Yeah it sucks when you don't know what is really wrong and you have to track it down. I just had problem with my tractor also, got one problem fixed and now I have another one but I think I have that solved now too. Wish I could help you with yours but I don't know that much about them. I hope you get er fixed up working right. I got my chipper running right I just need a new flail blade
Sorry you have to deal with this kinda stuff this time of the year Dave. Any chance MasterMech might have a direction for you to go in? In the meantime, cause the grass is splodin', is there a rental place near you?
Yeah, the timing is crappy, just as it was when the belt broke last year when I thought I'd need it to plow. I can rent a mower for $25, but I'm not sure how long I'd get to keep it.....probably the day. I'll be busy again tomorrow (finishing tiling a breezeway for my brother's sis-in-law), but may have some time to mess with it again in the afternoon. Sorry about your troubles too HDR. I got goofy yesterday, when I started using the string trimmer to mow........that lasted about 3 minutes.
ah, you know things get worn and get old and you have to fix them, all the cussing starts up when you don't know what you need to fix or what you do doesn't fix it. About 5 years ago I used to push mow my yard just for the exercise but, not any more, forget that, unless I absolutely have to
Sounds like a solenoid to me. I would try jumping the solenoid to see if it engages the starter. The solenoid is nothing but a big relay that turns on 12v to the starter. They use them because of the high current draw from the starter. If it turns over when you jump it then you know it is one of the safety switches. Heck I even took a jumper cable one time from positive on the battery straight to the starter to see if it would turn over and see if the starter was good. It worked great.
I was reading in the manual that HDrock linked to and the RMC module only looks at safety circuits while the tractor is running and has nothing to do with the starter circuit. So that eliminates a lot is BS right there.
Narrow it down a bit for us. Take a jumper wire and connect the positive terminal of the battery to the trigger terminal of the solenoid. If it's a three terminal solenoid, the trigger is the small one. If it's a four terminal solenoid, it's whichever small terminal is NOT connected to the frame of the machine. If that causes it to crank, then look at safety switches or ignition switch/wiring. If not, use a screwdriver to short circuit the big terminals of the solenoid. If that causes it to crank, replace the solenoid. If it still will not turn over, check the positive cables from the battery to the solenoid, and from the solenoid to the starter. If nothing is loose or corroded, then check the cable from the battery to the frame and make sure the engine mounting bolts are tight. If all that checks out then the problem is in the starter itself.
MM, you explained that very well kudos to ya.. I know how to do it but explaining it that concisely make you the master
When I first got my tractor out this spring, it wouldn't do anything but click, I put a hundred amp boost on it and it turned over real slow , so I cleaned all electrical connections I could find, No Go still the same thing, so I thought maybe the battery has a short, sure enough new battery did the trick
Sounds like battery problems. Have it load tested and check the cells. Sounds like a dead cell in the battery if it won't hold a charge.
According to the charger, the battery is fully charged, but yeah, it could be bad. "Dash" lights pop on briefly, then nothing....not even a click. It's about 2 years old. I'll stick the charger on it again to see what happens. If that's all it is, then I'll be a happy camper. Heck, just knowing what it is will make me a happy camper. It's the NOT knowing that drives me crazy. MasterMech , very much appreciate all that tracking info. I'll give it a shot and report my findings. Do these Kohler "Courage" OHV motors require valve lash adjustment?
