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Daisy

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Mowed for about 2 hours and then the blades just stopped and the engine cut out as well

Was able to restart engine and return to the garage but blades would not engage.

The next day, cleaned up all the drives and started up the engine rode out to lawn and engaged the blades,
began cutting - about 10 minutes into it blades stopped.
 

cruzenmike

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Sounds like a PTO Clutch issue; likely electrical. Check the wiring connection between the PTO Clutch and the wiring harness to make sure that it is tight and the connection is free of corrosion. On most mowers, with the key on but the mower off, you should be able to pull the PTO switch and hear the magnets engage. If they do not, then you likely have some faulty wiring or a bad clutch. If it was a safety switch issue I think it would kill the engine if you tried to engage the blades, but I could be wrong. Get out the manual and see what it has to say as well...
 

Rivets

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First thing to check is battery voltage, both initial and charging. Need a minimum of 12V to keep the clutch working properly.
 

cruzenmike

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First thing to check is battery voltage, both initial and charging. Need a minimum of 12V to keep the clutch working properly.

I totally forgot about that. Most often I just assume the engine is running, everything else should. But then again, I recall that my voltage regulator really gave me some problems with the PTO engaging last year and I didn't realize it until after I had already replaced the battery.
 

Daisy

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I totally forgot about that. Most often I just assume the engine is running, everything else should. But then again, I recall that my voltage regulator really gave me some problems with the PTO engaging last year and I didn't realize it until after I had already replaced the battery.


The engine stops as soon as try to engage blades- I checked the safety under-the-seat connection
but how to tell if that is the issue?
 

cruzenmike

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The engine stops as soon as try to engage blades- I checked the safety under-the-seat connection
but how to tell if that is the issue?

You could disconnect the switch and use a small jumper wire to close the circuit between the two wires leading into it. Then, while sitting on the mower and with it running, try to engage the blades. If the blades engage and the engine does not die, then remove the jumper and buy yourself a replacement seat safety switch from the dealer. If the mower still dies, remove the jumper and plug the seat safety switch back into the connection and move on to the next possibly problem. Have you check the voltage while running at full throttle? Have you also checked the belts and pulleys (with engine off) to make sure that nothing is bound up? Also, it is possible that the clutch itself has a bad bearing and engaging the PTO switch places an extensive load on the engine forcing it to stop. Does this mower happen to be under warranty still that you could take it to the dealer to have it looked at?
 

Rivets

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Now you are giving us a different problem, which means we don’t know what your real problem is. First both your blades and your engine stopped at the same time while cutting. Now the engine stops when you engage the PTO clutch. These are an indication of two different problems, which could mean different solutions. Please try to give us a better picture of what is really happening, because we are not standing next to you, to see what you are talking about.
 

Daisy

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I replaced the battery and the blades running happily again-


I do want to keep the battery on a charger - as this is not a daily use machine-
should I keep the battery charger on
2 AMP or 10 AMP
Conventional or Low Maintenance setting?

My machine is a 2004 Hustler Fastrak- I mow around 8 acres (usually 1/3, 1/3 and a 1/3 on different days) about every 10 days in Spring until it gets hot and dry- so much less in summer and then every 10 days of so again in September -November

Thank you again, appreciate all thoughts and this forum!
 

Darryl G

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The battery should have no trouble holding a charge for a week or 2. Leaving it charging continuously even at 2 amps can damage it. If you want to keep it charged, use a battery maintainer, not a charger.
 

Rivets

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Did you check you battery voltage while running, as I posted earlier. If not you may still have a problem with your charging system, which will drastically reduce the life of that new battery. If you charging system is working properl, there is no reason to put on an external charger or maintainer unless it is going to sit for more than a month.
 
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