Craftsman - Kohler Mo# 917.271030. wires and connector connected to the voltage regulator burnt

[HughDaHand]

It's probably a stater brake designed stop the engine quicker when powered off. They were fairly common on these kohler equipped craftsmans of this era.

 

[HughDaHand]

Here is a schematic that includes a startor brake. The model number you listed doesn't seem to include one in it's schematic, maybe there was an engine or wiring harness swap in its past.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

The only thing that I can figure that those two wires off of the regulator with the special connector with the burnt end would feed the headlights. Nothing else in the system would even be remotely AC powered. I would be checking to make sure the headlight wires didn't get close to the muffler, melt and then short out.

IL,did you see the last picture in his photos? It looks like those two yellow wires go into a relay....

 

[ILENGINE]

IL,did you see the last picture in his photos? It looks like those two yellow wires go into a relay....

I did but I don't see a reason for them to be wired to a relay. While would you connect AC to a relay. And if they were connected to the same relay would create a dead short back to the stator. I was just thinking they were a casualty to a backfeed on the ground side of the relays. There is a major short someplace in that system. And I wouldn't be surprised if the stator is also cooked.

 

[sgkent]

the regulator has a 15V dc output on that schematic. On the red wire going to a relay.

 

[StarTech]

Here is a schematic that includes a startor brake. The model number you listed doesn't seem to include one in it's schematic, maybe there was an engine or wiring harness swap in its past.
View attachment 60449

Now that maybe the case. So many DIYer out there that changes from original setups. But this schematic makes better sense than the in the operator manual for the model the OP gave. He may have a stator that is also damage by it running shorted for so long with a shorted braking circuit.

It is the first time I seen a setup like this on a Kohler engine. Most usually have a separate braking winding on the stator.

Here is what Kohler did on the CV461-26504 stator PN 12 085 09-S in the above schematic.

 

[Scrubcadet10]

I did but I don't see a reason for them to be wired to a relay. While would you connect AC to a relay. And if they were connected to the same relay would create a dead short back to the stator. I was just thinking they were a casualty to a backfeed on the ground side of the relays. There is a major short someplace in that system. And I wouldn't be surprised if the stator is also cooked.

True.

 

[Hammermechanicman]

If they are using the stator as an engine brake i would just delete the relay and the extra wiring to the regulator. I have seen some really over complicated (stupid) wiring on mowers. If that schematic is right i will put it in that category.

 

[ILENGINE]

If they are using the stator as an engine brake i would just delete the relay and the extra wiring to the regulator. I have seen some really over complicated (stupid) wiring on mowers. If that schematic is right i will put it in that category.

Very true, it would be gone in my book with that issue. Looks like a perfect way to cook a stator on engine shutdown.

 

[HughDaHand]

This style stator brake was most likely rushed out to meet new safety standards, stopping the blades faster when the safety switches cut the engine. The OP is now finding out why newer version of this have their own winding on the stator for the brake. I'm betting the relay failed while he was mowing causing the stator bake to engage and stall the engine.