Stx38 only starts in reverse gear

[Bhauck]

Hello, I need some help. I have a new to me JD stx38 yellow deck. It had a no start when hot issue. Traced it down to a faulty neutral safety switch. After replacing the neutral safety switch the mower will only start when place in reverse gear. All gears on shifter correlate to there respective gear on the transmission, so when i start it in reverse the mower is actually in reverse gear, not neutral. Any idea why this is happening. Did i install the neutral switch wrong, could it be the wrong switch, or is something in the transmission broken. One more thing, on the old faulty switch. The side that is actually in the transmission was very rusty, is that normal? Thank you in advance for the help.

 

[StarTech]

For some your mower thinks it is in neutral while the motive drive in reverse. Check the neutral switch.

 

[Bhauck]

For some your mower thinks it is in neutral while the motive drive in reverse. Check the neutral switch.

I put in a brand new neutral switch. That is when the start in reverse issue started. With the old switch it was starting in neutral but having issues when hot, thats why i put the new one in. Do you think the new neutral switch could be bad?

 

[bertsmobile1]

Did it develop this problem or was it like that from the day you bought it ?
people who are mentally challenged putting batteries in a torch like to play with mower wiring.

 

[Bhauck]

Did it develop this problem or was it like that from the day you bought it ?
people who are mentally challenged putting batteries in a torch like to play with mower wiring.

Hahaha very true. It developed it right after I put the neutral switch in. That kinda leads me to think it could be a faulty switch or the wrong switch.

 

[bertsmobile1]

Switches come normally open & normally closed but they look identical.
I only have an old STX manual and it does not show a reverse switch anywhere. just a neutral switch & a seat switch

 

[StarTech]

There two neutral switches for the STX38. Notice the color of the insulator where the wires connect. So it is very possible you installed the wrong switch. Unable to out which is NC and which is NO. PLus someone might have changed out the transaxle so I check the color of the old switch and install the same color switch.

AM36886 ( SN -160758)

AM37643 ( SN 160759 -)

Serial break is different on the IPL depending on where you are looking so the below maybe off a little.

 

[Bhauck]

The old switch was white and the new switch is black. Im gonna order the white one and hopefully thats the issue. Thank you all so much.

 

[Bhauck]

Update: I installed the right color switch and everything works as it should. Thanks everyone for the help.