fromjusttheking
New member
Hello, I'm a new member.
I have a JD GX345 with a snowthrower attached. Haven't used it for a year, and the battery was just about dead. I tried to start it with my big battery charger/engine starter (275Amps). Followed the charger's instructions, and first charged the battery for 5 minutes at the 60Amp level. Tried starting it with the battery by itself. No joy. Then switched the charger to the engine start mode. Tried to start it again for about 5 seconds. Again, no go. Tried it again a couple of more times for 5 seconds each, and wallah, it coughed, sputtered and then started. The charger cables were still attached to the battery. What I didn't know was that there was a small amount of smoke coming from the ignition module on the right side near the key just below the battery (looking forward sitting in the seat) under the hood. When I saw it I immediately shut off the engine. What I also saw was one component, looks like a resistor that was glowing bright orange, trying to burn up.
I waited for about 10 minutes, and looked closely at the part. It has a dark body (probably brown)with a nice round circular burn spot in the center that is now grayish white in the center. At this point, I swapped out the battery with a newer one, and tried to start the engine, but this time watching the burned part. The engine started right away, and the part did NOT start burning again. So far, the part seems to be intact, and electrically working properly. I suspect that the engine start mode of the charger hit it with either too much voltage or current. The charger is the big Sears charger 2/20/60Amp at 12V, and engine start 275Amps at 12V.
I used the tractor today plow snow from this morning's major storm, and so far, no problem. I believe that what happened to the part physically, is that the burning melted or disintegrated the resistor body partially, but didn't degrade the resistance element "enough" (so far I hope) to cause a malfunction, and cause the ignition system to fail. Whether it will fail in the future, I can't say.
Therefore, what I would like to do is to replace that part (most likely a resistor, I can see what looks like some color code bands on it) on the board with a new one. I took pictures, but being new do not know if I can or how to upload photos. Descriptively, the circuit board is not enclosed. Cannot see the part number. It has a couple of black NEC relays, 1 large 300uF 16V electrolytic capacitor and a smaller one as well. There are 2 fuses 15 Amps each. a lot of resistors, and diodes as well, a couple of large multi-pin connectors. There are also 2 LED's, one green near the top, and one red near the middle of the board. The burned part looks like maybe a 1/2 or 1 watt resistor. Looking at the board, the burned part is at the very top, directly above the SMALLER electrolytic capacitor, and immediately to the left of the top most mounted black NEC relay ID's as K3. A mounting screw is at about 4 o'clock to the burned part.
The module itself part number may be AM130341 or AM132500. I bought this tractor in 2006 or 7. Does anyone have an electrical schematic of the module by chance. I can't find one online.
Any information or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance. Alan
I have a JD GX345 with a snowthrower attached. Haven't used it for a year, and the battery was just about dead. I tried to start it with my big battery charger/engine starter (275Amps). Followed the charger's instructions, and first charged the battery for 5 minutes at the 60Amp level. Tried starting it with the battery by itself. No joy. Then switched the charger to the engine start mode. Tried to start it again for about 5 seconds. Again, no go. Tried it again a couple of more times for 5 seconds each, and wallah, it coughed, sputtered and then started. The charger cables were still attached to the battery. What I didn't know was that there was a small amount of smoke coming from the ignition module on the right side near the key just below the battery (looking forward sitting in the seat) under the hood. When I saw it I immediately shut off the engine. What I also saw was one component, looks like a resistor that was glowing bright orange, trying to burn up.
I waited for about 10 minutes, and looked closely at the part. It has a dark body (probably brown)with a nice round circular burn spot in the center that is now grayish white in the center. At this point, I swapped out the battery with a newer one, and tried to start the engine, but this time watching the burned part. The engine started right away, and the part did NOT start burning again. So far, the part seems to be intact, and electrically working properly. I suspect that the engine start mode of the charger hit it with either too much voltage or current. The charger is the big Sears charger 2/20/60Amp at 12V, and engine start 275Amps at 12V.
I used the tractor today plow snow from this morning's major storm, and so far, no problem. I believe that what happened to the part physically, is that the burning melted or disintegrated the resistor body partially, but didn't degrade the resistance element "enough" (so far I hope) to cause a malfunction, and cause the ignition system to fail. Whether it will fail in the future, I can't say.
Therefore, what I would like to do is to replace that part (most likely a resistor, I can see what looks like some color code bands on it) on the board with a new one. I took pictures, but being new do not know if I can or how to upload photos. Descriptively, the circuit board is not enclosed. Cannot see the part number. It has a couple of black NEC relays, 1 large 300uF 16V electrolytic capacitor and a smaller one as well. There are 2 fuses 15 Amps each. a lot of resistors, and diodes as well, a couple of large multi-pin connectors. There are also 2 LED's, one green near the top, and one red near the middle of the board. The burned part looks like maybe a 1/2 or 1 watt resistor. Looking at the board, the burned part is at the very top, directly above the SMALLER electrolytic capacitor, and immediately to the left of the top most mounted black NEC relay ID's as K3. A mounting screw is at about 4 o'clock to the burned part.
The module itself part number may be AM130341 or AM132500. I bought this tractor in 2006 or 7. Does anyone have an electrical schematic of the module by chance. I can't find one online.
Any information or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance. Alan