I just bought a new John Deere Ride on mower (24 hp) and I can't get
it started. I attached the battery cables (light turns on okay),
checked the charge (greater than 80%), pushed in the rod at the back,
pushed the park brake up into locked position (I'm assuming it's just
moving that round lever up to engage the park brake...the directions
aren't clear on that), push up the throttle and choke to max, made
sure the yellow engagement button was down, added a gallon of fresh
gas and checked the oil then turned the key.

And nothing.

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

Thanks!

wrote in message
...
I just bought a new John Deere Ride on mower (24 hp) and I can't get
it started. I attached the battery cables (light turns on okay),
checked the charge (greater than 80%), pushed in the rod at the back,
pushed the park brake up into locked position (I'm assuming it's just
moving that round lever up to engage the park brake...the directions
aren't clear on that), push up the throttle and choke to max, made
sure the yellow engagement button was down, added a gallon of fresh
gas and checked the oil then turned the key.

And nothing.

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

Thanks!

Off the top - sounds like a "safety switch". Are you sitting on the seat
and does the seat lower enough to flip the switch ? What's the "yellow
engagement button" ? You want to start the engine with the blades
DISengaged.

Srgnt Billko wrote:
wrote in message
...
I just bought a new John Deere Ride on mower (24 hp) and I can't get
it started. I attached the battery cables (light turns on okay),
checked the charge (greater than 80%), pushed in the rod at the back,
pushed the park brake up into locked position (I'm assuming it's just
moving that round lever up to engage the park brake...the directions
aren't clear on that), push up the throttle and choke to max, made
sure the yellow engagement button was down, added a gallon of fresh
gas and checked the oil then turned the key.

And nothing.

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

Thanks!

Off the top - sounds like a "safety switch". Are you sitting on the
seat and does the seat lower enough to flip the switch ? What's the
"yellow engagement button" ? You want to start the engine with the
blades DISengaged.

Maybe he does not weigh enough to activate the seat safety switch, I would
suggest he place a cinder block on his lap as he sits in the seat, whilst
starting and mowing.. ;-)
Clark...
--
Don't you have Google in your part of the world?

"Clark..." wrote in message
...
Srgnt Billko wrote:
wrote in message
...
I just bought a new John Deere Ride on mower (24 hp) and I can't get
it started. I attached the battery cables (light turns on okay),
checked the charge (greater than 80%), pushed in the rod at the back,
pushed the park brake up into locked position (I'm assuming it's just
moving that round lever up to engage the park brake...the directions
aren't clear on that), push up the throttle and choke to max, made
sure the yellow engagement button was down, added a gallon of fresh
gas and checked the oil then turned the key.

And nothing.

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

Thanks!

Off the top - sounds like a "safety switch". Are you sitting on the
seat and does the seat lower enough to flip the switch ? What's the
"yellow engagement button" ? You want to start the engine with the
blades DISengaged.

Maybe he does not weigh enough to activate the seat safety switch, I would
suggest he place a cinder block on his lap as he sits in the seat, whilst
starting and mowing.. ;-)
Clark...
--

It's not "Walk softly and carry a big BLOCK" - it's "Walk softly and carry a
big STICK". You should know that chuckle

Srgnt Billko wrote:
"Clark..." wrote in message
...
Srgnt Billko wrote:
wrote in message
...
I just bought a new John Deere Ride on mower (24 hp) and I can't
get it started. I attached the battery cables (light turns on
okay), checked the charge (greater than 80%), pushed in the rod at
the back, pushed the park brake up into locked position (I'm
assuming it's just moving that round lever up to engage the park
brake...the directions aren't clear on that), push up the throttle
and choke to max, made sure the yellow engagement button was down,
added a gallon of fresh gas and checked the oil then turned the
key. And nothing.

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

Thanks!

Off the top - sounds like a "safety switch". Are you sitting on the
seat and does the seat lower enough to flip the switch ? What's the
"yellow engagement button" ? You want to start the engine with the
blades DISengaged.

Maybe he does not weigh enough to activate the seat safety switch, I
would suggest he place a cinder block on his lap as he sits in the
seat, whilst starting and mowing.. ;-)
Clark...
--

It's not "Walk softly and carry a big BLOCK" - it's "Walk softly and
carry a big STICK". You should know that chuckle

Oh, will the
_____/ /_(_)____/ /__
/ ___/ __/ / ___/ //_/
(__ ) /_/ / /__/ ,
/____/\__/_/\___/_/|_| jokes ever end???:-)Clark...
--
Don't you have Google in your part of the world?

Srgnt Billko wrote:
"Clark..." wrote in message
...
Srgnt Billko wrote:
wrote in message
...
I just bought a new John Deere Ride on mower (24 hp) and I can't
get it started. I attached the battery cables (light turns on
okay), checked the charge (greater than 80%), pushed in the rod at
the back, pushed the park brake up into locked position (I'm
assuming it's just moving that round lever up to engage the park
brake...the directions aren't clear on that), push up the throttle
and choke to max, made sure the yellow engagement button was down,
added a gallon of fresh gas and checked the oil then turned the
key. And nothing.

