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Z915B won't crank, turn over, start

#1

R

rogerru

i have 2 Z915B zero turns and they have worked fine until now. one has developed an issue that has me stumped. i hit the ignition switch to start and there is a faint click and a louder buzz but won't crank, turn over. nothing. nor does the hour meter show. the click/buzz sounds like it's coming from under the instrument cover. i've replaced the ignition switch and the 2 relays under there. no change. battery is full but i still tried a jump. i've jumped around the starter sol, no change. the sound it's making is not like a solenoid. it's a definite buzz coming from (i believe) under, inside, around the console cover. i don't know how to use a meter so i replace parts. yes, i'm a parts replacer. i have ignition switch, pto switch, relays , safety switches, etc. i need input, thoughts, suggestions please.


#2

L

Luffydog

Have your battery tested sounds like its bad


#3

R

rogerru

sorry. failed to mention. battery tests full. also, i purchased (and installed) a new one. can always use a spare.


#4

dfbroxy

dfbroxy

It sounds to me like a safety switch has come loose or gone bad. There are a few of them. Seat, PTO, oil level, and deck to name the major ones. Check your users manual to see if I missed any.


#5

Boudreaux In Eunice La.

Boudreaux In Eunice La.

It sounds to me like a safety switch has come loose or gone bad. There are a few of them. Seat, PTO, oil level, and deck to name the major ones. Check your users manual to see if I missed any.

A safety switch won't cause what he is experiencing he is getting power from the battery.. If a switch is bad it won't click or buzz.....

Roger......Sounds like a bad ground to frame or a bad hot connection / corrosion on a main cable somewhere........

Take the main cables off and clean well with a brass wire wheel on a drill...... Clean all areas where they touch...... Ground and hot cables, even the starter lug.........

Let us know Mon Ami ~!~!


#6

Boudreaux In Eunice La.

Boudreaux In Eunice La.

I'm betting on a bad ground ~!~!


#7

R

rogerru

what i haven't had off is battery hot cable on the starter. i will do it regardless. i still can't figure the buzz at the console. i'll take all off the starter. let you know monday.


#8

R

rogerru

all connections at the starter have been removed, cleaned and are bright. reinstalled, no change. i don't know where else to try the bad connection theory or what else to do. so, please help.


#9

dfbroxy

dfbroxy

Use a voltage meter to see if you are getting power at the starter when you turn the key. If so then your motor is frozen or your starter is bad. If no power at starter then test your silinoid.


#10

R

rogerru

don't know much about a meter but i touched across the terminals on the starter just enough to get a bump out of the starter. puzzling to me is that with the ignition switch in just the on position, there's no hour meter display. so, even if the starter was stuck, there should be power at the hour meter. yes?


#11

B

bertsmobile1

There are two sides to a circuit.
Remove the black - wire and clean all those connections.
Check that the engine mounting bolts are tight.

Remove the starter solenoid, clean the body where it contacts the frame and also under the bolt heads.
Some solenoids use the body to make the - connection to the battery.

The click is the fuel solenoid, the buzz will be either the starter solenoid or the starter solenoid relay if it has one and it is buzzing because it is not getting a clean supply of 12 Volts.


#12

R

rogerru

starter solenoid is part of the starter. i put my ear near the starter while someone else hit the switch. the buzz/click isn't at the starter. i'll check engine mounting. i'll do whatever is suggested. still looking for that bad connection or bare wire etc. from the solenoid there's a blue wire that disappears into the engine near the valve cover on the left. don't know what that's for on this kohler engine. keep suggestions coming. thanks.


#13

B

bertsmobile1

don't know much about a meter but i touched across the terminals on the starter just enough to get a bump out of the starter. puzzling to me is that with the ignition switch in just the on position, there's no hour meter display. so, even if the starter was stuck, there should be power at the hour meter. yes?

A lot of mowers run the hour meter off the PTO switch so it only records mowing hours.
Others run it off the ignition switch so when I run the mower dry and forge to turn it off, it clocks up a full seasons worth of hours.


