X540 Nightmare, Help!!

[Spanner]

Self-powered... Whodathunk that? Well done Zebra!

Daisy - Go back to my post #25 where I ask if you understand the terminology being used here?

A Test Light is a passive device.
A Powered Probe with a battery is an active device and used for a different style of diagnostic.

I, like Dan and Zeb have been working on the basis you have been using (and reporting results from) a Test Light.

Follow power from key switch and as Dan suggests check power out of the PTO switch.

 

[daisyman]

Self-powered... Whodathunk that? Well done Zebra!

Daisy - Go back to my post #25 where I ask if you understand the terminology being used here?

A Test Light is a passive device.
A Powered Probe with a battery is an active device and used for a different style of diagnostic.

I, like Dan and Zeb have been working on the basis you have been using (and reporting results from) a Test Light.

Follow power from key switch and as Dan suggests check power out of the PTO switch.

Yes, I absolutely understand all the terminology. I've worked on and repaired many mowers and solved a lot of electrical problems. I designed and built machinery for use in a factory for over 30 years, so I'm not a newbie when it comes to this.

I got started on the wrong foot with that cottonpickin' test light and not having a wiring diagram to start with. Between the two, this project went south from the start!!
I also was working on the basis of the light, and that's what threw me off. Like I said, I'm very methodical when I do this kind of stuff, not trusting a meter that makes no draw on the system.
I will go back and check my connections under load this time around, with the proper test light, or another type of load.

I will report back my results when I get them, but it's been pouring down rain off and on all day, and I had other errands to do.

I'm sorry for the bad reports. As they say, garbage in, garbage out. It's pretty hard to diagnose something with the wrong inputs!

Irv

 

[daisyman]

Whenever I grab my test light, the first thing I do is test it on a battery. There is nothing more frustrating than spending a bunch of time testing equipment to find out your tool is not working.

Amen to that!!

 

[crazyal]

If it was me I would start all over again. Do the basics first. Use your meter to measure the voltage of the battery (positive to negative terminals). That way you know that your meter is working and what voltage you should be expecting. If you read 13.5v at the battery and only 11v somewhere on the tractor this could be a sign of a problem. Is your multi meter digital or analog? I ask because analog meters don't auto scale but digital ones do. It's easy to miss the mV symbol and think the 12 displayed is 12v.

The second test I would do is a conductivity test on the plug on the harness where the clutch plugs in. This is on the OHMS (Ω) scale. Before you do touch the two leads on the meter together to verify it's working. Then put one lead on the negative terminal of the battery and use the other to test both wires in the connector witht he key in the off position. One should be ground. If neither are then we need to figure out why. If one is then mark it some way to identify the wire.
Finally I would make a jumper so you can connect the ground side of the connector to the correct wire on the clutch. With a wire connected directly to the battery I would repeat your test (where you put power on both sides of the clutch and it works verifying it's good) but by only putting power on the clutch and using the tractors ground circuit. It's possible you have enough of a ground so your meter says it's good but once it's under load from powering the clutch it's not a good enough path to ground to engage the clutch.

If all that works then you can once and for all rule out the ground side of the clutch. If it's a power problem then it's just a matter of tracing the power wire back to where it has power. What ever is at that point will point you to the problem.

 

[daisyman]

If it was me I would start all over again. Do the basics first. Use your meter to measure the voltage of the battery (positive to negative terminals). That way you know that your meter is working and what voltage you should be expecting. If you read 13.5v at the battery and only 11v somewhere on the tractor this could be a sign of a problem. Is your multi meter digital or analog? I ask because analog meters don't auto scale but digital ones do. It's easy to miss the mV symbol and think the 12 displayed is 12v.

The second test I would do is a conductivity test on the plug on the harness where the clutch plugs in. This is on the OHMS (Ω) scale. Before you do touch the two leads on the meter together to verify it's working. Then put one lead on the negative terminal of the battery and use the other to test both wires in the connector witht he key in the off position. One should be ground. If neither are then we need to figure out why. If one is then mark it some way to identify the wire.
Finally I would make a jumper so you can connect the ground side of the connector to the correct wire on the clutch. With a wire connected directly to the battery I would repeat your test (where you put power on both sides of the clutch and it works verifying it's good) but by only putting power on the clutch and using the tractors ground circuit. It's possible you have enough of a ground so your meter says it's good but once it's under load from powering the clutch it's not a good enough path to ground to engage the clutch.

If all that works then you can once and for all rule out the ground side of the clutch. If it's a power problem then it's just a matter of tracing the power wire back to where it has power. What ever is at that point will point you to the problem.

Thanks and good ideas!! I think I've done most of that, but I'll give it another try when it stops raining. I usually work on it outdoors so I can see back in all the nooks and crannies of the wire loom. The rain took care of that. Besides that, I'm so fed up with that thing I had to take some time off.

It's been dry, dry,dry here this summer and the first good rain we got a few weeks ago was more than all the rain combined since spring. Another 1.3" again this morning. The grass must have been storing the fertilizer from this spring, because it's growing by leaps and bounds now. I've had to mow yards, (7), on the nice days.

Irv

 

[crazyal]

It's been a wet and cold summer for us. Last year wasn't much better. We never saw 90 in either July or August. Finally is September we got some warm sunny weather thanks to the hurricanes that hit the southeast.

 

[daisyman]

Well guys, the tractor and deck are running. After all the tests, I decided to look at a new wiring loom. Much to my surprise there was a used one on E-Bay that came off a running X540.
I just got it swapped out, and low and behold, it fired right up and the deck runs. I used my old electronic module on it, which I didn't think was bad but couldn't think of anything else. There must be a broken wire somewhere in that old loom.
I'm a happy camper and I thank you all for your help!!
Irv

 

[daisyman]

Assignment accepted! After diligent searching, the suspect (SP1) was found and surgically opened up.......all parts of the entrails were found to be in splendid order. You may have to cast another ballot. However, I think a further autopsy will be postponed to a much later date (bored in the middle of winter), if ever. A photo is added so you can see the results.

Irv

 

[Zebrafive]

Now is where your self powered test light will be useful.

 

[Amvcane]

Have you checked that pink butt connector?