Scotts L2048, PTO not engaging correctly

[toggenburg]

Hello, new member here.
A 2002 Scotts L2048, owned 4 years.
In the last few weeks, had situation where one of the PTO leads was torn off right at the PTO connector.
Recrimped the ground wire, reinserted and ran fine for a week.
Then PTO stopped working again. This time it was the double black lead torn off the same PTO connector. Repaired and was fine for some days again.
Has happened 2 more times, so the very next time, I spliced in about 2.5" of braided wire and soldered into the pin. Then, yesterday, the same double black broke off, and I spliced in similar wire and soldered. Because the wire length looked like it would catch on a metal notch on the top of PTO (I did not want a twisting of PTO to catch the extra wire length and do more damage), I used a loose loop of ty-wrap through the right frame side, to get the wiring up out of the way.
It ran about 40 feet then PTO cut out.
Now, here is what is weird. Sitting on mower in neutral, engine on full revs, if I engage PTO, nothing happens....still have PTO pulled up, and try forward, no PTO movement. BUT, if I instead try reverse with PTO engaged, without pressing the reverse interlock switch, still no PTO, BUT when I momentarily, release that reverse/override button, the PTO engages, but then engine kills.

Neither I nor my JD dealer has a wiring diagram. I talked to JD, and they felt it must be the PTO switch is going bad.....I got low ohm readings on all the correct positions (com to NC with PTO sw mashed in, and com to NO with PTO sw pulled up), so seemed OK....JD convinced me it was PTO sw, sold me one for $26 with a no-return policy....bought it, installed it, and still no difference. Could it be wiring trouble or just the sign that the PTO itself is bad?

 

[KennyV]

WELCOME to LMF...

I think you may have more than one problem at this point..
First thing to do is determine Why you were having the wire breaking problem to begin with... Either The clutch is not properly restrained from rotating when it is engaged or Some thing is wrong with the wire Routing...

You also need to find where you are losing ground or 12 volts to the clutch... You will have to trace the complete PTO wiring path... (not that difficult), it is not a very long path.

I realize that it is possible you have seen somewhere that it's okay to engage the clutch with the engine at WOT.... But know that the mower manufacturer Does NOT manufacture clutches... and All the clutch manufacturers warn that you should Never do that. (you likely will get by for a while doing it... but if you keep your equipment for any length of time, you will eventually regret doing it).
Test switches, before you replace them... each time you replace a good component with a new part you take a chance of introducing an accidental additional problem along with the original that will still be there.
:smile:KennyV

 

[toggenburg]

Thanks for the response.

First, the PTO is not engaging, so it is kinda hard to see if there is extra movement right now.

Second, I have found no wiring diagram anywhere on the Internet so as to trace it out thru the various switch/solenoid/harness. Does anyone have a wiring diagram. It may seem easy, but not knowing what a particular device is (some of the switches have 8 wires on them) makes it difficult, right?

Thirdly, my JD-Scotts manual says to engage it WOT, and to reduce down before disengaging PTO.
Obviously I guess your implication is that since I engage at WOT that this may have caused PTO damage and that my issue is the PTO.....
If you are correct about the WOT and I have done this for 4 years, then it is realistic to presume that I have caused the PTO issue myself. Maybe the PTO is toast.....how do I test for that?

 

[EngineMan]

To be able to test the clutch you need to disconnect connector on the PTO clutch, set ohmmeter for 1x ohms scale, measure resistance across PTO clutch terminals, resistance should measure with specification, if resistance is not within specification, replace PTO clutch.

Resistance should measure 2.4 - 2.7 ohms

Some say that its the same wiring has that on a John Deere L120, but don't take my word for that. look into it.

If you have continuity......you'll know its for the bin...!

 

[toggenburg]

Engineman, I appreciate the tip.
I will have to do it later tho as there are issues going on here.
I will get back w/results!

 

[toggenburg]

PTO works again.
Had 12 vdc coming into the PTO plug (with engine off, 2 feed sacks on seat, key and PTO switch ON).

You know, it is very hard to check ohms resistance on that PTO unless I flip the riding mower on end or its back.

Then, I found 1 of the 2 black wires leading into the PTO plug was just 'kissing' at the back end. Re terminated the connection and A-ok.

The other issue with regard to engine speed (WOT or not) and engaging or dis-engaging the PTO?

I asked my wife. Now, she only uses any mower about 2 times a year, but I asked her what and how does she work the PTO and engine speed issue.

She responded by reminding ME that I had taught her some years ago to be sure the engine speed was like at half-throttle before using the PTO switch. I must have forgotten this proper method AFTER I taught her. Now, the following comment is 5% truth, 95% spoof, but, the comment goes like this:
"IF you want to remember something for a loooooong time, and never lose it, just tell your wife, and she will NEVER forget it". HA.

Guys, thanks for your assistance with this newby and his Scotts mower issue!