Problems with blade engage

[mjmcneese]

I've got a 52" Toro Proline (30761) - I pulled it out last night to mow, got two swipes done, then the blades disengaged, like I had let off the safety lever. Now it won't engage at all. It's electric PTO, and there's a safety lever on the T-bar handle. So, I'm guessing that either that switch went bad, or the electric PTO switch went bad, or there's something screwy with the clutch. Is there a way I can find out for sure what the culprit is before I go buy a bunch of parts?

Thanks a bunch!

[wriken]

the clutch has to be adjusted also, one and a while. I believe there has to be a .10 thousands clearance, talk to your dealer, he should help you with it.

[mjmcneese]

Thanks for the reply - I'll get to work on that clutch adjustment. If it is the clutch, wouldn't I still be able to hear the PTO trying to engage when I push the button? Thanks again for any help!

[mudpie]

yes with the engine off but the key to run put all levers in the right place like it was running and engage the ele. pto switch you should hear it click when it ingages if you dont check the wires at the clutch and see if you have voltage if you dont back trace and check safty switches,pto switch,key switch,ect till you find the problem

[mjmcneese]

Thanks again, for your help. I was messing around with the clutch adjustment - there are three bolts that adjust the tension of the clutch - I need to run out and get a feeler gauge to check for proper adjustment. Anyway, I turned it on and got the blades to engage for a couple seconds, then the engine and everything turned off. Couldn't get it to do that again. Does that sound like an electrical problem? I'm not very electrically inclined, so I'm hoping that adjustments will fix me up - grass is getting high!!!

Thanks!!!

[jim dailey]

when you run out to buy that feeler guage, also get a cheap 12 volt test light. I think you will end up needing it, to troubleshoot the switch. Just a couple of dollars, and have it ready for when everyone tells you how to trace the 12 volts. It's handy to have around, anyhow.

[mjmcneese]

Well, I've got the clutch all adjusted - it was in good shape to begin with. I've tested all the switches and connections and I'm still perplexed. Once the dealer opens up here, I'll give them a buzz to see if they have any ideas. The only electrical thing I haven't been able to test is the coil inside the clutch itself - but that shouldn't have anything to do with the problem should it? The blades cut out on me when I'm mowing, and the electrical is only to engage the blades, right? Seems to me, if it were electrical, it would be some problem with the safety switch, but I know it's not that, now. I'll call the dealer later. Thanks, all, for your advice - any other ideas are greatly appreciated!!!

[mudpie]

NO ELECTRAL HAS TO GO TO CLUTCH ALL THE TIME TO KEEP IT ENGAGED SO BLADES WILL TURN. IF IT WORKS FOR A WHILE THEN STOPS CHECK IT RIGHT AFTER IT QUITES. I WOULD START AT THE CLUTCH TO SEE IF YOU ARE GETTING VOLTS TO IT.YOU CAN RUN EXTRA LAED WIRES TO A LIGHT OR METER AND TAPE IT TO THE DASH WHERE YOU CAN SEE IT WHILE MOWING

[mjmcneese]

Thanks, all. Mudpie, that's exactly what we did - I had an electrical expert buddy stop over and measure voltage all over the mower. Finally got it narrowed down to a relay and some other module. Hopefully it's just a matter of finding those parts and replacing them. In short, the voltage coming out of the alternator is normally at 15-16v. When I push the button to engage the clutch, it drops to 3-5v. So, just seems like it's not maintaining enough voltage to get it engaged and keep it engaged. So, it's progress, I guess. Any other enlightenment greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks!

[mudpie]

wow I would probaley hook up a 12v. light to the wires right at the clutch and see how much voltage drop. with that much it may be the ele. clutch shorted

[mjmcneese]

Thanks again Mudpie. Here's the latest. I had a buddy come over and go over all the electrical. We found that the system normally runs at 14v. When I hit the PTO switch, it'd drop to 5. Sounds like a short, eh?

Well, we all the electrical connections, and my buddy though that one of the relay modules was bad. I spent $50 on some new ones, and still no go on the PTO. At this point, I was ready to throw the thing out in the street, but I managed to get myself calmed down and look for another fix. The only thing I haven't looked at is the connection directly to the clutch itself. What should I be looking for?

Thanks again!

[mudpie]

I would look for a bare wire right at the clutch. I dont know what the resistance should be for the coil itself maybe someone else here can. last option would be run one hot wire stright from battery to clutch with a 20amp fuse and ground other wire of clutch if the fuse blowes replace clutch. this gets rid of all wires,switches,that could be the problem

[mjmcneese]

At my wits end with this thing, I took it into a local Toro dealer a couple weeks ago. I checked in with them everday, and finally today I talked to a guy that was actually working on it, and he said that they can't figure it out, and they have no more ideas on what to try. So, as a last ditch effort, a Toro-employed repair tech is going to come down and check it out.

They guy said that it's got to be in the wiring somewhere - they hooked it up to a jumping kit at the clutch, and it worked just fine, which means that it's not anything in the clutch or coil - it's got to be in the wiring! I'm so frustrated with the darn thing - how much would you guys pay to watch me run it off a cliff with a tank full of gas?

[jim dailey]

wire the clutch to 12 volts thru a toggle switch, and be done with it. SAFETY...never walk away from the machine with the blades running, just hit the toggle switch to shut them off. Don't run it off a cliff...give it to me.

[GREENITUP]

MJ - I AM PULLING MY HAIR OUT WITH THE SAME PROBLEM - TORO PROLINE 120. I WAS CUTTING AWAY, BLADES DIS-ENGUAGED A FEW TIMES ON THEIR OWN, BLEW A FUSE, REPLACED IT AND RAN FOR A WHILE ... THEN EVERYTHING JUST CUT OFF...BALDES AND ENGINE. CAN YOU START THE MOTOR WITH THE KEY? MY CLUTCH IS ENGUAGING AS WELL, BUT THERE IS A GROUNDING PROBLEM SOMEWHERE. MINE HAS FOUR WIRES GOING TO THE CLUTCH - BUT TURN INTO TWO WITH A CONNECTOR ABOUT 6 INCHES FROM THE CLUTCH HOUSING.... HARD TO SEE. I USED A MIRROR TO FIND OUT THE WIRES WERE EXPOSED RIGHT AT THAT CONNECTION.

ALSO CHECK THE POSTS ON THE BACK OF THE KEY SWITCH. THERE SHOULD BE ONE THAT GOES TO THE STARTER (MAYBE PURPLE)- TURN THE KEY WITH THAT 12V LIGHT TESTER ON THE POST AND SEE IF YOU GET JUICE WHILE IN START POSITION. IF NOT, TRACE THAT WIRE FOR A BLOWN FUSE. FIXER67 SENT ME A DIAGRAM UNDER THE POST TORO ELECTRIC PROBLEM. YOU MIGHT WANT TO CHECK IT OUT.

[mjmcneese]

I took the mower to the only local Toro repair shop. They were absolutely horrible - had it for two weeks, never figured it out. They wanted me to pay them $80 just to have a Toro Rep come down and look at it. I brought it back home, and had my neighbor look at it. Within 10 minutes we found that the rectifier was not putting out DC. I got a new rectifier, bolted it on, and I was in business. Thanks for all your help!

[shopbytch]

The same symptoms ahppened to our zt-100. I thought the worst, like a bad clutch, but a few sprays of wd40 into the pto clutch did the trick.

[mkwl]

Originally posted by wriken
the clutch has to be adjusted also, one and a while. I believe there has to be a .10 thousands clearance, talk to your dealer, he should help you with it.

How often does the clutch need to be adjusted??? After how many hours???