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I have a John Deere X485 Lawn tractor and my PTO will not engage.

just to save any trouble, we need your serial/model numbers, it will make it much easier to help us direct and figure out your issue.

for your tractor the serial number should be on the right side of the frame, near the middle.

Serial #:M0X485A033030
X485 Tractor

how/when did you figure out it wouldnt work?
and have you checked your fuses? usaually there is a fuse powering the electronics controlling the PTO

I have checked fuses, switch is functioning properly. I even by-passed all safety switches and still no PTO.

It started a few weeks ago intermittently going out and after running forward for a few feet it would come on but when I started backing up and lifting on switch it would quit again. Now it doesn't work at all.

you say you have checked your fuses, but have you checked your connections?
a loose connection could be wobbling around causing the pto to engage/disengage, and if you have exposed wire it may be shorting out on any other metal or the cassis.

and is your battery dead?

we used to have one with a dead battery, it would start with a jump, and the PTO would only engage if the battery was being charged/jumped,
but if you turned off the pto while mowing, it would not turn back on ( PTO ) unless there is something charging the battery.
we got a new battery and problem solved.

Lets start with having somebody sit on the seat with the key on but not running and engage the pto, and take a volt meter and see if you have 12 volts at the clutch..

The battery is fully charged and as far as I can determine no bad connections.

ILENGINE said:

Lets start with having somebody sit on the seat with the key on but not running and engage the pto, and take a volt meter and see if you have 12 volts at the clutch..

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This machine has a hydraulic PTO not electrical.

Now this will sound a little naff, particularly as you have come here for help, but the best thing you can do is to buy the JD Technical Manual for your mower.
People baulk at the price but when all is said & done it is only a couple of hours of the charge out rate for JD service technician so will pay for itself the first time it is used.
They are written in plain English but very detailed instruction on how to test everything then how to repair what is found to be at fault.

I am not familiar with this particular machine & only buy in manuals on a as needed basis.

However if you have a lever to engage the PTO then it will most likely be valve that opens the PTO to hydraulic fluid.
If you have a switch then it could be the valve or the switch.
AFAIK there is only one pump so if the tractor actually moves OK then the pump is fine and that leaves the switch / valve or PTO motor.

It still has an electric solenoid on the transaxle to engage the PTO portion. Check all related electrical connections. Most connectors uses Packard terminal which uses a spring type contact system. These do break along the hinge and makes for loose contacts.

Also if the mower has a reverse inhibit switch which many do it could be activating which could just be trash in that switch area.

Jim Pritchrd said:

The battery is fully charged and as far as I can determine no bad connections.

This machine has a hydraulic PTO not electrical.

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I suspect that you have a button that you pull to engage the pto. that sends power to a solenoid valve that opens and pressurizes the hydraulic clutch plates. So the same rules apply as to an electric clutch.

Looks like it uses the same transaxle as the 445/455 series. the solenoid valve is located toward the top right corner of the rear transmission cover.

Thanks for the advice. I am thinking along with you that it is more than likely the solenoid.
I do have a Tech manual and it is a big help.

Scroll down to troubleshooting, then using troubleshooting chart, click on engine, scroll down to PTO stops.

This will not help a it is just the operation manual and my problem is well past overheating of engine.

mechanic mark said:

John Deere - Technical Information Store - Technical Information Store

Official John Deere site to buy or download Ag & Turf operator’s manuals, parts catalogs, and technical manuals to service equipment. The site also offers free downloads of operator’s manuals and installation instructions and to purchase educational curriculum.

manuals.deere.com

Scroll down to troubleshooting, then using troubleshooting chart, click on engine, scroll down to PTO stops.

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I am still having issues and can't get pro to engage. Tried wiring straight to solenoid and solenoid is working properly when I put voltage direct to it.

This morning I am not getting voltage from PTO switch to solenoid. Hav bypassed all safety switches, checked the PTO switch and it is working properly , getting resitence reading as specified between proper poles.

On the circuit with the two leds, are both on when you turn the ignition switch with the PTO switch in off position? If not it can be a bad PTO switch. Same setup as 445 in this respect and I repaired one where the PTO switch was bad in the off position. Customer had given up after changing the solenoid and brought in to me for to troubleshoot. The must work in the off position in for the latching relay to set.

It also can one of the two relays not working; dirty contacts, bad solder joints, or failure otherwise.

StarTech said:

On the circuit with the two leds, are both on when you turn the ignition switch with the PTO switch in off position? If not it can be a bad PTO switch. Same setup as 445 in this respect and I repaired one where the PTO switch was bad in the off position. Customer had given up after changing the solenoid and brought in to me for to troubleshoot. The must work in the off position in for the latching relay to set.

It also can one of the two relays not working; dirty contacts, bad solder joints, or failure otherwise.

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Star Tech, I have replaced PTO switch, bypassed the RIO switch, Bypassed the brake switch, and checked the new PTO switch with ohm meter and it is functioning properly. Getting up from computer now and going to buy a couple of cans of electrical spay to clean all contact and connectors.

The question was, Is the Ignition and PTO leds light on the circuit board both lit?

StarTech said:

The question was, Is the Ignition and PTO leds light on the circuit board both lit?

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The ignition light is lit but PTO light is not.

Okay you have an apparent PTO circuit failure as you have no 12v at K3. Without K3 active you will not get power to the PTO solenoid when the PTO switch pulled on as it must latched up. Check 12v at points in the Green and Light Blue circuits. For 12v to be on light blue circuit Brake must be off.
.

StarTech said:

Okay you have an apparent PTO circuit failure as you have no 12v at K3. Without K3 active you will not get power to the PTO solenoid when the PTO switch pulled on as it must latched up. Check 12v at points in the Green and Light Blue circuits. For 12v to be on light blue circuit Brake must be off.
View attachment 50943.

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Which of these is the K3 and there is no green wire connected to either of the three.

Green on the diagram just circuit path not wire color. Sorry wire colors for the external relays are not indicated on the wiring diagram as match any of those in the picture. Maybe JD tech drops in that know the 455.

I currently don't one these on the yard to even look at.

If I am thinking right the relay is on the control board, Not a 100%, base on how the fuses and leds are indicated plus the apparent circuit layout.

Jim Pritchrd said:

Which of these is the K3 and there is no green wire connected to either of the three.

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Welcome the wonderful world of working on JD stuff. Why use one circuit when 3 will do. Why in the world would you need wire color codes on the schematic. The dealer has better diagrams that i can't get. Thanks Deere.

Hammermechanicman said:

Welcome the wonderful world of working on JD stuff. Why use one circuit when 3 will do. Why in the world would you need wire color codes on the schematic. The dealer has better diagrams that i can't get. Thanks Deere.

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I actually have the factory service manual here and still the wire colors only half the time matches. Most I got to look for the printed numbers.

Had a guy a few years back bring me a 445 with the exploding cam and some wiring issues. It was so old the numbers printed on the wires were so faded you couldn't read them. Used my network toner/tracer to figure it out. Color codes would have been nice. I got a Power Probe a few years back. Probably the best tool ever for troubleshooting mower electrics. Beats dragging out the Fuke 87V just to check for 12V or a ground.