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Hi All, my name is Clayton
I have a JD LX188 that is about 17 years old.
Great mower, but here recently it won't start.
Battery is fully charged but when you turn the key nothing happens.
No clicks, no nothing.
But, occasionally you can hit the key and she fires right up.
Checked everything for loose wires and such.
Son in law has a JD LA145 that just started doing the same thing.
Any ideas?

Re: New member

:welcome: to the forum. Sounds like a ground problem, check and clean all your cables. :thumbsup:

Welcome to LawnWorld!

We moved your thread to the John Deere forum.

I'd use a multimeter to test the ignition switch.

Ok, i'll try that.
Someone said there was a way to 'cross' jump the switch to see if it was working.
I'm not sure how that is done

My name is Walter and i also have a start problem with my 185. I have to keep turning the key on and off 10-20 times. I removed the starter and had it tested at a Starter/Alternator shop. It tested ok. I by-passed the neutral switch and it seemed to work ok for awhile and it is back to same problem, This tractor has never sat out in the weather and is in mint condition other than this problem. I replaced the PTO switch and that is it. Could it be the ignition switch? Help!

Hey Clayton;

Does your starter solenoid have three or four total wires? If you have four like mine on the X300 the two smaller wires are left side ground and right side is the one that gets the 12volts when you turn the key switch to start telling your solenoid to send 12 volts from the large wire on the left side of the solenoid connected to the positive post of the battery, to the large wire on the right which goes to the starter.

Get your multimeter and set it to 20 volts dc, use a jumper wire with alligator clips from the meter's black lead to the negative post of the battery so you have a free hand to turn the key switch later.

Now hold your positive lead from the meter to the small solenoid wire on the right side and turn the key switch to start. You should get 12 volts.

If you got the 12 volts and no click or the starter doesn't turn then that points to a bad solenoid. The small wire on the left of the solenoid is a ground to the chassis. Check continuity with your meter set on ohms between that post and the battery negative post making sure that's good. If you have a good ground and the starter didn't turn over then the solenoid is probably bad.

Solenoids are about $22 at the JD dealer. Make sure you bring the old one to match along with the serial number on the mower. Maybe you'll get a helpful parts guy that will test the solenoid before selling you one just to make sure.

Hope that helps;
Randy