Cub Cadet XT2 LX46 PTO will not engage

[cturboaddict]

Sooooo..... It's fixed. How, I have no friggin clue.

Pulled apart the parking brake switch, tested... Was good.
Pulled the reverse switch, tested.... Was good.

Stumped, I said screw it... I'll call the dealer and drop it off next week.
As I'm pulling out of the garage, I had the deck belt disconnected. For the heck of it, I pulled the pto clutch and I could hear it engaging.
Hooked the belt up, and everything worked fine.

Lawn mowed.

 

[qmark]

Have you checked for a seat activation switch? Are you getting 12 volts to the PTO switch?

 

[qmark]

Good. I hope the issue doesn't reappear.

 

[gsim]

Maybe an ign switch isn't a real expensive item on your mower. Good idea to have spare elec parts on hand for easy troubleshooting during cutting season. I recently bought one for my GH 900D. Was a Kubota part, so was expensive at around $35 or so. But my mower is 11 yrs old, nearly 1600 hours on it. So seemed like good idea. I also have a spare PTO switch, and one each of the two types relays in my mower. I also have one steering lever engagement switch and a spare brake switch as well, plus a full compliment of fuses. All told, some $70 or $80 in spare elec parts. I curt 5 acres and just don't need the drama of waiting on a part to arrive, not to mention how quick it is to switch out a part to see if it clears trouble. Just a suggestion.

 

[gsim]

Deadman under-seat switch good suggestion by Qmark. You can short those two leads out on most mowers and bypass that feature at least to perform a test. PTO won't engage if yuou are out of seat. All modern mowers same in that regard. Fed law I suspect. Maybe even OSHA reg.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Modern electrical plugs are self cleaning
The act of unplugging & repluggng them can clean off minor corrosion thus the system works again.

 

[CubCadet_Chris]

I had the exact same issue with my Cub Cadet this past week. PTO wouldn't engage, took it all apart and tested everything, found nothing wrong, put it all back together and it mysteriously worked. My guess is just some corrosion build up that we knocked off.

I was getting like 0.5V at the PTO connector. I pulled the PTO off measured the resistance across the pins. Should be between 2-4ohms and mine was reading 2.5ohms. I have a power supply I can adjust the voltage. As soon as I hit 10V I could hear the PTO engage. I moved on to the switch, it wasn't melted so I tested continuity across the pins in each row and all was good in the on or off positions. So then I moved on to the relay. My relay was next to the 20amp fuse for the starter. I had continuity across the denergized pins. Then I put 12V from my power supply across the power pins and I had continuity across the energized pins. My seat switch has been unplugged by the previous owner but I checked continuity in the wires to the relay and switch and all was good. I leave the seat switch unplugged. It still works fine. I found a wire diagram here and checked for shorts at all the wires to PTO switch, relay, and seat switch. All was good. I was stumped so I hooked it all up again and it just worked. I put everything back together and had no issues mowing. I have an older 1515 tractor which I think is a 2001.

 

[gsim]

I had the exact same issue with my Cub Cadet this past week. PTO wouldn't engage, took it all apart and tested everything, found nothing wrong, put it all back together and it mysteriously worked. My guess is just some corrosion build up that we knocked off.

I was getting like 0.5V at the PTO connector. I pulled the PTO off measured the resistance across the pins. Should be between 2-4ohms and mine was reading 2.5ohms. I have a power supply I can adjust the voltage. As soon as I hit 10V I could hear the PTO engage. I moved on to the switch, it wasn't melted so I tested continuity across the pins in each row and all was good in the on or off positions. So then I moved on to the relay. My relay was next to the 20amp fuse for the starter. I had continuity across the denergized pins. Then I put 12V from my power supply across the power pins and I had continuity across the energized pins. My seat switch has been unplugged by the previous owner but I checked continuity in the wires to the relay and switch and all was good. I leave the seat switch unplugged. It still works fine. I found a wire diagram here and checked for shorts at all the wires to PTO switch, relay, and seat switch. All was good. I was stumped so I hooked it all up again and it just worked. I put everything back together and had no issues mowing. I have an older 1515 tractor which I think is a 2001.

Good report, thorough. Dollars to donuts electrolysis over time caused some oxidation generated corrosion. I once cleared a chronic fuel pump failure on my Ford F-150 truck which was definitely corrosion down inside male-female wiring harness connector plug, and in fact right next to THAT down where pigtail plugs into fuel pump body, SAME THING. So two of same troubles literally less than 8" apart.
Also had mower issue which was engine would die after startup soon as I let go of starter switch key. Was corroded electrodes in fuse and fuse holder, 30 amp, which was inline wiring harness fuse, that went to fuel solenoid (Kubota diesel engine on my mower)
Corrosion in wiring harness plugs and fuse holders definitely can give grief, as can loose wiring harness plugs. DITTO for ground connections which can cause intermittent failure, chronic on again off again troubles.
Lesson here is that corrosion in DC circuits is NOT limited to battery terminals alone! Every connection on any mower or vehicle has both a positive and negative terminal. And that positive half can always become corroded over time.

 

[cturboaddict]

So, this problem returned. And again, I'm stumped. (Called Cub Cadet and have a diagram, which is slightly inaccurate anyway. But I'm attaching them)

Mowed fine a few weeks ago. Parked in garage. Pulled out two weeks ago, pulled PTO switch..... NOTHING
Left PTO switch pulled out (PTO not operating) and the mower blew the 20amp fuse (under the seat) and motor died.
Replaced 20amp fuse and pulled PTO switch (PTO did not operate), after about 20 seconds fuse blew again.
Replaced 20amp fuse and pulled PTO switch (PTO did not operate).

Checked seat switch- tested GOOD.
Checked Reverse switch- Tested good- Replaced anyway.
Checked Brake Pedal switch- Tested good- replaced anyway.
No power on red wire to PTO switch????
Checked PTO Switch- Tested good- replaced anyway.
Checked Resistance at PTO directly- 3.2- Good
Apply 12 Volts and Negative direct to PTO- Activates- PTO Good
Wire harness from harness connector to PTO has a diode in it. Smelled burnt at diode- Ordered new wire harness. (Waiting for it to arrive)
Checked Relay (attached to side of engine, only relay on mower)- Operated when applying 12v- Replaced anyway.

As soon as I get the wire harness in, I'll be stumped from there.

My Cub Cadet is an 2017 Model
Model# 13AQA4CN010 LX46 Fab Deck w/ Kohler 7000 series mower. Electric choke/start/pto.

 

[cturboaddict]

Overall diagram, but it shows 6 connections at PTO switch. Mine only has 4 as shown in the other wiring diagrams posted.