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

Thanks!

Off the top - sounds like a "safety switch". Are you sitting on the
seat and does the seat lower enough to flip the switch ? What's the
"yellow engagement button" ? You want to start the engine with the
blades DISengaged.

Maybe he does not weigh enough to activate the seat safety switch, I
would suggest he place a cinder block on his lap as he sits in the
seat, whilst starting and mowing.. ;-)
Clark...
--

It's not "Walk softly and carry a big BLOCK" - it's "Walk softly and
carry a big STICK". You should know that chuckle

As I recall the stick looked like this...

/\

,-+' /:
,-++++
++/ ;
,-----+++_.++++--++-'
X\ ,----+_.-+--+''-'
( `---++----------+++++ ,-''---+-'
`. ++----+-----+++++-'--'

Clark...
--
Don't you have Google in your part of the world?

does it crank and not start, or does it do nothing... ie no cranking?

"Srgnt Billko" wrote in message
news:k7JWj.15068$6D1.4396@trndny02...

"Clark..." wrote in message
...
Srgnt Billko wrote:
wrote in message
...
I just bought a new John Deere Ride on mower (24 hp) and I can't get
it started. I attached the battery cables (light turns on okay),
checked the charge (greater than 80%), pushed in the rod at the back,
pushed the park brake up into locked position (I'm assuming it's just
moving that round lever up to engage the park brake...the directions
aren't clear on that), push up the throttle and choke to max, made
sure the yellow engagement button was down, added a gallon of fresh
gas and checked the oil then turned the key.

And nothing.

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

Thanks!

Off the top - sounds like a "safety switch". Are you sitting on the
seat and does the seat lower enough to flip the switch ? What's the
"yellow engagement button" ? You want to start the engine with the
blades DISengaged.

Maybe he does not weigh enough to activate the seat safety switch, I
would suggest he place a cinder block on his lap as he sits in the seat,
whilst starting and mowing.. ;-)
Clark...
--

It's not "Walk softly and carry a big BLOCK" - it's "Walk softly and carry
a big STICK". You should know that chuckle

On May 14, 8:48 pm, "G" wrote:
does it crank and not start, or does it do nothing... ie no cranking?

"Srgnt Billko" wrote in message

news:k7JWj.15068$6D1.4396@trndny02...



"Clark..." wrote in message
...
Srgnt Billko wrote:
wrote in message
...
I just bought a new John Deere Ride on mower (24 hp) and I can't get
it started. I attached the battery cables (light turns on okay),
checked the charge (greater than 80%), pushed in the rod at the back,
pushed the park brake up into locked position (I'm assuming it's just
moving that round lever up to engage the park brake...the directions
aren't clear on that), push up the throttle and choke to max, made
sure the yellow engagement button was down, added a gallon of fresh
gas and checked the oil then turned the key.

And nothing.

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

Thanks!

Off the top - sounds like a "safety switch". Are you sitting on the
seat and does the seat lower enough to flip the switch ? What's the
"yellow engagement button" ? You want to start the engine with the
blades DISengaged.

Maybe he does not weigh enough to activate the seat safety switch, I
would suggest he place a cinder block on his lap as he sits in the seat,
whilst starting and mowing.. ;-)
Clark...
--

It's not "Walk softly and carry a big BLOCK" - it's "Walk softly and carry
a big STICK". You should know that chuckle



lol.

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!

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.)

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!

On May 14, 10:44 pm, wrote:
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!


Tried again this morning and no go. No matter how I manipulated the
choke or throttle, it would die within five seconds. I made sure my
position didn't change so I was still on the seat and brake properly.
I tried so many times, the battery died...so now it's out there
recharging.

I can only guess that the carb needs adjusting. I got a call into Home
Depot...still waiting.

sigh

I have never found anyone at Home Depot that knows anything. If you
don't know what you need don't bother going there.


From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley





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

On May 15, 6:04 pm, (Mel M Kelly) wrote:
I have never found anyone at Home Depot that knows anything. If you
don't know what you need don't bother going there.

From Mel & Donnie in Bluebird Valley

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


What I actually needed from them was the name of the local shop that
does the warranty repairs. I spoke to them and they said they did a
PDI. I asked if that meant starting it up and he said yes.

I told him that was impossible. Neither battery cable was attached and
one of them needed to be manipulated (from a straight position to a
pretty tight U position) to meet the terminal. If it had been hooked
up, the cable would have had a bend in it. Also the two screws had no
tool marks on them and the gas tank smell of plastic, not gas when I
stuck my nose over the opening to see if there was any fuel in it.

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.

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.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

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...
--
Don't you have Google in your part of the world?