Have an old ferris with Kawasaki 25 horse motor. Go out to mow, fires right up, goes dead, motor will not turn over, nothing, it's like the battery has been disconnected. You can fiddle with it, hook battery charger up, yep it's full, look at it kick the tire, go get meter to check the connections. Have meter, try key again, fires right up and runs fine. Go and mow. It has done this the last 3 times I mowed.
Got home and tried it again after it had set sense yesterday. It started right up and then died and would not turn over anymore. The fuel shutoff solenoid clicked when I turned the key on and cranked it. It will not click now and there is no voltage on the starter side of the solenoid. Now I need to trouble shoot the starter solenoid, can I jump the solenoid like I used to do on the old chevy truck starters? I had to replace the solenoid last year. Thanks for any help.
Here is where I am at now. The solenoid has 12v from the key switch even when the key is turned off.? The Fuel solenoid will not click on or off. The starter side of the solenoid has no 12 volts. Is the switch bad or the solenoid or starter or fuel shutoff valve or something else. I do not have a schematic!!
#4
BlazNT
Ok so how a solenoid works. I do not know which one you have so I am adding both pictures.
Red circle is hot all the time.
Purple circle is hot with key in start position.
Green circle is ground.
Messing with it yesterday, I turned the ignition switch to the run position the pto would engage. At one time it started up and 15 seconds later the pto engaged without pulling the switch up. I am going to replace both switches and see if that fixes it.
Messing with it yesterday, I turned the ignition switch to the run position the pto would engage. At one time it started up and 15 seconds later the pto engaged without pulling the switch up. I am going to replace both switches and see if that fixes it.
If Mr & Mrs Rat moved in they better move it on over cause the mower rat has moved in. The wiring looks fine, if it is the wiring, it would have to be from age or an almost broken wire from vibration. It might be one of those anti sue me safety switches causing the problem, but I dont think so. Thanks for the reply.
The loom can get pinched , a fairly common problem.
Then you get strange things like ants inside the PTO switch ( yes it did happen )
The PTO circuit is totally seperate from all others so if the PTO engages all by itself, power has to be getting into the power wire to the PTO.
You said the mower was OLD thus the thoughs about shorting out .
Thoughts also of bad ground connections , corroded ruse holders etc etc etc.
Now if you had posted mower model numbers some with access to Ferris information would have looked up your wiring diagram and either posted it or a link to it.
Well, I replaced the switch and it did not fix it. I felt sure it was the switch but was wrong. New switch in, starter will not turn over. I can jump the starter solenoid and sometimes it will turn over and sometimes it will not do anything. Going to recheck the grounds tomorrow. I have one more question, with the ignition key switched on, engine not running, I can engage the pto clutch. Is this normal? Thanks.
To quote myself The PTO circuit is totally seperate from all others so if the PTO engages all by itself, power has to be getting into the power wire to the PTO.
So yes you can turn the PTO on and off indepednantly from everything else.
Now I am a busy person and it seems like you are ardent in your desire to throw money at the mower and don't bother to read the posts of people who are trying to help you.
So good luck & good bye
I did read the replies. I did think the problem was in the key switch but was obviously wrong. I am not to conceited to admit it. The pto switch had been siliconed together and had come apart, I figured that was why it came on by itself. I will chase down the wiring now. Sorry you wasted your time, it's plain to see that you are obviously an expert on lawn mowers. Thanks so much for your imput, so far, I have wasted 13 dollars on a ignition switch.