#14

B

bertsmobile1

starter solenoid is part of the starter. i put my ear near the starter while someone else hit the switch. the buzz/click isn't at the starter. i'll check engine mounting. i'll do whatever is suggested. still looking for that bad connection or bare wire etc. from the solenoid there's a blue wire that disappears into the engine near the valve cover on the left. don't know what that's for on this kohler engine. keep suggestions coming. thanks.

In that case the buzz will be from the starter relay
Slip your hands under the dash, you should be able to feel it.
Pull the relay and swap it out with another.
If it still buzzes then one of the switches that trigger the relay is making a bad contact.
When relays are used often the triggering is via a ground circuit.


#15

R

rogerru

the PTO switch item sounds very logical. i have a new one and will swap it out. ALSO, per the wire diagram, there's a diode somewhere. i'll find and test it. thanks.


#16

R

rogerru

found the diode. tested it (per a youtube video). it's good, over 600 on the meter. mower still down.


#17

R

rogerru

does anyone know where to get a wiring schematic for this Z915B?


#18

L

Luffydog

check safety switches as well


#19

B

bertsmobile1

Once again, get some one to hold the starter on and feel around for whatever is buzzing.
It will be a relay.


#20

dfbroxy

dfbroxy

I had the same problem on my mower last year. It turned out to be the ignition switch. I know your switch seems to be working but is it working right? Im not saying its burnt out, its not. The copper contacts inside the switch can come unglued and move causing power in the wrong amount to the wrong place and no power where its suppose to be. This might explain hour meter not working and if no power to silinoid at the start position......


#21

R

rogerru

i discussed my problem with a young man behind the parts counter at a john deere dealership after talking to the service dept.. service said bring it in but this parts man was good enough to print for me a wiring schematic and pointed out a fuse link that has been known to be a problem. i tracked it down in the wire harness, bypassed it and the mower started right up. yes, info and solution came from the parts guy. this problem/mystery solved. please pass it on.


#22

B

bertsmobile1

does anyone know where to get a wiring schematic for this Z915B?

You will only find it in the full Technical manual
These are available as a digital download direct from JD, but they cost.
Paper copies are available as well for a larger cost.
I can not recommend the JD service manuals highly enough.


#23

B

Bdboyz11

I'm currently having the same issue with my z915b. Got off it yesterday went to start back up and starter would just spin. Now my hour meter is out and I have no power to anything. Any suggestions on what it could be would greatly be appreciated.


#24

EBrod$7476

EBrod$7476

I'm currently having the same issue with my z915b. Got off it yesterday went to start back up and starter would just spin. Now my hour meter is out and I have no power to anything. Any suggestions on what it could be would greatly be appreciated.

Any luck with This? Having the same exact issue.


#25

StarTech

StarTech

i discussed my problem with a young man behind the parts counter at a john deere dealership after talking to the service dept.. service said bring it in but this parts man was good enough to print for me a wiring schematic and pointed out a fuse link that has been known to be a problem. i tracked it down in the wire harness, bypassed it and the mower started right up. yes, info and solution came from the parts guy. this problem/mystery solved. please pass it on.
Could you post the info this fuse link location as it is NOT indicated in the service manual so I can note it in my copy.


#26

Chairborne

Chairborne

Hello all, new to this forum but have been an occasional lurker. We have a Z915b that's about 5-6 years old we use on our Texas ranch. Like many here we've had problems with it not wanting to start intermittently and without warning. Last time it seemed to be the well known PTO switch issue and swapping it out remedied the problem.

