John Deere s240 doesn't start.

T

theberzh

Forum Newbie
This is exactly what happened.
I started the mower and pulled the button to engage the blades to mow the front.
I did one pass that was about 40 ft long and then I took a left down the driveway and did the same thing on the side to mow that grass.
I drove up to the front lawn and engaged the blades, however they did not work.
I tried it a few times by pulling the button up multiple times and nothing.
I then drove back up around to the back of the house to see what the problem might be.
I turned the mower off and then got off to take a look underneath and saw nothing.
I tried to start the mower and then it would not start again.
I tried jumping it and nothing.
I can hear the electrical engaging and can clearly see all the electrical working, however nothing starts.
Does anyone know what the problem could be?
Could it be a bad mower engagement switch?
 
Could be. I am assuming you're talking about the blade engagement, or PTO switch. Hopefully someone familiar with that machine will speak up. I don't know the safety switches on that machine. On mine, you can turn on the ignition, sit on seat, and engage the PTO and you'll hear it engage. Is that what you meant about hearing the electrical engaging? Make sure it's off before you try and start the motor. The PTO switch usually has multiple parts. One sends power to the clutch, and another is used by the safety circuits to kill the motor if PTO is engaged when it shouldn't be.

You say it won't start, and you jumped it. Does that mean it isn't turning the motor over? Do you hear the solenoid clicking? If not, it could be ignition switch, safety circuit through PTO switch, wiring, or solenoid.
 
Yes, that must be the PTO that I'm talking about. It's a yellow button that you pull out and then the blades start. That doesn't work at all. Once I turned the mower off, the entire mower wouldn't start at all. It would not turn over. I do hear some electrical engaging and clicking however I'm not sure if that's the solenoid clicking. I'm aware of sitting on the seat to engage the mower to turn on. I was sitting on the seat and had it in park and it still wouldn't start. Can I take a video for you tomorrow to run through what happens?
 
If you sit in the seat and turn ignition on, and engage the PTO, do you hear a sound? Kind of a thump? If so, it's the clutch engaging. Make sure PTO is disengaged before trying to start the engine. If you hear a click when you turn key to start, that's usually the solenoid engaging. If that is happening, the next test is to bypass the solenoid, if you know how to do it.
 
theberzh said:
This is exactly what happened.
I started the mower and pulled the button to engage the blades to mow the front.
I did one pass that was about 40 ft long and then I took a left down the driveway and did the same thing on the side to mow that grass.
I drove up to the front lawn and engaged the blades, however they did not work.
I tried it a few times by pulling the button up multiple times and nothing.
I then drove back up around to the back of the house to see what the problem might be.
I turned the mower off and then got off to take a look underneath and saw nothing.
I tried to start the mower and then it would not start again.
I tried jumping it and nothing.
I can hear the electrical engaging and can clearly see all the electrical working, however nothing starts.
Does anyone know what the problem could be?
Could it be a bad mower engagement switch?
Click to expand...
Electrical issues can be a real pain. Please post model number of John Deere (on label on mower frame), and model number of engine (on label on engine). First check battery (load test), battery connections, fuse(s), any relays, then move on to safety switches, solenoid, etc. You need a test light and multimeter and knowledge of how to use these tools. Other people can give more help with model numbers. May have to take to shop if not obvious.
 
Mark H_NO said:
If you sit in the seat and turn ignition on, and engage the PTO, do you hear a sound? Kind of a thump? If so, it's the clutch engaging. Make sure PTO is disengaged before trying to start the engine. If you hear a click when you turn key to start, that's usually the solenoid engaging. If that is happening, the next test is to bypass the solenoid, if you know how to do it.
Click to expand...
I fixed it. Thank you. Because of what you told me about the PTO switch, I decided to start tracing things back and I was about to make a video to send you, however I found the problem before anything. The wiring plug slipped out of the PTO switch from underneath. I know it sounds stupid. It just fell out and I plugged it back in. After years of use and going over bumps, it must have finally just popped out. Thanks again.
 
theberzh said:
I fixed it. Thank you. Because of what you told me about the PTO switch, I decided to start tracing things back and I was about to make a video to send you, however I found the problem before anything. The wiring plug slipped out of the PTO switch from underneath. I know it sounds stupid. It just fell out and I plugged it back in. After years of use and going over bumps, it must have finally just popped out. Thanks again.
Click to expand...
If the electrical issues were only this easy, I would be in tall cotton.
 
A lawn with lots of bumps and uneven terrain can cause problems with electrical connections and various plastic components of a mower. I'm convinced that this is what caused an electrical connection to fail on my Gravely Pro Turn 260. The bullet type connector broke and caused my engine to shut down and not start. This connection was from the wiring harness to the carburetor solenoid. If and when I buy a new mower, it will be a Ferris or Stihl. The suspension should help soften the harsh ride over rough terrain.
 
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Be thankfully you don't foam filled tire. They ride like you have solid tires. You and the mower both feel every little bump and hole.
 
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