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I have a Sears 917.254850 that keeps blowing fuses. Here is what I have done so far. Removed the plug at the alternator and still blew the fuse. Removed the wiring harness and inspected all wires. Found none melted or fused together. Replaced the terminal at the starter solenoid. Replaced the solenoid. Replaced the ignition switch. What am I overlooking? Could one of the safety switches be cousing this?

Looks like a lot of unnessary work to me. Start from the blowen fuse and see what coler wire is causeing the short and work back from there. Should be very easy to find.

Go to Sears Parts Direct, you can download a owners manual which has a good wiring diagram to help you.

Rivets said:

Go to Sears Parts Direct, you can download a owners manual which has a good wiring diagram to help you.

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That will even make the job easier. Don't always have one but a good wiring diagram sure helps.

reynoldston said:

Looks like a lot of unnessary work to me. Start from the blowen fuse and see what coler wire is causeing the short and work back from there. Should be very easy to find.

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It is the Red wire from the hot side of the soleniod that goes and gives power to the ignition switch.

Rivets said:

Go to Sears Parts Direct, you can download a owners manual which has a good wiring diagram to help you.

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Thanks, but I have one already. I think I will use it to bypass and wire it like a tractor without all the safety switches.

wcpost said:

Thanks, but I have one already. I think I will use it to bypass and wire it like a tractor without all the safety switches.

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I wouldn't bypass anything, check the ignition switch and then the diode, that's in the Red wire to the alternator.

I shouldn't have to say this, but make sure you check the diode in both directions.

I had a repair job this pass summer with the same problim and the alterator was burned up. Might want to pull the flywheel and check it ?

You don't need to pull the flywheel to check alternator, it can to done in situ..!

No idea what you mean by situ.? Frist of all I am thinking by saying alternator we are talking about the stator? I may very well be wrong and it would,t be the first time. But as I see it by not pulling the flywheel all you will know is that you have a short circuit under the flywheel. Yes it could be that the wires are burned around the coils on the stator but who knows without looking?? Also the flywheel has to come off for the repairs anyways if you have a bad stator.

EngineMan said:

I wouldn't bypass anything, check the ignition switch and then the diode, that's in the Red wire to the alternator.

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I have tried it with the plug unpluged. Would that have by-passed the diode?

reynoldston said:

No idea what you mean by situ.? Frist of all I am thinking by saying alternator we are talking about the stator? I may very well be wrong and it would,t be the first time. But as I see it by not pulling the flywheel all you will know is that you have a short circuit under the flywheel. Yes it could be that the wires are burned around the coils on the stator but who knows without looking?? Also the flywheel has to come off for the repairs anyways if you have a bad stator.

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Would unpluging the plug at the flywheel and tring this again prove this?

reynoldston said:

No idea what you mean by situ.? Frist of all I am thinking by saying alternator we are talking about the stator? I may very well be wrong and it would,t be the first time. But as I see it by not pulling the flywheel all you will know is that you have a short circuit under the flywheel. Yes it could be that the wires are burned around the coils on the stator but who knows without looking?? Also the flywheel has to come off for the repairs anyways if you have a bad stator.

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If you don't know what the word "situ" is look it up, yes the alternator is also called the stator, and you can if there is a short in the wiring tell by a meter if you know how to use one, so yes for the first time you are wrong and I don't believe for one minute it is, and yes the flywheel has to come off, but only if there is something wrong with any of the parts that are under it, or to replace itself.
If you feel that the help am trying to give isn't up to your standard's, the answer is simple........

If your short gos away after unplugging the wire to the flywheel your short is under the fly wheel. That is the whole thing about finding the short is to find out what makes it go away. You should be able to make these test with a test light. Connect the test light in place of the fuse and when it gos out you have found your problem.

EngineMan said:

If you don't know what the word "situ" is look it up, yes the alternator is also called the stator, and you can if there is a short in the wiring tell by a meter if you know how to use one, so yes for the first time you are wrong and I don't believe for one minute it is, and yes the flywheel has to come off, but only if there is something wrong with any of the parts that are under it, or to replace itself.
If you feel that the help am trying to give isn't up to your standard's, the answer is simple........

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No I don't know everything and yes I know how to read some meters but it all depends what meter you are talking about. The only thing I am saying if there is a short under the flywheel it has to come off to fix it and as far as your standards you are a lot smarter and better then me at repairs. But for some unknown reason I seem to hold my own at it and have been doing it for the last 70 years with some mistakes along the way. The word situ isn't in my dictionary and a word I have ever used but also I am not that good at words being a dumb mechanic. I come to this forum for for one thing and that is entertainment and if someone doesn't like what I have to say don't read it. When I tell someone how to make a repair its how I would do it right or wrong. Here is a person who removed a whole wiring harness . To me would be a lot more work then removing a flywheel.

In Situ
Adverb: in situ, in'sit-yoo
1 In the original or natural place or site
"carcinoma in situ"

2 Adjective: in-situ
Being in the original position; not having been moved
"an in-situ investigator"; "the archeologists could date the vase because it was in-situ"

I to am old and have been put out to grass just like a old pit pony, only became a member to help out here, but do ask myself sometimes why I did so. All the best.

I understand that "in situ" means in place - or in origional position.

Different words (or phrases) may be used frequently in certain places or parts of the country and not used at all in other places.

I would not think it is too kind to make fun of or berate someone for not knowing a term that you may know.

Just my :2cents: !

wcpost said:

Would unpluging the plug at the flywheel and tring this again prove this?

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Yes unplug the red wire to the diode and then see if it blows the fuse.

BKBrown said:

I understand that "in situ" means in place - or in origional position.

Different words (or phrases) may be used frequently in certain places or parts of the country and not used at all in other places.

I would not think it is too kind to make fun of or berate someone for not knowing a term that you may know.

Just my :2cents: !

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I wasn't making fun at anyone, read the post. If I didn't know a word or understand it I would look it up, and has you say, in certain parts of the world may not use them.

OK -- things coming from a keyboard sometimes "sound" worse than they were intended.

I've been in VA for nearly 40 years and still can't get used to "yall" being used for only 1 or 2 people when it should be for 3 or more. :biggrin:

I had never heard "in situ" used in that fashion either. I believed it was generally used more in terms of archeology.

reynoldston said:

No idea what you mean by situ.? Frist of all I am thinking by saying alternator we are talking about the stator? I may very well be wrong and it would,t be the first time. But as I see it by not pulling the flywheel all you will know is that you have a short circuit under the flywheel. Yes it could be that the wires are burned around the coils on the stator but who knows without looking?? Also the flywheel has to come off for the repairs anyways if you have a bad stator.

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I have done this on Briggs & Strattons, just never on a Koler. Will try when it stops raining.

I did look up the word situ in my new world Websters dictionary and it isn't in there. I then looked on the web and it said it was a latin word. As far as I though that would be the last of it. But as I seen it wasn't. Never heard the word before and after this I don't ever plan on using it. Its not a word used in North eastern America as far as I know but what do I know because most people I know only have a HS education.. But I sure learned a new word.