LT1018 - PTO will not engage unless moving - also disengages "randomly"

Hello all,

Title says it - PTO will engage only when moving...but if the PTO is engaged, I can stop mowing (engine running) and it will continue to engage just fine, until I push the knob in to turn it off...But the WORST part is that the PTO disengages randomly as I am mowing...after a bump, on smooth ground, mowing slow, mowing fast, mowing for a short bit, mowing for a long bit....I have looked for a pattern, but found nothing.

This has been happening off and on since last year, but seems a bit worse this year.

Both belts replaced this year, took apart the mower and the spindles and cleaned them, and put in a new PTO switch. Nothing helped, although it looks nice

Battery is a WalMart cheapo - 235 cold cranking amps (enough power???)

Any ideas, or do I need to just take it in?

Thank you!

Dal

This sounds like a sensitative seat switch.
If you are not in the seat the PTO shuts down so if the switch is dud the mower thinks you have fallen off and shuts down the blades.
A pinched seat switch wire can also manifest itself in a similar fashion.

Thank you for your input, but the "safety switch" was removed years ago.

Also, if I am just sitting on the mower with the engine running, why would the PTO not just engage when I pull the knob?

bertsmobile1 said:

This sounds like a sensitative seat switch.
If you are not in the seat the PTO shuts down so if the switch is dud the mower thinks you have fallen off and shuts down the blades.
A pinched seat switch wire can also manifest itself in a similar fashion.

Click to expand...

Check the bypassed seat switch first, it may have come undone. Then check the wiring to the brake pedal safety switch and its mounting. Then check the wiring to the pto, pay close attention to the 6 inches closest to pto, unplug clip at pto and check clip and wiring. Does the mower shut down when pto disengages?

ddfamf88 said:

Thank you for your input, but the "safety switch" was removed years ago.

Also, if I am just sitting on the mower with the engine running, why would the PTO not just engage when I pull the knob?

Click to expand...

If you like to keep clues from the audience you have a big future writing murder mysteries.

Armed with the new fact look for a broken wire where the PTO wires enter the PTO and also at the plug.
Broken wire just making contact will cause the same symptoms as the faulty seat switch that I did not know was bypassed.

The wires to the seat switch that is not there can also short out if it is pinched come where and produce similar symptoms.


Now what else have you done that yu are hiding from the people trying to help you ? :confused2:

Thank you for your replys.

However "hiding" indicates deception...I was not "hiding" anything or trying to deceive anyone; it just didn't occur to me to include that piece of info in my original post.

I had no idea that what you brought up (disconnected wire) could be part of the problem. If I did, I would have mentioned it in my original post.

You have good info bert - just try not to sound like a jerk when replying.

bertsmobile1 said:

If you like to keep clues from the audience you have a big future writing murder mysteries.

Armed with the new fact look for a broken wire where the PTO wires enter the PTO and also at the plug.
Broken wire just making contact will cause the same symptoms as the faulty seat switch that I did not know was bypassed.

The wires to the seat switch that is not there can also short out if it is pinched come where and produce similar symptoms.


Now what else have you done that yu are hiding from the people trying to help you ? :confused2:

Click to expand...

Not really trying to tar & feather you .
It is very difficult to do a diagnosis of a problem when all we have to do on is words on a screen.
For every person who plucks up the courage to post a problem there are a dozen more who just skim trough the headdings and read a few posts that look to be relevant .
Thus we try to hammer home that we need all the information.
People who post regularly use the new posts search and you might like to try it.
Every third person posts "my mower wont start" or even worse "my engine don't go"
The most common first reply is what engine in which piece of equipment.
I thought the refference to murder mysteries would have set a not too serious tone.
Slight differences between Aus & US humour.