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My Zmaster Z286E Battery died. Jumped it and it started, engaged PTO and it died. Re jumped it and it started and ran straight to garage but it died getting there. Now tried to jump and engine cranks but no electric fuel pump hum. Just got new battery. same scenario. Checked fuses all visibly good. Momentarily ran a jumper hot wire to fuel pump....it activates. Don't know how to check relays but I am thinking this could be the problem.
Any thoughts??
Thanks in advance, grass is growing, any help appreciated!

Chuck E. said:

My Zmaster Z286E Battery died. Jumped it and it started, engaged PTO and it died. Re jumped it and it started and ran straight to garage but it died getting there. Now tried to jump and engine cranks but no electric fuel pump hum. Just got new battery. same scenario. Checked fuses all visibly good. Momentarily ran a jumper hot wire to fuel pump....it activates. Don't know how to check relays but I am thinking this could be the problem.
Any thoughts??
Thanks in advance, grass is growing, any help appreciated!

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Test fuses I have seen bad fuses that look OK but still tested bad. A relay is just a electric switch. Number 87 and 85 are the coil terminals the activates the switch and 86 and 30 is the switch itself. Very easy to test.

reynoldston ,

Thanks for the rapid reply. I will get a continuity meter and check the fuses. For the relays there is 2 relay blocks on the left side of the engine. I will check both. Do I remove them and and check the coils with an ohm meter to see if there is a break. The switch part I assume I activate the coil leads with 12v. and check if the switch opens and or closes. Is that what you are recommending?

Chuck E. said:

reynoldston ,

Thanks for the rapid reply. I will get a continuity meter and check the fuses. For the relays there is 2 relay blocks on the left side of the engine. I will check both. Do I remove them and and check the coils with an ohm meter to see if there is a break. The switch part I assume I activate the coil leads with 12v. and check if the switch opens and or closes. Is that what you are recommending?

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You got it right. Not that much to a relay. Some relays have more terminals but they all work the same way.

Test the relay with a battery.
Hook up the trigger terminals to a battery and it will click
Hook up a wire from a battery to a load like an old headlamp through the relay and see if you can turn the lamp on & off with the trigger terminals.

I never like using a meter on relays because they can test OK but not carry a load.

A new relay is about $ 3 so it might just be cheaper and easier to test by swapping out.
Turn everything off , charge the battery then connect & disconnect it in a dark place.
If you get a spark then there is a short somewhere in the wiring loom.

I bench tested both relays with a meter. Both checked OK. I will check tomorrow with a load as suggested by bertsmobile1.
I hate to do it but can I just use a jumper and have the fuel pump on continuous while I cut, Just until I figure out my problem?
Would it cause any harm?

Should be fine.
Just watch for black smoke from the exhaust signialing the fuel pump is over pressureising the carby.
AFAIK none of them pump much more than 5 PSI and all are on contioiosly

Swapped out relays. No change. Seems that there is no power to the relay (no click on rear relay). put jumper to fuel pump and tried to start. Found I have no spark. Two huge reasons why it wont run.

Could my ECU have failed and how can I check. I am going to look at service manual to see if I can decipher what to do.

The fuel pump, relays, and fuses all tested OK. Time to test the circuit. Check for loose or broken wires. A wiring diagram might be very handy here.

Thanks, I'll let You know.

It seem like a lot of problems for just a dead battery?? A dead battery shouldn't do any damage. Did you hook up your jumper cables or battery up backwards? Or were you running the mower and it died and then the battery was also dead ? Are we missing part of the story here.

reynoldston said:

It seem like a lot of problems for just a dead battery?? A dead battery shouldn't do any damage. Did you hook up your jumper cables or battery up backwards? Or were you running the mower and it died and then the battery was also dead ? Are we missing part of the story here.

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try eating KFC and that should fix it

reynoldston said:

It seem like a lot of problems for just a dead battery?? A dead battery shouldn't do any damage. Did you hook up your jumper cables or battery up backwards? Or were you running the mower and it died and then the battery was also dead ? Are we missing part of the story here.

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Here is the sequence of events:
Cut for about 3 hrs.
Shut down and greased spindles and general mower clean up for about 10 min.
Went to restart. Solenoid clicking but did not crank. Put charger on for 30min.
Took no charge whatsoever. Tried to start. solenoid click only.
used an automotive battery and cables and it started immediately
Ran the mower for a min and then Engaged PTO and it promptly quit.
Jump started again to get unit back to the barn. It ran a couple hundred yards with a couple of momentary hesitations and then completely quit. Put the jumper battery back on but it would not restart. Noticed no fuel pump activation when turning the key to on.

New battery: Cranks strong. No fuel pump activation. No ignition spark.
Fuel pump does activate when jumped.
All relays and fuses check OK.

Will check ignition switch tomorrow.
Pulled seat safety delay module but did not know how to check. will probably just get new one.
All safety switches seem to be working normally.

pull off the engine cover.
Sounds like your mower may have become the Rodent Hilton.
Or the mower is not charging or both.
Spark has nothing to do with the battery unless you have one of those fancy computer conrolled ignition modules.

You will need to go to Hustler and download the circuit diagram and also post the full engine numbers if you want any more help.
You are about the end of the generic information road so we will need to check information before posting any more replies.

If the starter solenoid clicks then you are getting power to the ignition switch and the safeties are most likley working.
There might be more than one fuse.
The no crank safety switches usually work on the solenoid + side and are a daisy chain .
If you have a 4 pole solenoid then they work on both the + & - triggers, the latter stops you accidentally engaging the starter with the engine running.
Every thing that kills the engine generally earths out the magneto coil and are all wired in parallel singularly or in a chain ( blades + seat or brake + motion control )

Yes, It is one of those computer controlled units with fuel injection. Iwas reading last night on how to pull the codes on the ECM. Ido not believe there is a rodent problem but it can't hurt to look. It is almost time to send to the shop to diagnose but I will still give it some time.

Will keep you informed. Again thank all for the great information and your time to reply.

I can't accept defeat!