Engine Stops if brake is released or deck engaged

JWR · Jul 1, 2016

This is a 1232 Gravely rear-engine rider. I was guilty of cutting too tall wet grass too long and burned off the belt. Not the first time. Happened 4 years ago too. Working fine right to the point of the belt demise. Shut it off, replaced belt. NOW the engine starts fine with the brake depressed and the seat switch defeated. Normal. However, releasing the brake kills the engine. So does trying to engage the blade clutch. I can find no damage or loose wires from the belt debris flying around under there. Trying to move the machine using the hydrostatic pedal of course kills it because the brake is set.

So I'm hung. Can't release the brake nor run the deck. It is not the seat switch (because it is bypassed but also because the engine starts OK proving the bypass works.)

Am studying the wiring diagram and there are enough non-standard symbols and mysteries that I can't see how one bypasses all the safety crap long enough to get it usable or to sort out what the problem is.

Anyone see this before ? Ideas ?

buickanddeere · Jul 2, 2016

It's complicated to keep Bubba from jumpering out all the safety equipment then having his family sue the manufacture.

yomax4 · Jul 25, 2016

It may be possible that the new belt was installed on the wrong side of an idler pulley causing it to do the opposite of what you want. ?

CCWKen · Jul 25, 2016

There's a few different drawings online so I don't know which matches your mower. Some show a Neutral, Reverse, Parking Brake, Seat and something else I can't remember. I think was transmission or something like that. Maybe a belt sensor switch? Not to mention a couple of safety relays. Some of the switches are normally open (NO) and some are normally closed (NC). Tripping any of them in the wrong order might kill the engine.

Got your safety glasses, gloves, long pants and steel toes on? That's about how some of them work. :confused2:

hawkeye08 · Jul 25, 2016

If you don't have a manual, see if you can find one OldGravelys.info: Gravely Manuals

JWR · Jul 28, 2016

buickanddeere said:
It's complicated to keep Bubba from jumpering out all the safety equipment then having his family sue the manufacture.

Even more complicated to keep the public from litigation worries and lawyers.

JWR · Jul 28, 2016

PROBLEM SOLVED: This one had really driven me up a wall. I gave up and took the thing to a general farm equipment repair shop. They disassembled the steering column (which was NOT simple) and found that when the belt broke it had hit a wiring harness which pulled wires which then pulled a plug apart up inside the steering column. Reconnected the plug and all is well. Works fine now.

Incredible to me that these guys had the thing fixed before I got back from breakfast. Meanwhile: The wiring diagrams contain errors. For example the second parking brake interlock switch (up inside the steering column) is not there in the wiring diagram. The only parking brake switch in the wiring diagram has to be closed in order to start it. The one not shown has to be there to keep it running after you release the parking brake.

Oh well, problem solved !