Tractor just died

pd444 · Jun 20, 2011

I was mowing a field and making a turn and the whole thing just shut down. I now turn the key and I hear a click under the hood but nothing else.

The way it died reminds me of raising off the seat and the kill switch activating.

Any ideas how to test the switch?

John Deere 990

Egon · Jun 20, 2011

Manually activate the switch while looking at it making sure it is working properly. Then it's on to a meter for proper checking.

Might want to look at all the other safety switches also.

Then on to fuses and relays.

pd444 · Jun 20, 2011

Not being so inclined, can you give me a tip for putting a meter on the switch?

Johndeere3720 · Jun 20, 2011

Test the current running through the wires to the seat switch. They corroded on my dad's 3720 and it would not move because of it. Also check your fuel, i ran the 3720 out of fuel and it did the same thing you are experiencing.

pd444 · Jun 20, 2011

Interesting. The gauge shows a half tank, but I was thinking I was due to fill up. But would the lack of diesel prevent the tractor from trying to turn over at all?

Johndeere3720 · Jun 20, 2011

pd444 said:
Interesting. The gauge shows a half tank, but I was thinking I was due to fill up. But would the lack of diesel prevent the tractor from trying to turn over at all?

My Dad's 3720 has a bad fuel gauge so that is how it ran out. It has a sensor that shuts off the tractor once it is close to empty.

jsb2b · Jun 21, 2011

Battery???

JD755 · Jun 21, 2011

jsb2b said:
Battery???

Another vote to check the battery first. Sounds very typical of how they fail.

grsthegreat · Jun 21, 2011

you never mentioned if the lights work? if not than i say battery also.

Most tractors have a main fuse by the starter, controls everything. but since you hear a click (fuel solenoid i assume) than it might not be fuse related. the seat switch probably has 3 wires. least my JD 870 did. i could lift the seat and pull the switch up to operate pto without being in the seat (chipper, splitter, etc). YOU CAN TRY TO LIFT SWITCH SEE IF ANYTHING HAPPENS.
darn caps key. if you have a 12 volt tester, you can ground one lead and try to test to see if theres power comping thru the switch when the switch is pressed in. the center leg is usually the hot (but i don't have a schematic for the 990). if this leg tests hot, check the other 2 legs with one lead while grounding the other lead. you should get 12 volts from main power and nothing when button is not pressed from the other 2 leads. then press switch to see if you get 12 volts at the other lead.

JD755 · Jun 21, 2011

Seat switch test from the 990 manual.

Gator6x4 · Jun 21, 2011

pd444 said:
I was mowing a field and making a turn and the whole thing just shut down. I now turn the key and I hear a click under the hood but nothing else.

The way it died reminds me of raising off the seat and the kill switch activating.

Any ideas how to test the switch?

John Deere 990

Mowing in a field....Test seat switch???? I think it is time to start crawling around underneath the tractor and find the wire that has been pulled loose.

grsthegreat · Jun 21, 2011

JD755 said:
Seat switch test from the 990 manual.

gee, thats completely different than my JD870 was. youd think that they could keep something as simple as a seat switch the same between tractor types in the same company.

grsthegreat · Jun 21, 2011

Gator6x4 said:
Mowing in a field....Test seat switch???? I think it is time to start crawling around underneath the tractor and find the wire that has been pulled loose.

mowing = bouncing on seat...could easily affect the switch. its somewheres to start anyways.

JD755 · Jun 22, 2011

grsthegreat said:
gee, thats completely different than my JD870 was. youd think that they could keep something as simple as a seat switch the same between tractor types in the same company.

Don't know what to tell you. The factory schematics for all x70 (old and new), 790, and 990 show the same double pole switch with four pin connector. The x55 have a single pole switch with three pin connector. What did your tractor have?

grsthegreat · Jun 22, 2011

mine had a switch with 3 wires. when you sat in the seat, it pushed down the switch and sent the circuit thru on one the 3 wires. If you flipped up the seat and pulled the switch up, it sent current thru the 3rd wire and allowed the PTO to operate with the seat raised and operator on the ground. I know there were only 3 wires cause i had to troubleshoot and replace it once. like i said, very odd. i dont own the tractor anymore or id take a pic of it.

pd444 · Jul 10, 2011

Seems this problem might be a couple things.

Short version of one problem-- bad battery. Replaced it and the tractor spins and spins without starting. If the seat switch was stuck in the "I've fallen off the tractor mode" this shouldn't happen. If the seat switch was doing what I expect it to be doing, I should be able to spin the starter--which I can.

Checked the fuel and there's plenty.

So my take if you remove the battery from the equation: I'm mowing along and something causes the tractor to just die. Try to start it and everything sounds normal but it won't turn over.

For grins I'm headed to test the seat switch. Will check back soon as I need it fixed yesterday.

Thanks for all the brain-storming.

pd444 · Jul 10, 2011

So much for it being fixed today.

Just discovered the yellow jacket hole 20 feet away from the tractor as I was headed to check the seat switch.

3 stings later I'm waiting till dark to dispatch them.

danedgington · Jul 10, 2011

I was going to suggest the battery first. My 2210 did that drivbing up the driveway it just quite and would do nothing....after checking every safety and switch it ended up just being a failed battery.

Since you had a failed battery and now it spins and doesn't run, I would check fuses..might have popped one off running a fuel pump or fuel shut-off solenoid and now you have a no-fule condition (if it spins at speed and no ignition)./

Dan