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working on an older IS3100 That I had to do some engine work on. Engine is repaired and running fine, but the machine won't move. It's been sitting since July 2022. Has the correct fluid in the pump reservoir and the releases are in the right position. It was driven to where it is sitting now and moving as it should. Would appreciate any help, gregjo1948

Just to be sure, check the belt....

The belt is fine. It's easy to see both cooling fans spinning.

have a close look at the belt & pulleys.
No uncommon for the belt to pop off the pulley and sit between the pulley and the fans

It would need to be a trick belt to get between the pulley and the fans. It is under the pump mounting deck.

Just for grins try purging the system of air.

gregjo1948 said:

It would need to be a trick belt to get between the pulley and the fans. It is under the pump mounting deck.

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Especially if the IPL I just looked at is right as it had the fans on one end and the driven pulley on the other end.

Anything is possible with older units sitting for long periods.

Now if the engine was removed double check the engine's pulley didn't lose the key just to be clear. Also check that tensioner idler arm is free moving as it could bound up from sitting a long time allowing the belts to slip.

The pumps are both turning as they should. They are not running the drive motors.

Did you or someone by chance open the bypass valves on the pump while you were working on it?

the bypasses are both closed.

Try doing a purge set. Just make sure you keep the oil tank full.

I assume the hydraulic system was not worked on when the motor work happened? What does the fluid in the reservoir look like 1) while running 2) right after shutting down engine 3) after sitting over night?

It is strange that it "stopped" functioning after the engine work, especially if you didn't touch the hydraulic system. It sounds like you have air in the system. I wonder if a hose on the low-pressure side got bumped during the engine work and perhaps a small crack is allowing air to be drawn into the system. This also makes sense as the drive systems are independent on this mower except for the low pressure and tank side. (other than the belt drive which you already checked)...

Try and do this , with a maybe long time setting mower , or powered/transmission equipment . Put it in gear , while not running ......try and bump it or tug it forward / backward .....to release a Stuck valve/gear . Many times the simple movements will break it free .....just a suggestion , since the connections/belts/pump hoses appears intact . Even if you had to pull it with another powered mower, or other means, to possibly free the trans/clutch issues ......Let us know how any of tht works ? So do check , the clutch , to see if it froze on position . Do you feel any changes when the clutch is engaged ?

What kind of park brake does it have?

toro22040 said:

Try and do this , with a maybe long time setting mower , or powered/transmission equipment . Put it in gear , while not running ......try and bump it or tug it forward / backward .....to release a Stuck valve/gear . Many times the simple movements will break it free .....just a suggestion , since the connections/belts/pump hoses appears intact . Even if you had to pull it with another powered mower, or other means, to possibly free the trans/clutch issues ......Let us know how any of tht works ? So do check , the clutch , to see if it froze on position . Do you feel any changes when the clutch is engaged ?

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Zero turns don't have a clutch on the motion drive. Do have idler arms the could freeze up but unlikely as it would still have enough tension on the belt to try and move. If it were the brakes that are frozen up the engine should die when you pull the lap bars in unless someone has bypass the seat switch. Have you jacked it up to where the wheels are off the ground to see if they will turn. I would at this time open the relief valve and purge the hydro system.

I have it jacked up and the wheels do turn in both directions but with no power. I can easily stop the motion with my hand. I'm going to try bleeding air from the system.

hlw49 said:

Zero turns don't have a clutch on the motion drive. Do have idler arms the could freeze up but unlikely as it would still have enough tension on the belt to try and move. If it were the brakes that are frozen up the engine should die when you pull the lap bars in unless someone has bypass the seat switch. Have you jacked it up to where the wheels are off the ground to see if they will turn. I would at this time open the relief valve and purge the hydro system.

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I had mentioned the park brake b/c I had spent hours trying to diagnose a similar problem only to fund out that the brake lever was stuck and all the safety switches had been bypassed. However, since the wheels turn when off the ground, obviously not the issue here.

If it has the same hydros as my IS3100 the bypass is on top of the hydros and needs a wrench to open. Try opening the bypasses and move the levers back and forth about a dozen times then close the bypasses. It is odd both hydros have the same problem.

Had no luck bleeding air from the system. Didn't help.

According to the IPL I looked up it has a pair of Hydro Gear PJ-3GCC-GCC-GZ1F-XXXX pumps so PJ service manual is needed.

gregjo1948 said:

working on an older IS3100 That I had to do some engine work on. Engine is repaired and running fine, but the machine won't move. It's been sitting since July 2022. Has the correct fluid in the pump reservoir and the releases are in the right position. It was driven to where it is sitting now and moving as it should. Would appreciate any help, gregjo1948

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Check drive belt routing I changed mine and thought I had the routing right but it would not move. Fans and all worked but no motion. Checked belt routing and it was wrong. Mower took off after routing belt right.

gregjo1948 said:

working on an older IS3100 That I had to do some engine work on. Engine is repaired and running fine, but the machine won't move. It's been sitting since July 2022. Has the correct fluid in the pump reservoir and the releases are in the right position. It was driven to where it is sitting now and moving as it should. Would appreciate any help, gregjo1948

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Try this. Block up the rear end enough to clear the rear wheels from the ground. Place something heavy in the seat to keep the safety switch engaged. Start the engine, let it idle. Bungie cord the control levers fully forward and let in stay in this position for 15 min.
Then do the same in reverse. Always with engine just at idle speed.
This will bleed any air from the system. Sometimes the wheels won’t move for several minutes. As the air bleeds out they will get stronger. Repeat procedure sometimes it takes a few hours.

