Won't stay running John Deere Z997 ZTR Mower Year 2008

[feoneill9]

Hi:
The 997 just stops! Everything is running:fine diesel, hydro pump unit, the wheel motors, the hydro deck height adjusted, the blades and the safety switches including the wired seat switch and the seat delay module - which is new, and then whamo. It stops cold. It starts up again. Then it will stop again. No advance warning, no coughing, no spuddering, no warning. It stops dead.

This morning I started it up and let it run for 1/2 hour-- to check the diesel fuel from the tank in case it was clogged. No clog.

The hydro fluid temperature light cam on indicating that the fluid was over 194 degrees C. I checked with the continuity probe and it showed continuity. That indicateds that it is bad. It had less than .25 Ohms, so tomorrow I will replace it. The fluid is topped off full. Fluid was barely hot.

With the light on the hydro deck adjustment would not work, nor would the PTO, or the hydro solenoid for forward motion- nothing hydraulic workes.

With the new switch I'll check the hydro relays and make sure that they work. I think there are 4 or 5 with at least 100 wires including spliced grounds and spliced commom wires with color changes and of course the real working wires. Not JD's finest unit - community college engineers- but it made a lot off money for them, continues to do so. I wonder if anyone sued then for lack of fittness of purpose- that is cutting grass-. They would not advertize that.

It curious that there are no kill sensors on the unit but yet it stops all at once.

Oh the battery is fine, tightly connected with anticorosion protection on it, and connected to the frame with a hold down aparatious. I blow the grass clipping off it after every use.

Thanks for the help. It is appreciated.

 

[Spanner]

Hi: Coyote Machine Super Member:

I purchased the three switches from a John Deere Dealer. Two switches are the same- they have 5 wires connected to them. The third switch is different- the parking brake- it have three wires. All switches seem the same. They have different part numbers because one box has two switches and the other bag has one switch.. So yes they are identical switches.

The machine is an export machine from JD plant in the Europe. I purchased it from a County Government in North Carolina. Who purchased it via a bid.

I can not get a Technical service manual from JD as Europe who has the manual but can't sell it to me without going through a dealer. A dealer in the US or US

JD manual sales can not find the manual number in their computer system. JD US will not contact Europe on my behalf to get the manual part number because of JD USA administrative policy. Go figure.

The jumped operator present switch is jumped and it is hot- still jumped.

I appreciate your assistance.

OK Frank.
I'm trying to make sense of the sequence of events but some things are confusing me.

In the above you incorrectly say the switches are all the same. They are not the same. The two switches on the Control levers are the same. The switch on the Park Brake is unique and different to the Control lever pair.

Please post the VIN of the machine. There have been several generations of this model. The year is not relevant, just the VIN please.

Please post the Part Numbers of the switches you have purchased and confirmation that you have fitted them in the correct position. i.e. The Park Brake switch is fitted to the PB position etc.

Also, Please stop criticising the manufacturer. The machine is pre-owned and 3rd-hand by you with an unknown service history. Anything in its past could be causing this faulting. The Z997 has been, and still is, quality commercial-level mower backed by first-class technical & parts support worldwide. JD is not a 'bad' maker of mowers.
The constant sniping in your posts kind-of puts one off offering assistance, but I'm 'in' at this stage,

So... Numbers please?

Regards,

:wrench:

 

[Spanner]

Re: Hydraulic Oil Temp Light:

Hydraulic Oil Temperature Indicator will glow when hydraulic oil temperature is high and deck lift and PTO functions will stop. Let hydraulic oil temperature cool by allowing engine to idle under a no-load situation. This keeps the oil flowing through the oil cooler and cools the oil. Check oil level and make sure oil cooler coils are clean. Continued operation may cause higher temperatures, resulting in damage.
NOTE: Deck lift and PTO functions will be disabled whenever the Hydraulic Oil Temperature indicator is illuminated.

