2004 BX1500 engine randomly dying

twisted_pair · Dec 3, 2023

This first started a couple of weeks ago while cutting the lawn for the last time this season. The engine would randomly die for half a second or so then resume. It did this maybe 4 times in the last 30 minutes of work. It only did it while the lawnmower was operating, so I figure it must be a faulty sensor switch in the PTO.

Yesterday I had the front end load attached and was not using the lawnmower deck and it died once, but I was not using it for long.

Like a good ex- farmboy, I've had the seat presence sensor disconnected for near 20 years now.

I'm sure it must be a sensor failing for poor connector contact after nearly 20 years old. I'm an electronics guy who spend 50 years troubleshoot systems far more complicated than this, but a wiring diagram would help. Is there a downloadable wiring diagram for the BX1500 available on-line? Since its an intermittent random event, I may need to connect a datalogger to capture what is happening when the event occurs.

Thanks
Bruce

Eagle1 · Dec 3, 2023

My gut feeling (and owning a 20+ year old BX2200) is the shut off solenoid.
I'll PM you a link to the BX2200 service manual. Should be real close.

twisted_pair · Dec 3, 2023

Eagle1 said:
My gut feeling (and owning a 20+ year old BX2200) is the shut off solenoid.
I'll PM you a link to the BX2200 service manual. Should be real close.

The BX1500 shut off solenoid I believe works backwards from your BX2200 and most. To shut-down, the solenoid is activated for about 10 seconds to pull a shut-off valve, where most others the solenoid is activated to allow the tractor to run, and deactivated to shut-down.