[flymo]

OK, picked up leaves all afternoon with my 455, then left it outside the shed to clean / cool. 1/2 hour later, went to move it into the shed, and the dash lights came on fine, but when I went to start it, dash lights went out and no start. And now I have no lights at any key position.

My first thought was a dud battery, so I tried jumping it with no joy. I have battery voltage at the starter and at the red B terminal going into the ignition switch.

I'm thinking the key switch itself may have gone - seems like if I have voltage going in, I should get some lights when I turn the key. Thoughts?

I do have TM1517 and I will work through it, just looking to speed things up a bit.

Tim

 

[markks]

Tims, I dont have a 455, but I think the switch is the same as a 425. On the Switch circuit board, there is a small green led light, which indicates you have power. With the Switch on, that should be lit, If not you have no power at the switch. I'm not sure about terminal B, but are you positive you has voltage going into the switch??

You can run a lead from the solenoid to the lead wire coming from the switch just to make sure.

 

[bobstillwagon]

Tim, have you checked all the fuses? The 2 in the circuit board and the I think 2 others in fuse holders? Figure you probably have ... but sounds like what mine does occasionally when it pops a fuse. One of my 15 amp fuses has blown several times, usually on a restart when the tractor has been used a while.

 

[flymo]

Thanks Mark, Bob! I did check all the fuses, and the connection to the key switch as indicated. I then turned the key on again, and the dash lights actually came up, but slowly. It wouldn't crank, but when I jumped it this time, it started and I was at least able to get it into the shed. This morning, a turn of the key brought one dash light, which quickly died out.

My conclusion is that I have a dud battery (I did check the voltage when running and it was 14.5, so the alternator is OK) and possibly a dicey connection, which a good battery is able to overcome. So I'll put a new battery in and clean up what I can, and hopefully be good to go.

Mark, that's good to know about the LED on the circuit board. I will make note of it's behavior after I replace the battery - seems like it could be useful for future diagnoses.

Thanks again gents!

Tim

 

[vinnie110]

Check your battery voltage while trying to crank the engine, anything less than 10.5 volts and the battery is a wheel chock. Also did you clean the connection surfaces of the battery terminals, that grey film you see is an insulator. Finally I have had several batteries do the sudden death trick, you know pull into the driveway shut the car off come out 5 minutes later and battery is flat no lights etc.

 

[flymo]

Vinnie, I did try cleaning the battery terminals first thing - forgot to mention it in my post. It was definitely the battery - replaced it last night (even got $25 back on the old one - still under warranty!) and all is well.

The only confusing thing is why it wouldn't start when I tried to jump it the first time. I will check the ground connection tonight - don't want to be going into the winter season with a lurking problem.

Tim

 

[vinnie110]

Glad you found the problem. On the jump not working maybe the first time you had a poor connection with too much voltage drop at cranking currents. Cranking currents are very high and with a flat battery all the current had to come from the jumper cables so connections are voltage drop sensitive.

 

[dave24319]

Tim,

I was having same troubles with my 455, I checked it out as best I could--Mark Bros is right about the green light thing--I just cleaned off the dust and all from switch and green light area and took Blower and blowed it out good-- Dash area and again the green light area and knock on wood--its not missed a lick since! Hope yours will be as simple--Switch and green light board come as One I understand and over a 100.00 at Deere.

Love my Old Deere's!

Dave

(Message edited by treed on February 20, 2012)

 

[dave24319]

I had to finely break down and put the Switch deal in the 455. $130 or so at Deere . But it starts right up now!

Love my Old Deere!

Dave

 

[lfnel]

So, I've had this 70 tractor with Tecumseh engine for a couple of weeks. I'm not the first one to work with the governor-to-carburetor linkage, so I have no home base to go back to. When the throttle plate is opened just a bit, it goes way overspeed - like to 4,000 maybe 5,000 rpm. I've been through the carb, soaked it out, run a fine wire thru all passages possible, blew it out, used spray-can carb cleaner, etc. along with properly setting the float level. The return-to-closed torsion spring on the throttle plate shaft is OK. Governor shaft, arm and throttle shaft are all set at full CCW, throttle plate closed, as should be. I've tried many adjustments to the governor to throttle push open "rod." I've also tried many adjustments to the governor pull open wire with spring. What am I missing?

 

[woodpecker41]

Leon a 70 is a lawn tractor and I just answered the same question a couple of days ago in the Lawn Tractor Forum under the thread "Questions on a model 60". The thread is about a model 60 but the linkage is the same for both. I also listed the manual you can look it up in in the same section. What you are missing is if you don't do it by the book exactly said as in the book it doesn't work or the governor is internally broken. That does happen if it is forced. Roger

 

[T-Mo]

Leon,
Wrong forum - please repost here: http://www.wfmachines.com/discus/messages/17/61371.html?1408125707