LX178 Starter Issue

[khodgens]

I have a 1992 LX178 and now the starter won't engage. It keeps blowing a 15amp fuse every time I turn on the key. I have a new battery and battery cables. I put in a new fuse, left the ignition off and jumped it at the solenoid and the solenoid just spins. Does this indicate the starter is locked up or is the solenoid possibly bad?

 

[buickanddeere]

Starter motor spins but the bendex does not move the pinion gear out into mesh with the ring gear ?
I bought a new starter for the LX188 that was more power than the old startr from ebay cheaper than rebuilding the old starter.

 

[Richard001]

Sounds like you my have a bad starter solenoid. Replace that first.

If the starter motor spins but the gear does not engage the engine flywheel,then the bendix is either bad or just needs cleaning and some lube.

 

[khodgens]

I have replaced the starter/solenoid combo and it didn't help. Every time I turn the ignition on it blows a 15 amp fuse. This is getting old.

 

[lt190b]

I have a 1992 LX178 and now the starter won't engage. It keeps blowing a 15amp fuse every time I turn on the key. I have a new battery and battery cables. I put in a new fuse, left the ignition off and jumped it at the solenoid and the solenoid just spins. Does this indicate the starter is locked up or is the solenoid possibly bad?

Check to make sure the cables are on the correct post!

 

[RandyT]

A bad starter will not blow a fuse. If you are blowing the fuse when you turn the key to run, then you need to check for shorts in everything that gets power from that key position from the key forward. If it blows the fuse when you turn to start, then check the wiring from the key switch to the starter solenoid, including any wiring going through the safety switches.

You have a short some place and will need to find it. Could be bare wire, bad safety switch, bad voltage regulator, even the head lights if that circuit is powered by the key switch.

 

[beenthere]

I find a good way to find a short that is blowing a fuse, is to rig a 12v light bulb up so it can be plugged into the fuse holder/socket.
If a short, the light is on.. follow the wires to find the short and make the light go out.
Not the only way, but the light being visible helps vs. trying to read a volt meter.

 

[Richard001]

I find a good way to find a short that is blowing a fuse, is to rig a 12v light bulb up so it can be plugged into the fuse holder/socket.
If a short, the light is on.. follow the wires to find the short and make the light go out.
Not the only way, but the light being visible helps vs. trying to read a volt meter.

Great idea beenthere!

Richard

 

[khodgens]

I find a good way to find a short that is blowing a fuse, is to rig a 12v light bulb up so it can be plugged into the fuse holder/socket.
If a short, the light is on.. follow the wires to find the short and make the light go out.
Not the only way, but the light being visible helps vs. trying to read a volt meter.

Thanks I'll start on it tomorrow. As of tonight I installed another starter/solenoid along with the new battery cables and it still blows the fuse when I turn on the ignition switch. I definately have a short. I have the electrical schematic and the electrical troubleshooting guide. Should be a fun day.

 

[khodgens]

OK I keep blowing the top 15amp fuse when I turn the ignition switch on. Looking at the wiring schematic it references 2 fuses F2 and F3 and are both tied to the ignition switch.In regards to the ignition board is the top fuse a F2 or Fs. This will help me narrow down where the short to ground is.

 

[beenthere]

kh
The light in place of the fuse didn't work for you?

 

[khodgens]

Haven't tried that yet. I will do that but I really need to know which of the 2 fuses is F2 so I will know which circuit to follow.

 

[khodgens]

Well I've hit a dead end. I followed the trouble shooting guide which, in my opinion, led me to believe the ignition circuit board had a short. Well.....I replaced it and it didn't fix it. Every time I turn on the ignition switch it blows the top 15 amp fuse. I've replaced the starter and solenoid, starter and the ignition switch/circuit board. I've also disconnected every connector that I could find, including the one to the stator and nothing seems to help. I know it's a short to ground but I'm out of ideas where to look. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[khodgens]

No the light didn't help.

 

[beenthere]

How could you blow a fuse if you had the light in place of the fuse?

Leave the fuse out, and sub in the light in its place. If the light is lit, then there is a short. Saves on blowing a fuse.

 

[khodgens]

I left the light in and disconnected every connector and it won't go out.

 

[beenthere]

".. it won't go out"

Tells me that you still have a short.. need to find where. When you find it, the light will go out. Then can fix the short.
Hope this helps.

 

[khodgens]

I understand all that. I was an electrician in the navy many moons ago. With the light in place of the fuse I disconnected every connector I could find and the light never went out. I'll go after it again tomorrow.

 

[Richard001]

Most likely not a connector problem. Some place there is a wire shorted to the frame or to another wire. You may have to take the wire harness out of the tractor to find the problem.

Keep digging!

 

[khodgens]

I found the short. The PO had removed the seat switch and left the wires under it. They had been rubbing on a pulley and the exposed wire was touching the frame. That's all fixed but apparently when it shorted to the frame it fried the ignition module. It turns over great, has 12 volts to it but nothing coming out to the spark plugs. There's none available on ebay currently and I can't afford to pay dealer price. So I'm looking for a good module. If it's not one thing it's another.
Thanks for all the help.