"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.

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.

On May 16, 5:10 pm, "Ralph Mowery" wrote:
wrote in message

...
.



I ended up calling Home Depot back and told them I wanted to exchange
it for another one - that I didn't want to take a chance on a machine
that hasn't worked from minute one.

I'm still waiting to hear back from them.



While it is too late now, you should have went to a John Deere dealer to get
one. They do their own servicing and you do not have to fight with them.
You may ask for your money back and then go to a Deere dealer.

About 4 years ago I bought one and had it delivered. About a week later I
decided to mow the grass and my mower ran for about 100 feet and would stop.
It would start back up and die about another 100 feet later. I stopped in
the Deere place and asked about it as if I might be doing something wrong.
They could not tell me anything, but came out and picked it up. It was a
week before I could get off work and meet them at home, they brought it back
and said they replaced the seat. Sofar , no problems with it for 4 years.

We don't have a John Deere dealer local except Home Depot. The
authorized warranty repair shop won't do anything for the first 30
days and if a repair is needed, Home Depot has to pick it up and bring
it back. Exchanging it means they do that much less driving and save
$50+ in gas since they only need to make one trip.

And I don't think I should have to wait for a repair on a machine
that's 3 days old. With my luck, I'll be up to my knees in grass
before it gets back...

wrote in message
...
..

I ended up calling Home Depot back and told them I wanted to exchange
it for another one - that I didn't want to take a chance on a machine
that hasn't worked from minute one.

I'm still waiting to hear back from them.



While it is too late now, you should have went to a John Deere dealer to get
one. They do their own servicing and you do not have to fight with them.
You may ask for your money back and then go to a Deere dealer.

About 4 years ago I bought one and had it delivered. About a week later I
decided to mow the grass and my mower ran for about 100 feet and would stop.
It would start back up and die about another 100 feet later. I stopped in
the Deere place and asked about it as if I might be doing something wrong.
They could not tell me anything, but came out and picked it up. It was a
week before I could get off work and meet them at home, they brought it back
and said they replaced the seat. Sofar , no problems with it for 4 years.

When you go to Home Depot or Wal-Mart or any of those big box stores you
know you are going to get screwed before you get there. But that is all
we have any more. The big ones ran all the good small businesses out. I
will not go in a Wal-Mart. I don't like the way they do business. Look
what they did to Rubbermaid Co.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley





http://community.webtv.net/MelKelly/TheKids

"Clark..." wrote:
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...

One or two of those safety switches should probably be left intact..they
don't call them idiot switches for nothing.

--
http://NewsReader.Com/

"Mel M Kelly" wrote in message
...
When you go to Home Depot or Wal-Mart or any of those big box stores you
know you are going to get screwed before you get there. But that is all
we have any more. The big ones ran all the good small businesses out. I
will not go in a Wal-Mart. I don't like the way they do business. Look
what they did to Rubbermaid Co.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley


If you know what you're doing you can get the best bargains ever at Home
Depot and Lowes. I bought 2 slightly damaged landscape trailers for the
price of one - fixed one in the parking lot with a piece from the other -
and got the 2nd fixed at no cost with a replacement part from the
manufacturer. - I bought a returned and fixed Troybilt tiller for 1/5 the
original price - and a trailer load of broken bags of potting soil / manure,
etc for $20 - and a whole box of asparagus plants for the price of one. -
plus I have a never ending supply of pallets for kindling, compost bins, and
firewood racks. I have to look out for #1 - and I couldn't make out like
that at a "small business".

Any idea what I'm doing wrong? (Can't get anyone at Home Depot today
who knows how to operate one....grrr).

If you bought it from a John Deere dealer, the answer is just a phone call
away. Sounds like (engagement knob?) you are turning on the blades before
starting. JD have a disconnect that only allows you to do this when the
engine is running, probably prevents the engine from starting -- never tried
it this way on mine.

On May 17, 11:47 pm, "EXT" wrote:
Any idea what I'm doing wrong? (Can't get anyone at Home Depot today
who knows how to operate one....grrr).

If you bought it from a John Deere dealer, the answer is just a phone call
away. Sounds like (engagement knob?) you are turning on the blades before
starting. JD have a disconnect that only allows you to do this when the
engine is running, probably prevents the engine from starting -- never tried
it this way on mine.


The engagement button is down (disengaged). It wouldn't even turn over
if it were pulled up, and the engine does turns over....it just won't
stay going.

I'm guessing it's a choke/throttle adjustment problem that should have
been caught when they did the PDI...but they didn't. Home Depot is
going to arrange for the repair shop guys to come all the way out here
to look at it. If it's an easy adjustment/fix, I'll keep it. If they
can't figure it out or need to bring it into town to repair, I'll get
Home Depot to exchange it for another one.

Other than Home Depot, no John Deere dealer within a thousand miles.

On May 17, 11:47 pm, "EXT" wrote:
Any idea what I'm doing wrong? (Can't get anyone at Home Depot today
who knows how to operate one....grrr).

If you bought it from a John Deere dealer, the answer is just a phone call
away. Sounds like (engagement knob?) you are turning on the blades before
starting. JD have a disconnect that only allows you to do this when the
engine is running, probably prevents the engine from starting -- never tried
it this way on mine.


The engagement button is down (disengaged). It wouldn't even turn over
if it were pulled up, and the engine does turns over....it just won't
stay going.

I'm guessing it's a choke/throttle adjustment problem that should have
been caught when they did the PDI...but they didn't. Home Depot is
going to arrange for the repair shop guys to come all the way out here
to look at it. If it's an easy adjustment/fix, I'll keep it. If they
can't figure it out or need to bring it into town to repair, I'll get
Home Depot to exchange it for another one.

Other than Home Depot, no John Deere dealer within a thousand miles.

On May 18, 3:47 pm, wrote:
On May 17, 11:47 pm, "EXT" wrote:

Any idea what I'm doing wrong? (Can't get anyone at Home Depot today
who knows how to operate one....grrr).

If you bought it from a John Deere dealer, the answer is just a phone call
away. Sounds like (engagement knob?) you are turning on the blades before
starting. JD have a disconnect that only allows you to do this when the
engine is running, probably prevents the engine from starting -- never tried
it this way on mine.

The engagement button is down (disengaged). It wouldn't even turn over
if it were pulled up, and the engine does turns over....it just won't
stay going.

I'm guessing it's a choke/throttle adjustment problem that should have
been caught when they did the PDI...but they didn't. Home Depot is
going to arrange for the repair shop guys to come all the way out here
to look at it. If it's an easy adjustment/fix, I'll keep it. If they
can't figure it out or need to bring it into town to repair, I'll get
Home Depot to exchange it for another one.

Other than Home Depot, no John Deere dealer within a thousand miles.

Just to update: Home Depot came out to look at it. They couldn't get
it started at all. Checked plugs etc (he commented that there wasn't
much of a gas smell there). They finally gave up and they're sending
me out another one next week...and I asked buddy to make sure the PDI
is done this time.

Thanks for all the help