STARTS, DIES AFTER RELEASING IGNITION SWITCH.

[gsim]

Last year one day, my 2011 Hopper 930 D2 started, then died after I released the ignition key. Repeated twice. Checked fuses in panel beneath seat, all good. Decided to look at the three inline chassis fuses down next to starter. One of them goes to fuel solenoid. It looked good, but I measured it with Ohmmeter to confirm and indeed, it was good. So I put it back and tried again. VOILA! Trouble vanished after I reseated that fuse. So I removed it again, put a very thin film of vaseline petroleum jelly on blades, reseated it. Trouble never returned. I would've guessed it to be faulty ign / start switch, but it was not.

I was career telecommunications tech and have seen troubles cleared in various circuits by removing and reseating circuit packs or eqpt.

 

[100 td]

My cousin had a problem with his flashers/indicators on his VW the other day, I told him to pull every fuse, meter test them, and fully reseat. I looked online, found a wiring diagram and told him to start with fuse 16, he did that one all was good again.

 

[Rivets]

I recommend that if you are using petroleum jelly to protect electrical connections that you switch to a dielectric grease which is made for this. Jelly breaks down when exposed to Mother Nature. Can been purchased at any auto parts store.

 

[gsim]

Always used it since learning about how well it protects battery terminals and electrodes in High School Basic Auto Shop. Thanks for tip. Never had a problem from using it, but don't want one either!

 

[Rocky J]

Some interest fact about dielectric grease .
Dielectric grease, or tune-up grease, is a silicone-based grease that repels moisture and protects electrical connections against corrosion. ... The grease does not conduct electricity, so it shouldn't be applied directly to the mating surfaces (pins and sockets) of an electrical connection.

 

[gsim]

Good to know. Petroleum jelly is a good conductor of electricity. It also seals electrodes and terminals from the effects of oxygen, and that is how it fights electrical corrosion. No problems from using it for past 60 years, even on battery terminals in our powerboats over the years. I have even rebuilt starter solenoids over the years by taking them apart and either flipping over the big copper washer inside, or polishing the contacts, or both. I always applied a super THIN film of petroleum jelly on the contacts afterward before reassembling the units. Most or all starter solenoids today are riveted together to discourage their repair. I've never used petroleum jelly INSIDE of a starter or generator tho ! But I have used it OUTSIDE on the terminals. Again, a very thin film after cleaning terminals. In fact, I found and cleared an electric fuel pump issue on an '87 Ford F 150 truck. The pigtail was slightly corroded, turned a frosty blue down inside of the polarized connector plug and socket on the + side. Was causing fuel pump to die with no warning. Was some 17 yrs ago, and trouble never came back. I still have that truck.

 

[keakar]

I recommend that if you are using petroleum jelly to protect electrical connections that you switch to a dielectric grease which is made for this. Jelly breaks down when exposed to Mother Nature. Can been purchased at any auto parts store.

agreed ^^^^^
if you dont have dielectric grease then regular bearing grease is fine to use but dont use vasoline

 

[gsim]

Au contraire. Bearing grease only seals electrodes from oxygen. It is not a conductor of electricity. Vaseline both seals and is a promoter of good conductivity. I've used it with zero problems that way since 1961. So were I to change, I'd use a dielectic like Noalox, or something similar.

 

[greatriver]

i had this problem intermittently and while i did the cleaning of fuse block etc, it ended up that it was my powerdeck lift safety switch located just under the deck height spacers. it was not making contact well enough

 

[gsim]

i had this problem intermittently and while i did the cleaning of fuse block etc, it ended up that it was my powerdeck lift safety switch located just under the deck height spacers. it was not making contact well enough

Good to know this. Would not have thought that microswitch could cause engine to die after startup. I have had two cases where it did cause PTO to disengage while mowiing, and then it woule re-engage and resume driving the deck and cutting properly. Will make note of it and add to my mtc log. Thanks for posting.