When we went to use it for the first time this season on Monday it started right up (I start it weekly over the winter months and run it for about 20 minutes) and we moved it about 6 feet and shut it off. Tightened up the sun canopy and gassed it up, went to start it and begin mowing and nothing. The hour meter would come on, you could here a click at the starter solenoid, and (this is new for us) there was a buzzing sound coming from the two starter relays inside the instrument dashboard. I swapped out the PTO switch and parking brake switch to no avail. Thought it could be the ignition switch or battery. Bottom line, it was the battery- installed a fresh one and all was back to normal. Appreciate everyone's input's on this site, very helpful for figuring out problems that these JD mowers are prone too.


#27

R

rogerru

i have 2 Z915B zero turns and they have worked fine until now. one has developed an issue that has me stumped. i hit the ignition switch to start and there is a faint click and a louder buzz but won't crank, turn over. nothing. nor does the hour meter show. the click/buzz sounds like it's coming from under the instrument cover. i've replaced the ignition switch and the 2 relays under there. no change. battery is full but i still tried a jump. i've jumped around the starter sol, no change. the sound it's making is not like a solenoid. it's a definite buzz coming from (i believe) under, inside, around the console cover. i don't know how to use a meter so i replace parts. yes, i'm a parts replacer. i have ignition switch, pto switch, relays , safety switches, etc. i need input, thoughts, suggestions please.
check/replace the fuses on the left lower side of the engine area. standing behind, they're on the lower left and don't look like the every day fuse holders. makes no sense but i had a Z915B and your problem sounds like the one i had and i did/replaced everything you did. i finally went to the JD dealer and they printed off a diagram. i never knew there were fuses there. just a thought.


#28

B

Born2Mow

Do you wash your mowers ? Or do they stay parked in a cool moist place, like an un-heated barn ?

Your issue sounds like poor electrical connections caused by terminal corrosion. Rather than brushing the terminal clean, I like to use a chemical cleaner that leaves the protective finish intact on the terminal, and only attacks just the corrosion. Corrosion is brought on by WATER which may come from frequent washing and/or moisture from damp storage places. Your problem seems strange most probably because you have corrosion issues on multiple terminals. That's confusing the electron flow, which ends up baffling you.

There are several anti-oxidation compounds used by electricians. I use one called No-Ox-Id by Sanchem. The smallest 10cc tube is enough to treat 5 mowers. Disconnect every terminal one-by-one and dab a tiny amount on and re-connect. EVERY CONNECTION.... battery posts, big and little terminals on the starter, fuses, Neg battery cable attachments, light bulbs, all the ignition switch terminals, all the relay terminals.... you get the picture.

Hope this helps.


#29

S

slomo

I'm betting on a bad ground ~!~!
I like this guy....


slomo


#30

S

slomo

i discussed my problem with a young man behind the parts counter at a john deere dealership after talking to the service dept.. service said bring it in but this parts man was good enough to print for me a wiring schematic and pointed out a fuse link that has been known to be a problem. i tracked it down in the wire harness, bypassed it and the mower started right up. yes, info and solution came from the parts guy. this problem/mystery solved. please pass it on.
Better REPLACE that fusible link. Put it back like factory. If you neglect this, mower could burn to the ground.

slomo


#31

S

slomo

Hello all, new to this forum but have been an occasional lurker. We have a Z915b that's about 5-6 years old we use on our Texas ranch. Like many here we've had problems with it not wanting to start intermittently and without warning. Last time it seemed to be the well known PTO switch issue and swapping it out remedied the problem.

When we went to use it for the first time this season on Monday it started right up (I start it weekly over the winter months and run it for about 20 minutes) and we moved it about 6 feet and shut it off. Tightened up the sun canopy and gassed it up, went to start it and begin mowing and nothing. The hour meter would come on, you could here a click at the starter solenoid, and (this is new for us) there was a buzzing sound coming from the two starter relays inside the instrument dashboard. I swapped out the PTO switch and parking brake switch to no avail. Thought it could be the ignition switch or battery. Bottom line, it was the battery- installed a fresh one and all was back to normal. Appreciate everyone's input's on this site, very helpful for figuring out problems that these JD mowers are prone too.
Welcome to the forum.

Did we just start a new thread just now?

slomo


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