Husqvarna z254f dies as when move control arm

James844

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My neighbor has z254f that I am trying to help get going. I have seen similar post with this problem but no solutions. At first he said it would die when he engaged the pto. I didn't have a problem with engaging the pto. It would die when I moved the left control arm. I checked all safety switches and relay. I have not found the problem and now it dies when either arm is moved. I have all new safety switches plugged into the harness where I can control them by hand trouble shooting. I have checked continuity on wires from pto clutch between the switches, relay pto switch with no break. It cranks ant the pto engages no problem till I release one of the safety switches for the control arms. Thanks.
 

bertsmobile1

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The lap bars & parking brake are linked together so if you try to move with the brake on the engine cuts out .
When I diagnose electrical problems I use small jumpers poked into the switch plugs to bypass switches one at a time.
If that does not work then I brake out longer ones to bypass the wiring between switches one at a time .
Having a circuit diagram will be a big help .
Being it is a JD and you are being nice, get them to spring for the JD technical manual to help you help them
 

James844

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So far I have found 2 lap bar switches seat switch and the pto switch itself and 1 relay. The brakes on this mower is mechanically link to the bars. I have looked and followed wires looking for another switch but no luck. I have not found a wiring diagram on Google yet for it. I have downloaded a manual but it has not helped with electrical. Like you said we may have to purchase a manual for it. The lap bar switches have puzzled me. When I test them with bars out the all circuits are closed with the bars in they are open. The ones I have dealt with have 1 open and 1 closed. I ordered from jacks small engine for this mower and the new ones operating the same way
 

bertsmobile1

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Husqvarna usually put the circuit diagrams at the front of their parts books
Right now I am having problems connecting to any USA web page due to a "timing error" even when using URL spoofing to pretend I am in the USA.
So I can not get into Husqvarna's web page to download the IPL & check but you should be able to do it from the States
Also try the owners manuals because occasionally they hide them there
And just to be a PIA Huskt will some times put one in the first models book then omitt it from all others till there is a change to make life diffucult for every one who does not have direct dealer access totheir data base .
Some how there is a lock out of some sort so you can not drive & brake at the same time so even when the brake is automatic there is a lock out of some sort
On some of the other Husqvarnas I have worked on they used a relay to control the grounding of the magneto which is switched on both the power side & ground side
If it has one of those it will click when you turn the key on ( turns the magneto on ) then click again if you move the lap bars in & are not in the seat ( turns the magneto off )
 

James844

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I do have a relay as you described and it clicks with key on and again with lap bars out but is it suppose when I pull the bars in and have the seat switch made. It clicks if the switch is made or not. I have new switches plug in and consoling them by hand to troubleshoot. I have most of the harness out of the wire loom and have checked wires at each plug for continuity.
 

hawaiidragracer

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I had the same issue. I could not find an answer online, and even chatting with Husqvarna tech support was no help, so hopefully this will help someone else. When sitting on the seat with both levers fully out to the park position, my mower engine would start and the blade would engage when pulling the blade engage switch like normal. I believe that if you are not sitting on the seat, the mower will not engage. So if you are sitting on the seat and the engine is running, and activate the mower blades and they come on, your seat switch is good. On mine, when I moved the levers from park to neutral, the engine would shut off, just like the key switch was turned off. What I found is that I had a sticking park lever switch. If both lever switches are working properly, moving either lever switch from park to neutral individually will kill the engine. If you move both levers at the same time, then engine will keep running. One of my switches was stuck, so it always thought that one side was in park. When I moved both levers, it thought I only moved one lever and shut off the engine. If you can move the lever on one side from park to neutral and the engine stays running, that is your sticking switch because it is still being made as if it were still in park.
 

cliffeby

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I had the same issue. I could not find an answer online, and even chatting with Husqvarna tech support was no help, so hopefully this will help someone else. When sitting on the seat with both levers fully out to the park position, my mower engine would start and the blade would engage when pulling the blade engage switch like normal. I believe that if you are not sitting on the seat, the mower will not engage. So if you are sitting on the seat and the engine is running, and activate the mower blades and they come on, your seat switch is good. On mine, when I moved the levers from park to neutral, the engine would shut off, just like the key switch was turned off. What I found is that I had a sticking park lever switch. If both lever switches are working properly, moving either lever switch from park to neutral individually will kill the engine. If you move both levers at the same time, then engine will keep running. One of my switches was stuck, so it always thought that one side was in park. When I moved both levers, it thought I only moved one lever and shut off the engine. If you can move the lever on one side from park to neutral and the engine stays running, that is your sticking switch because it is still being made as if it were still in park.
Very helpful. I found that it was not the button part of the switch that was sticking, but the actual switch. I have a loose parking brake on the left lever, so I assumed it was the problem. The left switch was very loose and wobbly. Loose is the correct condition. A little WD40 to the right switch pivot point and I was good to go. Now on to the left parking brake problem.
 

StarTech

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I have seen internal switch failures.

What I found interesting is the lap operation. It good to know that both need to come in at the same time. After looking over the wiring schematic this morning it makes sense too as the relay is control by the lap bar switches.
 
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