Belt routing? fan direction would tell you that. I know it sounds crazy but you never know.

on the Z-series isn't there a neutral lever under the seat on the port side of the mower? this lever allows you to put he mower in neutral if you need to push it.

Try running a purge process on the hydraulic unit. They may have gotten low and got air in the system and need to have the air purged free. Go to YouTube to see purge process.

machete said:

on the Z-series isn't there a neutral lever under the seat on the port side of the mower? this lever allows you to put he mower in neutral if you need to push it.

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You really need to do some research on ZTRs. Your comment shows a total lack of knowledge of ZTRs. You have at least read the owners manual instead shooting from the hip.

Nearly all ZTRs uses either two pumps with wheel motors or two hydrostatic transaxles. Each has their own neutral engagement. I know of a couple JD models that are a little different but those are the exceptions.

From Owners manual

There is no release lever for the hydros.

So that leaves PTO and Drive Motors to test! PTO is magnetic... So listen for click and run fluid thru drive motors...

HTH

The suggestion about the woodruff key missing on the drive shaft is sensible. How about any safety connections...is one loose or have a broken wire. These issues can be tricky yet so darned obvious. Been there done that.

big deal said:

So that leaves PTO and Drive Motors to test! PTO is magnetic... So listen for click and run fluid thru drive motors...

HTH

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PTO doesnt need to be engaged to move mower think about it

NorthBama said:

PTO doesnt need to be engaged to move mower think about it

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That might be too taxing...Hmmm I smell brain cells burning.

This is what an older is3100 with separate hydros looks like. The belt is on the bottom under a frame. There are no pull bypass levers on the hydros.

StarTech said:

That might be too taxing...Hmmm I smell brain cells burning.

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True

Just a thought, but have you tried draining the fluid to see what it looks like as it comes out?
If the first thing that drains out is water-or if it comes out looking milky there's your answer.

Time was when farmers used to regularly loosen the drain plugs on crankcases, transmissions and differentials, after their equipment had been sitting for long periods of time-to drain out the condensation.

If there is much condensation the water and oil mix will froth, entrapping AIR when the pumps work on it-and Its difficult to get much hydraulic pressure from foam. Its not as much of an issue when the equipment is being used more often as heat generated while its in operation will tend to drive any moisture out.

(If there's any way for air to get into a system, eventually so will moisture, and the longer it sits, and the greater the temperature swings are,. the more moisture will find its way in.)

TRACTORTOWN said:

Try this. Block up the rear end enough to clear the rear wheels from the ground. Place something heavy in the seat to keep the safety switch engaged. Start the engine, let it idle. Bungie cord the control levers fully forward and let in stay in this position for 15 min.
Then do the same in reverse. Always with engine just at idle speed.

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Doing that for that long @ idle risks overheating the engine..

I had one once that had a charge pump leaking fixed the leak and purge the system. I thought would not pull purged and purged still would not pull. I finally open the throttle wide open and pushed the control arm forward as far as it would go and held there and it finally started working. Might try something like that.

I think there is a lever both sides instead of pulling the levers right back into the grove just let them find there own position

This mower does not have levers to release the hydros. It has a valve on each pump you have to loosen with a 5/8 wrench.

hlw49 said:

This mower does not have levers to release the hydros. It has a valve on each pump you have to loosen with a 5/8 wrench.

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Yes valves are located right side of rubber hose shown in picture

I have never seen a zero turn that doesn't have levers to disengage so you can push the mower in neutral

Well you haven't seen very many Z mowers. That said a lot of the newer mowers even the commercial ones are going to the EZT style drive systems. Where it is a one piece unit pump and wheel motor all together. But trust me they do or did make mowers with separate pumps and wheel motors and these did not have a lever to release the drives.

shreder said:

I have never seen a zero turn that doesn't have levers to disengage so you can push the mower in neutral.

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Then you haven't worked on enough of them then. Currently I have a JD 652R which has the same pump style system as the OPs mower. I also have a JD 830A in the shop with Parker pumps that uses the same style release system where you need a wrench to enter bypass mode.

And I remember correctly the two Hustler Super Zs I work on uses the Hydro Gear pumps too. Along these are the Scag Turf Tigers that I service.

Many of the customer grade ZTRs are integrated transaxles which do use levers to disengage the hydro and several commercial units are now using these integrated units. Both the Z925A is a royal pain to R&R one of the units as both along mounting plate has to be removed in order to separate a hydro for service or replacement. So glad the Z950 was improved on how the hydros were mounted. Still a pain but at least you can remove just the one that needs servicing.

shreder said:

I have never seen a zero turn that doesn't have levers to disengage so you can push the mower in neutral

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The 3100 of that vintage uses commercial grade hydros. There are no disengage levers like you find on the homeowner grade zero turns. On the hydros there is a hex head valve you unscrew 2 turn to bypass the hydros. The newer 3100's use a different system.