L111 electrical problem

9 years ago

Hello

I have a John Deere L111 that I bought used this past spring. I keep having the same strange problem that I was hoping somebody here could help me with.

First time I went to use my mower in the spring after I got it, I found that the battery was dead. The previous owners were surprised by this because they said that it was a relatively new battery. I took it to Autozone and they said the battery was bad, so I bought a new one. When I put the new battery in I could see the LCD display that shows usage hours (which wasn't working before) and I could hear a click when I turned the key, which I wasn't hearing before, but it still wouldn't start. I did a little research and found that this probably meant it needed a new solenoid, so I got one and installed it, and it worked. I used it weekly all summer without problem after this.

Then when I hit early fall when I no longer needed to mow every week and it sat idle for 3-4 weeks, I went out to start it and found that the battery was dead again. I took it to Autozone, and they once again said it was not only dead but bad, so I got another one brought it home. Once again, with the new battery it would click but not start. So I ordered another solenoid and put it in and it worked fine. I only used it one time - that was the last time I needed to mow.

Now I'm wanting to use it to help me get rid of some leaves, and the battery is once again dead. And once again Autozone said that it is bad. And I have a sinking feeling that if I replaced the battery I would find that it still wouldn't start without replacing the solenoid too, but I decided not to continue this vicious cycle until I figure out why this keeps happening.

I called a local repair place and they said that maybe it doesn't have a good ground. I just checked and it does look like it has a wire going from the solenoid to ground, and as far as I know it is on there correctly. Does anybody have a suggestion?? Does anybody know where I can see a picture/diagram of how all of the battery cables should be connected on this model? (Maybe I have something backwards?)

Thanks!

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

bill_kapaun
9 years ago
I don't have a schematic for an L111, but do for an L110.
I have no idea if they are the same. I would expect IF they were, it would say L110/111.

My first thought is that you have a parasitic drain and/or grounding problems.
It doesn't really make sense that the starter solenoids would be dying on you.
What I would do-
1. Make sure your grounds are good. Make sure your engine mounting bolts are tight, ground cables clean & tight etc.
2. (Key OFF) Disconnect one of the battery cables and insert a small wattage test lamp in series with the cable & battery. IF it lights, you have a draw.
IF it doesn't, insert an ammeter in series just to make sure any "draw" is too small to light the test light, but enough to slowly run down the battery over time.

IF you have a parasitic draw, I'd suspect a bad voltage regulator on the engine. Unplug it and see if you still have a draw.

I'm going of the L110 schematic, but that's the best I can do.
krnuttle
9 years ago
I would like to reinforce the comment about making sure your grounds are good. Ever since the spring I found that three of the four bolts holding the engine to the frame were missing, part of my spring service it to check the bolts. During this time I make sure there is no debris clogging up the brake and similar areas.

There is one other thing that I would recommend that in the winter months you take your battery into the garage and put it on a trickle charger. It then never becomes discharged and possible freezing messing up the innards. I think at a minimum I would disconnect the battery during long periods of storage.

