Craftsman tractor mower doesnt engage always or stay running

17 years ago

Hi I have a 11 yr old Craftsman 18 hp garden tractor model 917.251492. It's time to start mowing for the season so I charged the battery and got it started. Then I move it and pull out on the mower button to make the deck cut grass. Nada. then I thought oh its probably grass built up around the jack shafts and pulleys... I clean that. Pull button... nothing... then belts on deck and blades move slowly. they did this a couple times. Then the clutch engaged and I hear the loud VROOM and the blades go like normal... I'm happy, but for a short time. about 10 seconds later, clutch disengages and blades stop turning. I push in button(turn off)... Wait a minute, and try button again. Sometimes the clutch engages, sometimes not, but it always stops on its own with button pulled out after about 10 sec. I'm hoping that it's just the button... That was replaced once already. I really don't want it to be the clutch..... Help Please. Graduation is next weekend, and I need to mow. Thanks, June

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Comments (11)

colt357_2004
17 years ago
The electric clutch on my 917.254410 was kicking in and out. Mine is on a toggle switch. It was good. Traced wires to the clutch and found one freyed near the engine. Replaced that wire and re routed away from engine.Electric PTO's are magnetic and magnets don't like heat. These are not the original wires. The originals were in a heat resistant conduit, for lack of a better word. It was resistant until it came in direct contact with engine and burned through.
Look for bare wires, loose connections etc. A mouse may have chewed on something over the winter.
That's what I would check until some of the experts respond.
When town is 27 miles one way, and gas is 2.89 you improvise. Someday I might get the right wires, but so far it's cutting grass.
Good luck.
kiddranger
17 years ago
Check and see if the spindle assemblies are sticking at all ( with the tractor off!). Reach under and see if theres any binding , the blades should freely turn and smoothly. It could be the switch too, like colt 357 said- inspect wires/connections as well.
Kidd
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Oh yes, of course that is possible,........in the beginning stages of failure. If you are using the Ohmmeter to check for resistance, and you get no reading at all, the meter is showing "infinity", or infinite resistance. The explanation for that in regard to a circuit is "the circuit is open, there is no continuity". This type of failure often begins with intermittent operation of the device the circuit powers, but because the broken spot in the circuit is a point of high resistance, that spot overheats and burns up some of the conducting material of the wiring. As it worsens, it will soon begin to "arc over" at the break, and the device may even continue to work. Complete loss of continuity follows quickly when that happens, and the device becomes inoperative. But, with PTO clutches, air gap adjustment is often the simple reason for a clutch being recalcitrant, and so the air gap dimension should always be the first thing to check when intermittent operation comes up.
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fisher40037
17 years ago
Looking at the parts blowup of your tractor, the clutch looks to be adjustable, you will need some wrenches and
a set of feeler gauges, it is easy to do.

Fish
bill_kapaun
17 years ago
Try the link

http://www.lawnsite.com/showpost.php?p=1463590&postcount=2

Here is a link that might be useful: Link
madattractoragain
Original Author
17 years ago
Thank you for the tips so far... One question I have is if it mowed fine when it was parked for the winter... and now that it is time to go again... I get this trouble. How can it come out of adjustment by just sitting. The link talking about the feeler gauge was helpful... I have feelers.

what does this majical adjustment do?

THANKS!
bill_kapaun
17 years ago
Probably nothing, but it's the only mechanical adjustment you can do to the clutch.
The price is right and it eliminates that as the possible problem.
fisher40037
17 years ago
It brings the plate closer to the electromagnet, sitting over the winter, terminals corrode, connections become
looser, current is weaker. Adjusting the clutch will
likely help, as well as cleaning all of the terminals, battery may be weaker as well. The charging system might
not be putting out what it should, but the adjustment is
the first thing to check. I hate to see people buy expensive items they do not need, maybe that is why I
am a poor businessman, and usually broke.............................................................................................

Fish
theodocius
17 years ago
As others have said, check wiring and connections first. An 11 yr. old adjustable PTO clutch WILL need adjustment if never done in the past. As clutch plates wear, plate gap increases. The magnetic coil has more trouble overcoming a wider gap upon actuation. A clutch with a wide gap can be a little recalcitrant.

Why doesn't it work now when it worked OK last fall? Well, if you had just returned from a 6 month vacation, what would it take to get you back in the swing of things? ;~)

t
madattractoragain
Original Author
17 years ago
Fisher, I think you hit the nail on the head... My battery is SHOT! I charged 2 days... it wouldn't start even then. So I jumped it with the car. Started right up. and ran... but as soon as i was done playing with the mower i shut it down and immediately tried to start it... nothing. I can't get another battery for a week at least. That was already planned... I think i lost a cell... or it sulfated over winter.

So I will try a new battery and adjusting the clutch :) I bet it'll be working like new in no time. I have always kept up the maintenence on it... so it's not in bad shape...

THANKS, I'll tell you the final verdict when I get those 2 things done...

June
bill_kapaun
17 years ago
"Fisher, I think you hit the nail on the head... My battery is SHOT!"

Makes sense!
On that engine, there is no separate circuit from the alternator for "accessories". (some Briggs, for example, do)
One lead comes of the regulator to the battery and everything is "fed" from that circuit. A grossly bad battery could draw enough to "starve" the PTO.
madattractoragain
Original Author
17 years ago
Ok... I was able to get a new battery yesterday. I put it in this morning. Started it right up and pulled the switch to engage the mower deck... guess what? The mower stays engaged and doesn't stop. I'll still have to see about adjusting the clutch... but at least I know what the real problem was! Yay, I am so happy!

I want to thank everyone here for their help!!!

June

Craftsman tractor mower doesnt engage always or stay running

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colt357_2004

kiddranger

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Craftsman tractor mower doesnt engage always or stay running

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