285 wont start

[smashfoot]

I bought a 285 lawn tractor at a auction . Started mowing worked fine, then it stopped running. It will turn over but wont start. Went to the dealer and asked questions. IT has no spark ,He told me it was the pulser coils so i bought them and put them on. Before i put the rad back on i turned the key and it started .problem solved, wrong!!!!! I shut it off put the rad on put antifeeze in and fired it up. Ran a few minutes and quit. I havent called the dealer yet. Any ideas out there??? HELP

 

[ZDB]

Does it have spark?
Is it getting fuel?
Compression?
Air filter plugged?

I have a 285 and am very familiar with them. do the above diagnostics and repost and I'll do my best to help you.

How many hours on the machine? Cam gear failures are well documented on these machines, but lets get thru the simple checks first.

 

[smashfoot]

It does not have spark. filters good getting gas,dont have a compression tester.

 

[ZDB]

Do you have no spark at either cylinder?
If so check the ignition relay it should be a pink wire from the ignition relay to the PTo relay and then a yellow/white wire to the ignition moduel.
It has a white wire coming from the key switch to the ignition relay.
All of these wires should show 12 volts with the key in the on position.

 

[smashfoot]

I'll have to check this out when i get home I'm out of townat my daughters. Can i get back to you when i get home?? It doesn't have spark to either cylinder

 

[ZDB]

There is a safety circuit for the ignition relay to energize.
You must either have the seat safety switch engaged
or
have the PTO in off, and the transmission in neutral.

I'll keep my eye on this thread for a while and try to answer any questions you have.

 

[smashfoot]

Back from my daughters, I just checked the voltage I get 12 volts on the yellow/black only. nothing from the pink or nothing from the white

 

[tuckertom]

Back from my daughters, I just checked the voltage I get 12 volts on the yellow/black only. nothing from the pink or nothing from the white

Hi, I have a 285 John Deere 1140 hrs. second engine, first had 600 hrs. on it.
I have had lots of trouble with the no starting and replaced a few parts etc.
I checked the seat safety switch conection several times and was satisfied that it was ok. I put a jumper wire from new to get rid of this stopping every time I bent forward to miss a branch etc the engine would stop. After checking everything twice I went back to the jumper wire and secured it with drilling a hole and used a double hole folding clip and screwed the wires to the seat mount that is bolted to the tractor deck so it could not move anymore. I have not had a single problem since and it has been about 150 hours back. This little wire caused about seven hours of **** checking all kinds of things as it would quit when you were mowing or just not start when you had lots of cutting grass or snow blowing to do on the coldest day !!!

 

[smashfoot]

I just went out and pulled a seat switch off of my 240 and put it on the 285 still won't start. I had put a jumper wire on the seat switch before to by pass it.But after you said you had problems with it ithought well i' ll switch it simple things first, but no luck. Any other ideas??

 

[tuckertom]

I just went out and pulled a seat switch off of my 240 and put it on the 285 still won't start. I had put a jumper wire on the seat switch before to by pass it.But after you said you had problems with it ithought well i' ll switch it simple things first, but no luck. Any other ideas??

Well worth the try, remember there are other safety switches as well. Under the deck where the mower adjustment is, left side & i beleve it is for the left foot peddle you push when you go to start the tractor. Put a jumper in place of the switch and see what happens. Also the electric clutch make sure its in the off position plus i have had one fail for me, worth the investagation. Other wireing that have given problems is under the hood on the starter side there is a black fuse holder with a 10 amp or 15 amp fuse in it, i have moved these wires plus what ever other wires there are in this general area and it started after that. I put a plastic pull tie over the holder and thru that steel plate its fastend to and pulled it tight. That seemed to tighten it up so there is no movement Give these simple things a look at and see what happens. Good luck !!!

 

[smashfoot]

Thanks for your imput, well today i brought my jd 240 out to switch some parts 1'st i switched the key switch, then the pto switch , then the ignition relay, then the pto relay. I even checked the transmission netural switch, iput a jumper wire in, still will not start no spark?? checked the fuses . they say nothing runs like a deer???? I,m lost don't know what to check next. maybe its time to give up and take it to the dealer ,it sure is flustrating. any ideas??????

 

[smashfoot]

I think .. my problem is the ignition moduel. jb dealer wants $277.00 Been checking internet anybody know if part number 131800-0131 denso is the same as john deer am105574.

 

[ZDB]

PROCEDURE:
1. With the key on:
a. Measure DC voltage across top of battery posts.
b. Measure DC voltage between engine block (not
frame or battery) and positive terminal of both the
left and right coils.
c. If voltage is the same, go to step 2.
d. If voltage is more than 0.7 volts lower at the coils
than battery, check the following:
Battery terminal connection.
Battery to engine ground.
Positive side circuit from coil to battery.
2. With engine cranking, measure AC voltage across
pulsar leads (pulsar side of connector). Left pulsar
has pink with white/blue wires, right pulsar has
yellow with green/white wires.
a. Pulsars should each produce low levels of AC
voltage (as low as 0.05 VAC).
b. If no output, replace pulsars.
c. If output OK, go to step 3.
3. With engine cranking, use test light to check for
pulsation at negative terminal of both the left and
right coils.
a. Pulsation indicates ignition module and pulsars
are functioning properly. Problem is with ignition
coil, spark plug, or spark plug cap.
b. If no pulsation and pulsar output OK, check the
following:
Resistance at connector for coils negative lead and
pulsar connectors.
Ignition module ground (black/white) wire
connection to engine.
4. If battery voltage is at coil, pulsars are OK,
connections test good, and proper ground is
positively verified, replace ignition module.

 

[smashfoot]

Thanks ZDB for the imput. I followed the procedure you sent DCvoltage across the battery post was 12.83 . the DCvoltage between engine block and the positive terminal of both coils was 12.30. cranking the engine and checking the pulsers for ac voltage the voltage was 0.03 with cranking the engine and checking pulsation the light stayed lit, no pulsation on both sides , i also moved the ground for the ignition module to make sure its grounded good. So it sounds like it is the ignition module . would you agree?

 

[ZDB]

I would agree your ignition module is suspect based on your troubleshooting.

I'll keep following this thread if you need any more info let me know.

 

[smashfoot]

WOW!!!!! boy prices on these modules is out of site .Called jegs and ordered one yesterday only $71.00 great price, but i got a call from them today and they are on backorder 90 days. If i wait that long i can sell my hay to the farmer next door. well I,LL search the puter some more.All i can say is some one is making some money on these puppys!!!!!!

 

[5isalive]

Well I ordered the same from Jegs and just got a call saying it will ship mid August. I hope it is the correct part. They increased the price since you posted though.

 

[smashfoot]

Well i ordered it again because when i was on jegs the other day they said shipped with in 7 or 8 days , so i see the price went up but i figured well maybe it,s in stock again . But i got a call the next day mid aug. so we'll see. Are you having the same problem as i am??

 

[5isalive]

I have a 425 aws with the kawasaki fd620d. I opened one end of the ignitor and sprayed contact cleaner in it and it started right up. I thought it was just one of the connectors but I cleaned them all but it still didn't have spark.

 

[ZDB]

None of the Deere Dealers have the module in stock?
How about some other power equipment dealers whose products use the Kawisaki engines?

Good luck.