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Hi- I have 2009 1045 LTX WITH A 20 HP Kohler vs600. I never had an issue with this tractor starting...ever. I was moving the lawn and need to shut down the tractor to talk to my son, and would not restart... I never had any issues with starting at all and no known problems. All of a sudden I do. I checked for spark and spark is good, i checked fuel solinoid and it is working properly, it confirmed it is getting fuel, I tried putting gas in the cylinder and tried to start, but nothing.... I check the vales, they were a little loose so I adjusted to spec .006. I checked the flywheel key and it is in tact. I can not figure out why it will not start.. It cranks and cranks but it never tries to start at all. Not even a little backfire here and there...nothing. I really cant afford to send it to the cud cadet dealer right now and I really need to cut my lawn. Any suggestions on what to look for. In my mind, I covered everything that I know to check..any help would be much appreciated.- Brian

Check the safety switch under the seat, Try unplugging it and plugging it back in to get a good connection.

Thanks. Yes, I did check that switch, took it off the seat and held it closed whenever I tired to start it. I believe I was told that it would not even attempt to turn over unless that switch was engaged. It turning just not starting.

briora said:

Thanks. Yes, I did check that switch, took it off the seat and held it closed whenever I tired to start it. I believe I was told that it would not even attempt to turn over unless that switch was engaged. It turning just not starting.

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Is it a two wire switch? If it is unplug and forget the switch temporarily and run a jumper wire across the plugin and see if it will crank up. How about the PTO is it disengaged?

It's a 4 wire switch- 2 yellow and 2 green. I did disconnect and tried jumping green to green and yellow to yellow. Not sure if that is the correct way....the local cud cadet repair shop said the motor would not even turn if any safety switch had an issue. Mine is cranking just not catching and firing

briora said:

It's a 4 wire switch- 2 yellow and 2 green. I did disconnect and tried jumping green to green and yellow to yellow. Not sure if that is the correct way....the local cud cadet repair shop said the motor would not even turn if any safety switch had an issue. Mine is cranking just not catching and firing

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First thing not going to be the seat switch as you do not have to be in the seat for it to start.
Second if it turns over it is not the brake switch.

I would unhook the coil kill wire then check for spark.

And not going to be the pto switch.

Easy fast test in gage pto and try to crank
Release brake and try to crank.

(( racing is the only sport that you need two balls ))

Does the starter seem to be laboring to turn over engine?
Have a 2084 with a 20 hp and had to replace starter because it wouldnn't turn over fast enough to fire.
I had to put a 200 amp booster on it to get it to start. Thats what pointed me to the starter...

briora said:

Hi- I have 2009 1045 LTX WITH A 20 HP Kohler vs600. I never had an issue with this tractor starting...ever. I was moving the lawn and need to shut down the tractor to talk to my son, and would not restart... I never had any issues with starting at all and no known problems. All of a sudden I do. I checked for spark and spark is good, i checked fuel solinoid and it is working properly, it confirmed it is getting fuel, I tried putting gas in the cylinder and tried to start, but nothing.... I check the vales, they were a little loose so I adjusted to spec .006. I checked the flywheel key and it is in tact. I can not figure out why it will not start.. It cranks and cranks but it never tries to start at all. Not even a little backfire here and there...nothing. I really cant afford to send it to the cud cadet dealer right now and I really need to cut my lawn. Any suggestions on what to look for. In my mind, I covered everything that I know to check..any help would be much appreciated.- Brian

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If you really have a good strong spark, then the safety switch should not be an issue. It seems that you've checked all the right stuff. I would test the quality of the spark by opening up the gap to maybe .050. You should still see the spark indicating a good electrical system. I helped my next door neighbor on a somewhat similar problem with a old Kohler engine in a Kubota. It would start sometimes and run for a bit. I checked the spark and it seemed okay, but the engine died after a minute or so. He had purchased a 'new' coil for this engine (ebay) that was similar, but not exactly the same thing. The dealer no longer stocked the coil and the price was pretty high. I told him we have fuel so the only other thing is the coil or the timing. Anyway he took it to the dealer and after several weeks they received the proper coil and the old thing is running like a top. Coils are especially heat sensitive on small engines.

I also had a Kohler engine that broke the flywheel key. It ran but was badly out of time.