(From the Op Manual) :wrench:

 

[Spanner]

OK, now we know that the reason the engine stops is not because of the injectors. Well I guess it could be as I's sure that there is a solenoid that enables the mechanical injector's.

Here is my suggestion. Try to isolate the problem. Take and hot wire 12v to the injector solenoid. Start the engine. See if it stays running.

Most fuel shut off solenoids have two coils. One is a pull-in and the other is the hold coil. The diagram I found shows that one side of the coils are common and are grounded in the solenoid, so your shut off solenoid most likely will only have two wires going to it.

Unplug the solenoid from the harness and momentarily touch 12v to one of the wires in the connector. If you hear a click when you do this, that means that wire is the pull-in coil. Caution, do not leave 12v connected to the pull-in coil for more that a few seconds. Otherwise it will burn out.

When you determine which wire is the pull-in coil, then connect 12v to the hold coil and then momentarily connect 12v to the pull-in coil. You fuel injector will now work.

Let us know how this works for you.

Richard

The FIP Solenoid (Fuel Injection Pump Solenoid) used by JD on the Yanmar diesels is a 3-wire unit (Bk, R & W). The Black is the 'Ground/Earth', I think Red is 'Hold', White is 'Pull', and terminating at the 3-pin connector.
The wires may change colour going from the 3-pin connector up into the loom. JD do not make the engine or the FIP Solenoid which is a "Woodford" product.

It is not unknown that this solenoid can fail in the manner being described by Frank. When it does, the resin-filled end-cap swells, burns or cracks. Or a combo of these. Smell is a good diagnostic tool here.

Anyway - waiting for numbers to progress our mission.inkpanther:

:wrench:

 

[feoneill9]

Hi:
Thanks again Spanner. I do not smell anything burning. The fuel solenoid could be bad. I hope not. A new one is $3,999.00 from JD. You have to buy the whole mechanical fuel pump to get the solenoid. The end cap is not burned, has not swelled and has no cracks.

Last week a parts only 2007 JD model 997 sold at auction for almost $4,000.00. If the fuel pump solenoid is worth that much, now I know why it was so costly.

The Hydro Oil radiator is clean. I clean it after every use.

Thanks for the info. I'll check it out soonest.

If we can get this machine running economically, it will become the best grass cutting machine running.

Believe that I am the second owner as the city bought it directly from a dealer. And overall took good care of it.

 

[jenkinsph]

Don't know if you need to modify this mower at this point but am curious if it would be better to upgrade the old relay system to the newer more simple system?

I have a decent electronics background and have good test equipment. For a homeowner or end user this complexity would seem to be a nightmare.

 

[feoneill9]

HI: I am interested in that. Its seems very expensive with a new black box, wire harnesses, and the display of the system on the start up storage area.

The engine only has 1723 hours on it. So it has many hours of life left. The new systems have four or five sensors in the engine. Hopefully I would not have to install them.

Any suggestions on that.

 

[feoneill9]

I can't find a seller of Woodford solenoids. Do they just sell to OEM's?

The solenoid pigtail has a clear plastic tube covering it. The cover is hard as if from heat but the 3 wires inside are soft and pliable. Not burnt.

It seems that the number #3 relay which is on the drawings as Pull in Relay and #1 which is the Air heater Relay have been switched. Maybe the previous owner had problems with the pull in relay and it was switched? Just a thought.

If it is the solenoid I am in a pickle.

 

[feoneill9]

From the solenoid the following was found Woodford Unit
First line 1503ES12S5UC55
Second Line 119053-77950 could be S0?
Third line 2393082-12VDC
On the internet these numbers mean nothing.
Any help? Thanks

On the previous read "but the 3 plastic colored wires inside are soft and pliable. Not hard nor burnt.:

 

[Coyote machine]

Last line maybe part #. Last sequence is 12 Volts DC, that the item in question uses for power.
Still on the electrical track, eh?
No attention being given to other possibilities?