ECV880 won't start. need help with diagnosis

J

jkinsch

Forum Newbie
10 year old Cub cadet Proz 900. with a ecv880-3013 motor, 265hrs. I took this to the dealer I bought it from and they could not get it running. $1500 and they said buy a new one. This was New Holland of Tulsa.

This is what is doing. Will not fire up. It has spark at all the plugs, New coils, New fuel pump, new injectors, Has fuel ejecting from the injectors when cranked. Even tried starter fluid and still got no combustion. The dealer said the engine has good compression. All the dealer did was start replacing parts and still could not get it running. The sad part is when I took it in it was running, just not very well.

The service manual says check for trouble codes, This model has a small digital display right below the key. It is flashing "Lube now", now this is what is even stranger, I disconnected the battery and the display is still flashing. reconnected the battery, I tried to do the code process, the on and off with the key and got no difference on the display. Is this the MIL display or do I need to do the LED trick to find the diagnostic codes?

This motor will produce spark, has compression and has fuel but will not start, could this be something with the ECU or the timing. Can timing be off so much where you have all the right components but still not starting.

Any help is what direction I should look next would be appreciated.
 
One of the models of your mower I looked up indicated that the MIL light may be on the left side of the seat near the parking brake lever. Normally in the area where the choke would normally be located.
 
jkinsch said:
i'll check and see if it in that area, thanks,
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It does not have a MIL on the left side. If the display near the key is not the MIL. I'm not sure it has one. The Battery has been out of the mower for over 2hrs, the display near the key is still lit and flashing Lube Now. No power to the mower but the LCD display is still operating. Does this have a seperate battery backup?
 
jkinsch said:
Can timing be off so much where you have all the right components but still not starting.
Click to expand...
You need air, fuel, spark "at the correct time" and compression.

Check/tighten your main ground off the battery. Polish down to bare metal. Use star grounding washers that bite into the metal.
 
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I would investigate what is called the big 3 or 4 in car stereos. Add a dedicated ground from the block to frame. Frame to battery. block to battery. The wiring harnesses are so cheesy on mowers. Just enough copper to start and run.

 
Find a repair shop that uses Kohler diagnostic software. Evidently, the shop that you used doesn't have it.
The joys of owning a fuel injected engine.
 
If equipment manufacturer has not added a MIL to equipment, one
can be added easily for quick diagnostics. Main engine
to vehicle connection will have a tan wire which is
ground for MIL. Either incandescent or LED type bulbs
can be used for MIL as long as they do not draw more
than 0.1 amps. Bulb needs to be rated at 1.4 Watts or
less, or needs to have a total resistance of 140 Ω or
more. LEDs typically draw less than 0.03 amps. Attach
+12 volts to positive terminal of bulb and attach ground
terminal of bulb to tan wire.

1789422455463.png
 
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