If I had three batteries that died within a year, I would question the source. While I hate to be suspicious, it sounds that the store has a pretty good deal selling you a new battery every year. Next time I would have some one else check the condition of the battery; just to be sure.
Related Discussions
Need carb rebuild kit for JD L111
Q
Comments (18)
tps, have you run the engine with "a load on it" yet. If you are only running at high curb idle, you can expect the governor to "hunt" fruitlessly for the sweet spot. These engines are meant to "work" and so everything about "normal operation" means it should be "doing something aerobic". The governor is designed to open or close the throttle plate in an attempt to keep the engine near the manual setting you select with the "throttle cable or linkage". Because simply operating the engine is not much of a load, the carburetor is greatly oversized for that task. If you open it up completely with no load, the engine will try its darndest to spin at 30,000 RPM because the carb can deliver way more fuel than is required to spin up with no load. Because the engine is able to spin up so quickly when unloaded, it will rev beyond the setting of the governor faster than the governor can react. When the governor finally intervenes and pulls the throttle plate toward the closed position, the RPM is already higher than the governor can allow, so now the governor tries its best to shut the throttle plate altogether. Now, because the engine has been deprived of fuel (throttle plate closed, no venturi action, no fuel drawn from main jet) the engine loses RPM so quickly that it is drops BELOW the RPM setting of the governor. Guess what the governor tries to do next. The governor now senses that the engine needs more fuel, so it opens the throttle plate, venturi action is immediately restored and fuel is drawn out of the main jet. RPM jumps up again and exceeds the HIGH setting of the governor and so the idle goes up and down and up and down and up and (well, you started it). Some governors feature a "buffer spring" to "somewhat discourage" hunting under no load conditions. The fact that the engine is able to react quick enough to cause the governor to hunt is an indicator that this engine "is no loafer". Put that thing to work under a load and report back (with a grin, I hope).
...See More
John Deere L111 Battery Issue
Q
Comments (2)
Well, it could be another brand new defective battery. Remove the battery and take it to an auto store that will load test it right in front of you. Brand new batteries on the store shelf can fail a load test. NEVER buy a wet cell battery from a store that won't or can't load test the battery right in front of you. Connections clean and tight at BOTH ends of BOTH positive and negative cables? When you know the battery is good we can move on in the diagnostic process.
...See More
John Deere L111 Fuel Problem
Q
Comments (12)
Mine is starting to do this also. It starts sputtering after about 45 minutes. Up until that time, it ran just fine. I noticed that the fuel filter was almost dry--there was no fuel on the bottom contiguous with the filter material. I put my mityvac on the fuel pump and it is indeed pumping fuel with pulsed vacuum. The tube that it connects to the crankcase is in good condition. Is the fuel tank even vented? I do not see any vent holes in the cap. When it stalled out today. I put loosened and the retightened the cap. It started right up again with some choke and I finished the rest of my mowing, about another 1/2 hour. Although a little early yet (mower has about 80 hours), I changed the plugs, air filter, and fuel filter. No change.
...See More
JD L111 Hard Start (Valve Problem?)
Q
Comments (7)
This didn't just start happening. It did it last year as well but then went away. I am not saying it is not the battery but it starts after turning the flywheel slightly. I did take the valve covers off and checked the lash. Sitting in the seat of the tractor the left cylinder top valve had about .009". The other 4 were about .004 - .006. Can these be adjusted by just loosening the locknut and adjusting the torx head to take the lash to about .004 - .006 like the others and then tightening the locknut again? GP
...See More
exmar zone 7, SE Ohio
9 years ago
FWIW, I think I paid around $20 for a battery tester from Harbor Freight or Northern, one of those. It load tests, and shows charging voltage , etc.

Since doing that battery issues are a thing of the past except for replacing truly dead ones.

Good luck,

Ev
bwoodwar
Original Author
9 years ago
Great suggestions everybody. Thanks!

I ended up buying a new battery (this time from Tractor Supply Co. instead of Autozone) and it worked. I also bought a trickle charger there and plan to keep the battery on that pretty much any time I'm going to let it sit for more than a couple of days.

The ground looks solid to me but I'll double check it.

Thanks!!
suspicionofignorance
9 years ago
Don't think you have found the problem yet.....seems to me, you have a 24/7 drain [small amperage]...and the trickle charger is merely feeding it...relieving the battery..I would definitely unplug the alternator harness or volt regulator connection...then let it sit untouched for a week ,
with no charge from the charger...does battery survive ? i
bwoodwar
Original Author
9 years ago
You're right - I haven't really found the problem. For now I'm actually taking the battery out of the tractor and putting it directly on the charger when it sits idle. I figure this will keep me out of trouble until I have time to look into it deeper.

Thanks!
Barry

L111 electrical problem

Comments (6)

bill_kapaun

krnuttle

Related Discussions

exmar zone 7, SE Ohio

bwoodwar
Original Author

suspicionofignorance

bwoodwar
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

L111 electrical problem

Comments (6)

bill_kapaun

krnuttle

Related Discussions

exmar zone 7, SE Ohio

bwoodwarOriginal Author

suspicionofignorance

bwoodwarOriginal Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

bwoodwar
Original Author

bwoodwar
Original Author