On May 16, 3:12 pm, "Srgnt Billko" wrote:
"Clark..." wrote in message

...



willshak wrote:
on 5/14/2008 8:44 PM said the following:
On May 14, 10:31 pm, "JimR" wrote:

wrote in message

...

[snip]

I just got it to start (I'm guessing my foot wasn't pressing the
brake hard enough) but now it won't keep going. It putters out
after about five seconds. A bit of white smoke/exhaust from the
front but I imagine that's normal. I play with the choke when it
does start, but it doesn't want to keep going.

Any idea?

Thanks!

1. There is a safety switch in the seat -- if you're not sitting
in the seat it won't continue running -- but you also have to have
weight in the seat to get it to turn over for starting.

2. Once it fires up, immediately bring the choke lever back to the
run position, otherwise it will run rough or quit.

3. I start my JD by having the throttle back, choke on (forward) ;
step on the brake, weight in the seat, and turn the key. It starts
almost immediately, then I bring the choke lever back and the
throttle forward and it's running at normal speed. For shut down,
I throttle back before turning off the key, to minimize the
possibility of a backfire as it is shutting down.

(My wife has trouble starting because even with the seat forward
she can't step on the brake hard enough to deactivate the safety
switch, so it won't crank.)

Good points. I'll give it another go in the morning and try the
different throttle/choke combinations. I'll probably have to move the
seat forward a little too...and maybe consider the cinder block

Thanks!

Most of those seat switches can be disabled by unplugging the wire to
the switch and putting a jumper into the wire connection. You might
try that to eliminate the seat switch as being part of the problem.
You can reconnect it later if it isn't a problem.

I just remove the whole switch and rig it with some cardboard or the like
so the switch is always activated and reinstall it, no guessing on the
wiring jumper thing.
Clark...
--

Got to use a little caution here because some safety switches are "make" and
some are "break" - ie some have to "close" the circuit to be activated and
some have to "open" the circuit which is grounding out to prevent a start.
Not sure which is which on newer Deeres.


I have no plans to play with the switch. I doubt its the source of the
problem since the engine does turn over and I don't move once it
starts (and if I can't keep it going at 190lbs then it's a big time
design flaw since people much lighter than me are shown driving it in
their ads....or this one is defective).

I'm guessing it needs a choke or throttle adjustment. I'm trying to
get Home Depot to exchange the machine for another one and let them
deal with it. There's no doubt in my mind that the PDI wasn't done, so
they need to take that up with the company they contract to do it.