John Deere riding mower won’t turn over

[SamSpade]

Happened while I was gone. Wife said she went inside, came out - wouldn’t start or EVEN turn over. Checked everything. Nope.

Called repairman. He came next morning - it started. Wife said she ran it later. Stopped for a bit. Won’t turn over.

I got up early and started it a few times, ran fine, rode it for a while and figured must be fine. Has oil , gas, no clogs. Came out later - nothing.

I am clueless.

 

[KingFish]

Nothing, including not wanting to crank over? How old is the battery? Make sure the negative cable to the frame has a clean connection.

 

[SamSpade]

Nothing, including not wanting to crank over? How old is the battery? Make sure the negative cable to the frame has a clean connection.

Whole mower is about 2 years old.

What’s baffling me is the times it started easily no problem. Starts first thing in the morning - then nothing.

ONLY thing I can guess is -heat. Starts fine in the cool morning.

 

[RoseRed]

Does YouTube have any suggestions?

 

[Blister]

Check the seat and blade engaged interlocks. Hot temp can cause them not to close.

 

[SamSpade]

Does YouTube have any suggestions?

I looked, and there were a few more things I hadn't tried. Like the fuse.

So far, nothing explains the fact that - first time in the morning and for minutes after - starts and works just fine.
Get on it again, when it's hot - nope. Won't turn over.

The YouTube showed an actual connector for the seat - mine just has a cable that goes under.
Maybe I should look closer.

 

[Grumpy]

Loose bat cable or loose connection in ignition sys is my guess. Or dead spot on starter

 

[Kyle]

Loose bat cable or loose connection in ignition sys is my guess. Or dead spot on starter

I had that symptom on one and had to replace the ignition switch.

 

[TPD]

Sounds like a safety switch

 

[Sneakers]

I'd start with the battery and connections. Then water contamination.

There is a thing called vapor lock. I never thought about it on smaller engines, but have watched a few vids recently on it with small engines.

 

[PrchJrkr]

I looked, and there were a few more things I hadn't tried. Like the fuse.

So far, nothing explains the fact that - first time in the morning and for minutes after - starts and works just fine.
Get on it again, when it's hot - nope. Won't turn over.

The YouTube showed an actual connector for the seat - mine just has a cable that goes under.
Maybe I should look closer.

Sam, does the tractor have a combination clutch/brake pedal that you release to go, or is it a hydrostatic transmission where your press a pedal to go? It definitely sounds like a "dummy" switch is being activated when it shouldn't be, or isn't making contact when it should be. These types of problems are the ones that are most time consuming for a mechanic. There are just so many things that can cause "no crank" conditions all in the name of public safety, thanks to idiots doing what idiots are known for.

If a true wiring diagram of your tractor is available online, print it off and identify and test each safety switch until you find the culprit. It may seem intimidating, but I'm sure you'll find the source of the problem. It's a PITA because it's so time consuming, but it will make sense when you find it. Heat may be playing a role in this, but chances are, there's a connection or contact somewhere that the heat just aggravates to cause your "no crank" condition.

 

[stgislander]

I agree that it's heat related. Could it be a flaky safety switch... sure, but odd that it only happens when the mower's been running a while and hot.

 

[Ken King]

You should have a starter solenoid, jump that and if it spins up it's the starter switch that is faulty. If it doesn't spin pull a plug and see if it will spin once compression is released (might need a valve adjustment).

 

[SamSpade]

I'd start with the battery and connections. Then water contamination.

There is a thing called vapor lock. I never thought about it on smaller engines, but have watched a few vids recently on it with small engines.

Tried that - but when I start it, the light does come on and the light comes on when I turn it to just "light". And the battery is fully charged.

So far, it APPEARS as though it fails when it's hot outside - but works when it is cooler.

THAT to me already suggests, not a loose anything, unless I can identify something that closes when it's cooler and disconnects when it's hot.

 

[jrt_ms1995]

Tried that - but when I start it, the light does come on and the light comes on when I turn it to just "light". And the battery is fully charged.

So far, it APPEARS as though it fails when it's hot outside - but works when it is cooler.

THAT to me already suggests, not a loose anything, unless I can identify something that closes when it's cooler and disconnects when it's hot.

Just don't mow when it's hot! Glad to be of help.



But, seriously, I've seen the same before on my old Craftsman, I just can't remember what fixed the problem. :sorry:

 

[Merlin99]

Whole mower is about 2 years old.

What’s baffling me is the times it started easily no problem. Starts first thing in the morning - then nothing.

ONLY thing I can guess is -heat. Starts fine in the cool morning.

How big is the wife? If she’s smallish it may be the seat switch

 

[SamSpade]

How big is the wife? If she’s smallish it may be the seat switch

She's not. But we both think that it might be that, and the weather. The circumstances seem to point that way. I'll see if it fires up this morning.

 

[Gilligan]

Flakey safety interlock switches are the debil. Just bypass them all. That way the mower can keep on mowing with the blades spinning away and mow down anything in its path after you fall off it.

 

[SamSpade]

Well, after coming back from a long trip to the airport and back - it started right up. Not wanting for it to FAIL again - I finished the back yard but when I got off to open the gate - it failed again to start. So I put it in neutral and pushed it into the garage, which benefits from being under a much cooler house.

I plan to leave it there for a few hours and let it get cooler. If I'm right it'll start again this afternoon.

 

[itsbob]

Well, after coming back from a long trip to the airport and back - it started right up. Not wanting for it to FAIL again - I finished the back yard but when I got off to open the gate - it failed again to start. So I put it in neutral and pushed it into the garage, which benefits from being under a much cooler house.

I plan to leave it there for a few hours and let it get cooler. If I'm right it'll start again this afternoon.

I had to replace a magnet on ours.. worked for about another 6 months. Once it got warm, it would quit, and nothing we could do to restart it until the next day, or at least hours later.

Armatures commonly fail in two ways, they stop working and your mower won’t start or they work when the engine is cold but fail as the engine heat soaks into the windings of the armature. Armatures are a solid-state component, they aren’t repaired, they are replaced.