is4000z refurb

[joe_cooler]

So my IS4000Z 31HP Gas LC with 72" deck has been down since end of last season. Decided to get after it. Pulled and stripped the deck. Welded the underside curved deflectors together at the joining seams, welded in a new underside chute plate, welded some small cracks, and added a very heavy strike plate on the left leading edge where you bump tree trunks when mowing around them. Prepped and added 2 coats of brushed on heavy rust primer. Then brushed on two good coats of Rust-oleum Regal Red Professional (Oil Based so it dries super hard and durable). Its ready for reassembly. All parts are repainted. But it still wasn't running. Would sometimes turn over and start, but then die when returned to the run position. So off we go, multimeter and test light in hand, to spark chase. I hate spark chasing. So we functioned checked all the safety switches. One was bad and replaced. Still no go. And now we are blowing the run fuse. Pulled the fuse block to discover a loosely disconnected wire causing intermittent contact. Problem solved, right? Noooooo. Fix that and still blowing the fuse in a unique combination of safety switch statuses (No matter what position any safety switch is in it should not blow a fuse. And I have the wiring diagram too BTW). So we check every line and circuit and finally isolate the Fuel Pump/Fuel Solenoid/ECU/Coil circuit line (Orang/white). So I disconnect everything but the coils. Still popping fuses. So I disconnect the coils and everything finally flows properly. Looked at the coil power lines and one rub through was likely making metal contact causing a short. Also with the connections on the bottom of the coils they fill with dirt and crud. So we remove the coils, flip them over, dress the wire wound, reconnect everything and do our circuit checks. Looks good. Can't blow the fuse. Set it all up and it fired up first time and purred. Took us 3 hours of chasing to find it, but we got it. Now a good cleaning and lube and service, reassemble and install the deck. Level the deck and away we go. Hopefully by end of the week. We made a small wrench to fit in the deck hanger loops so we don't have to take weight off the deck, make an adjustment, weight and check the level, then repeat the process a hundred times. We can slip the wrench in the loop to hold the nut and make adjustments with the deck hanging and the mower on a level surface. Very excited. Will post final pics as we get them.....

 

[joe_cooler]

All back together and running well. Shredded a deck belt during test mowing. Tensioner bolt was loose and pinched it. Got that fixed and replaced the belt. Then the warning lights and buzzers stayed on while running. Had to pull the controller board under the left instrument cluster. Looked good, but still lights and buzzer while running. Know what fixed it? A good tap on the board and she was all better. I think there is a switch on the board that was stuck. Probably need to order one of those for an ultimate demise that may be coming. But all in all its mowing like new. Had to clean a few grease locations with a zerk refurbishing tool and penetrating oil. That was 3 hours I will never get back. The rear deck push bar pins are free rotating now and that lets the deck float (Which is wasn't doing before). And that floating reduced felt impact so ride quality improved. Had to cut away a little bit of the deflector by the chute to clear the mulching blades (Ferris only wanted flat blades, but a grinder fixed that). The Regal Red is a near perfect match. Thanks Rust-Oleum! After this season, we will replace the tires and touch up paint the rest of the mower. But she is back in action. Got her stuck twice today!!! Good times!