Mower running, turned off, got back on and will not start

[ehobbs duffer]

Cub Cadet Hydrostatic Zero-Turn Commercial Riding Mower, Model M6DKH with Kohler engine.
Employee was mowing, turned off the mower and got off to move something, got back on, would not start. There is no click, no grind, just a "dead" key. Far fetched question, but does anyone have any idea what could have happened and how to repair it? Another question, where the heck is the solenoid on this unit??? Diagram, etc., please. All safety switches that we know of have been checked, the battery is good, there is electricity to the bendix, etc.

 

[ILENGINE]

Didn't turn off the deck, didn't get the steering levers back in their resting positions, didn't reset the parking brake.

 

[ehobbs duffer]

Your response: Didn't turn off the deck, didn't get the steering levers back in their resting positions, didn't reset the parking brake.

When he got off, he turned off the deck, put the leavers back and set the brake. When he got back on, all three were still in their correct positions. It just wouldn't even attempt to start.

 

[Ronno6]

Batteries sometimes just totally fail.
Check the battery voltage, and, if OK, try to monitor voltage when you attempt to start.
Otherwise, bad key switch or safety switch.
Good luck.

ed..guess I should have read your entire post.........

 

[cpurvis]

When you say, "there is electricity to the bendix" do you mean to the solenoid? If so, the solenoid is probably bad.

If you have voltage at the starter, i.e., the heavy wire, the starter itself is probably bad or has lost its ground somehow.

 

[ehobbs duffer]

Thanks to all for responses. The battery is fine. Concern re the starter and solenoid. Does anyone have a diagram of the area where the solenoid/starter is located on this particular Cub Cadet commercial mower? Would appreciate it if you would share. Also, wonder about the bad key switch. It just doesn't seem to do anything.

 

[ehobbs duffer]

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK ALL OF YOU! I don't know which response did the trick, but it is now running! All replies are certainly appreciated. Happy mowing!

 

[Ronno6]

My guess is that you weren't holding your mouth right.........

I had a secretary once who had purchased a new car.
The first morning after trying in vain to get the auto moving, she called me
in a tizzy, saying that she couldn't move the gear lever to get her car to go.
I asked if she was stepping on the brake pedal.............
Upon arriving at work, she called me a genius............

 

[ehobbs duffer]

Close, but one response triggered a re-check and the problem was corrected!!!!!!!