Bolens/MTD lawn tractor with 38 inch deck lots of small problems

Hi,

I have the subject mower and it has had numerous quirks during the nearly 10 years that I have owned it.

I'd like to know if you can help me start to knock these items out. I really have spent a fortune on it over time and it does cut but it has numerous issues.

1st problem:

The tractor randomly does not start. When it fails to start, all you hear is a click. The only way to get it started is to quickly turn the key (usually 20-30 times) and then it starts fine. Rocking the mower back and forth during this time seems to help as well. Vehicle has a new ignition switch and I am running a car battery which didn't fix it.

2nd problem:

Somewhat tied to the 1st one possibly?? If the mower sits for a few days even after running for a few hours (I verified the battery is being charged), the battery dies. The battery dies even if I remove both terminals to it after mowing. I got so sick of problem 1 and 2 I decided to use a large car battery. This helped a bit, but I am glad my battery has a handle because it is always needing to be charged....and yes it is any car battery that I use.

3rd problem:

There is a wire that I disconnected years ago after not being able to get the tractor started. I removed this wire and the tractor would start and vice versa. Does anyone know where it goes?? It is the black pictured wire which ends in a female spade at the extreme right hand side of the pic.




4th problem:

Getting off of the Seat no longer causes the tractor to shut off. I can mow in reverse, that is pretty neat....but I'd like to at least have the option of having it cut off when getting off the seat or throwing it in reverse. Maybe the wire from the 3rd problem has something to do with the second?

5th problem:

The PTO blades do not completely disengage when I turn them off. They slow down to about half speed or maybe a little bit less.
I just swapped all 3 belts and put the spring back in the right place but this did not resolve it.

Thanks for any help with any or all of these problems!!

Very well thought out and written. With 2 exceptions with are the most important ones. Mower model number and engine model number.

BlazNT said:

Very well thought out and written. With 2 exceptions with are the most important ones. Mower model number and engine model number.

Click to expand...

Hehe, thank you. I have been mowing with my tractor, push mower, and weed eater as well as fixing the tractor, and can hardly walk. I'll check into the engine and EDIT: REPORT BACK...lol I am tired.

Model Number: 13AM762F065

Thank you!

So I got your engine model number.
Recap for all that are going to help
Mower model number 13AM762F065
Enginemodel number 752B0827B1

BlazNT said:

So I got your engine model number.
Recap for all that are going to help
Mower model number 13AM762F065
Enginemodel number 752B0827B1

Click to expand...

Thank you very much. This information has also been noted.

Ok so I will start with what electrical testing tools do you have?
Seat switch is easy to test. If it is a 2 wire then you test continuity between the spade connectors with wire unplugged. No one on seat one reading some one on seat and it will flipflop. If it is a 4 wire switch then you test the same except with no one on seat one will be open and the other closed. Then it will flip flop on each one tested.
2 wire switch normally open when no one is on seat and closed when someone is on seat.
4 wire switch is a 2 switches in one switch. Normally open and normally closed switch. Some one in seat and it is closed and open.

BlazNT said:

Ok so I will start with what electrical testing tools do you have?
Seat switch is easy to test. If it is a 2 wire then you test continuity between the spade connectors with wire unplugged. No one on seat one reading some one on seat and it will flipflop. If it is a 4 wire switch then you test the same except with no one on seat one will be open and the other closed. Then it will flip flop on each one tested.
2 wire switch normally open when no one is on seat and closed when someone is on seat.
4 wire switch is a 2 switches in one switch. Normally open and normally closed switch. Some one in seat and it is closed and open.

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I have a pretty good arsenal of tools and an electronics background.

I have a VOM and a DC Clamp meter.

I am familiar with the switch (2 wire in this case), just not sure where the wire ultimately ends up. Great starting point.

The wire normally ends up at the coil as a kill wire/ground. If it is removed fron the coil the engine will start but not turn off. I was getting to that after the switch testing.
I like to go one thing at a time.

Switch tested fine. I did notice that the engine takes a bit longer to shut off after removing the mystery wire

ukiltmybrutha said:

Switch tested fine. I did notice that the engine takes a bit longer to shut off after removing the mystery wire

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It would not shut off at all until it ran out of gas.
Problem 3 looks like headlight wire maybe. Im still looking for schematic. To pin point it.