Can't help on the freeze up, but about the only thing left, from the schematic and the wire inspection that you did, that would cause the fuse to blow with the key switch in the off position would be the alternator circuit.
Forgot about that.......it was mentioned that something in the charging circuit could be messed up (if that's the right terminology).
Is there an electric pto switch for the mower deck engage that could have been compromised or disconnected?
Certainly possible...oil or gas, both. If they remove the spark plugs and try to crank it, that will tell the story...seen that happen more than once on rolled ATVs...gotta stand back when you crank it, if the plug hole faces up, and it does have oil/gas in the cylinder, it comes out with a mighty force...sometimes hits the ceiling! Shouldn't take a decent tech long to hone in on that electrical issue, it's a pretty simple system...
Since they only have the $40 into it, he obviously didn't spend much time looking at it.......I think they charge somewhere at least double that per hour. I'm trying to figure a $ cutoff point to diagnose/fix. Since it's about 12 years old, I'm not sure it's worth putting a ton into it.
What do you think you could have sold it for prior to "the incident"? Should be worth putting close to that much into it IMO. (that would be to fix, not for diagnostics only)
Hmm, hadn't looked at it quite that way. Actually no idea what it's worth. I'll do some cogitating on that.
Ok, we've been gone for almost a week, but I called the shop on the way home today. They got the engine freed up, and now think the regulator may be bad. They aren't having a problem with the fuse popping immediately like I was, although it is still popping. Update maybe tomorrow or Wed.
A few days ago, they narrowed the problem down to the Stator. That requires removing the flywheel......which for some unknown reason started losing teeth a while ago. Lo and behold, one of those teefs dislodged and tore up the stator. Sooooo, new flywheel, new stator, and it should be up and running by this time next week. Going with this. It'll cost about 1/3 the cost of a brandy new sorta mid-range LAWN tractor.
We shoulda asked to see the x-rays. Yep, couldn't see any physical damage from my place. Glad they're getting to the bottom of this. Any suspicions on the flywheel (rotor?) teeth? The mower doesn't run on meth, right?
So, here's the culprit, and the victim. More teeth missing on the other 1/2 of the flywheel. Tractor is home, resting comfortably on the trailer until I get out there to unload. Bank acct. is lighter, but my mind is at ease. Now, I can get back to work.
Took the tractor off the trailer and mowed most of the yard in just over 40 minutes. That frees up the weekend for many other more important things......like moving some firewood into the shed. It's been taking me between 3-5 days and at least an hour/day to do the same thing with the push mower. Happy guy right heah.
Absotutely Eric. Dropped it off at the shop on June 18th. Thanks to David Crosby......... "It's been a long time comin' It's goin' to be a long time gone"
If the flyweel was a factory defect, I'd google it and see if others had that problem. See if new flywheels are better or the same. Might be a good time to sell it now before it happens again...