DLT3000 is a newer design and probably has elect clutch? Just guessing don't know for sure? I like the manual types very simple design as stated above, lift a lever put tension on the belt walla, blades turn. release the lever blades stop, blades don't stop the spring is either broke or came loose or the linkage felt apart or broke? the elect type are move expensive to maintain when they fail! If elect. do you hear the elect clutch click when pulling button to the on position? the clicking sound is the power being supplied to the electrical magnetic clutch? Do you hear it release when pushed in? First Off I always check the cheapest thing. The air gap on the clutch cost you nothing so make sure the clutch has the proper air gap. If not adjust to get the proper air gap. Next down the cheap part list would be the switch. I would suspect the on/off switch if the air gap is correct and you didn't see any sign the clutch may be bad. why? Cause this is where the 12V power source comes from the actuate the elect magnetic clutch. NO 12V to the clutch, no blades turning so an easy check would be to unclip the wires at the clutch and check for continous 12Vs with the switch in the off and on position. Getting 12V in the off postiion I would then go up to the switch itself and verify the switch does not cut 12V off when in the off postion. if so it would be the switch. IF not I would then suspect the clutch itself, usually the clutch won't come on but I guess it could be locking up and not releasing as the last thing down the trail. Some LT have a Back up feature that cuts the blades off when you are backing up, I don't like this cause it over works the elect. clutch. Does your have this feature and does it cut the blades out when you are backing up? If so this could rule out the elect. clutch?

FYI ---UPDATE After removing the mower deck I was able to clearly see and feel exposed wires running to the rear of the mower. After replacing all four wires did the mower come back to life. Funny thing though, the seat switch, while depressed, did not allow the mower to run. It wasn't until after I pulled the switch out from beneath the seat did the mower turn on. The seat switch is somehow backwards. The great news is I was able to locate shorts in both the ground and seat switch wires which turned out to be the source of the stalling when releasing the brake/clutch, engaging the mower deck and when turning the steering wheel to the right. My advice is to look for exposed wires and replace them.

Seat switch is open when seat is occupied. Seat switch closes when seat is vacant. Closing the seat switch connects the magneto kill wire to ground, stopping the spark production and causing the engine to quit running. The clutch switch is part of the interlock circuit and WILL permit the engine to run with the seat empty provided the clutch/brake pedal is down. But since you connected the seat switch wires together, the clutch switch is the last switch to close and now it acts as though the seat is empty, even when the seat is actually occupied.

Did you read the Sears # correctly? 917.272791 doesn't come up on the Sears site?? Often you can download the manual/schematic from there, which helps with trouble shooting. http://www.searspartsdirect.com