JD425 mower won't engage

[whitefishblue]

Oh great forum wise and knowledgeable...

I have a 1997 John Deere 425 tractor. I removed the rear PTO (to move it to another one) and now I can't get the mower deck/mid-PTO to engage. The dash light comes on and I've confirmed the seat switch and brake switch are good. I printed the test points from the service manual (both pages) and did them all. I have continuity in all the wires in the test diagram, and I'm getting power at the PTO solenoid. I thought it might be the solenoid so I swapped it with the one from my other 425 (and I know it works). Still no luck.

There is no click sound, no change in engine speed, nothing. The light comes on but that's it.

Is there something I could have missed when I put the rear transaxle cover on? I swapped the gears when I moved the PTO to the other one, and I had mowed with both of them prior to the swap.

I connected the blue and yellow wires together when I removed the PTO module.

I'm out of ideas. Any thoughts? Just want to try what I can before I take it over to the dealership.

Thanks!

 

[Clay Walker]

jd 318 pto is dropping out as well. no charging problem, brake seat and neutral safety switch all jumpered. losing power to pto, new pto switch. expect possible ignition switch problem or is there an in line circuit breaker? not a fuse but circuit breaker?

 

[mfreund]

On the 318 check the air gap on the clutch.

 

[denver r]

a strange question did you miss or forget a gear or clutch spring or something when you transferred parts? if you missed something you may have an engagement but no load to notice engine slowdown or pto movement.