Did you check battery voltage with ignition on? When key is in the crank position? Before spending $1000. look over wiring for loose connections, frayed wires, bad safety switches, blown fuses. Something as simple as a bad ground could cause the problem.Good luck and let us know what you find...

 

Thanks for the suggestions, Joe. I found out I had a seat safety switch that tested intermittently good/bad, so that appears to be the problem why the MIL wouldn't light. $10-15 is way better than $1000!!! I appreciate your time.

 

Well, with the seat switch replaced, mower still doesn't start. I am getting the normal MIL cycle now as expected. I tested the start solenoid voltage at the engine harness (with switch on start) and have a cycling of voltage of <1V, bouncing in the mV range. Going toward the switch, I am getting 12.6V at the seat switch side of the start relay. Is there a way to test this solenoid? Seems like a jumper across the yellow wire terminals would test this, but didn't want to burn anything up. Any other ideas would be appreciated.

Sorry if my questions or assumptions seem stupid. This is the first time I have been into the electrical side of this mower.

-TBerb

 

You should have battery voltage on trigger(small) wire on starter solenoid when key is in the start position. Either something is preventing that (safety circuit issue) or there is a bad ground connection somewhere on the mower. I'll try to locate a wiring diagram to review.

 

The wiring schematic shows a wiring block between the starter (key) switch and the ECU and starter solenoid. Have you checked those connections to verify they're clean and tight?

 

I have the wiring diagram from the Ferris website, https://www.ferrismowers.com/na/en_us/support/manuals.html. I have tested the ground at the motor/starter, starter relay and ignition switch, so I don't think it's a grounding issue. I don't think I have voltage at the blue wire at the start relay (will need to verify), but the only other closed end of that goes to the time-delay solenoid.

 

I have verified the voltage across the fuses and fuse block.

 

If you follow the yellow wire across the seat switch to the starter relay, I have 12.6V at the relay socket. Following the yellow wire across the relay socket to the harness, I tested the voltage at the harness and essentially have 0V as described above.

 

I jumpered across the yellow wires at the starter relay and the engine turned over!! The issue appears to be a bad relay or power to switch part of the relay (blue wire). I have something to run to for a couple hours but will see if I can look more into it this evening.

 

I looked at both the Ferris webpage for your mower and Kawasaki webpage wiring schematic. Neither shows the relays that you are testing. I do not want to lead you to the wrong troubleshooting; might be better to have a dealer look at it if nothing obvious is visible. About the only other thing I would say to check is the key switch and verify that there is 12 volts on the start terminal? Wish you luck, I'm scratching my head!

 

I looked back across your posts and see no attempt mentioned as to your PTO switch being checked.
I've had mine go out before.
They always fail open.
So you won't get continuity for a start.
It's a $10-$20 fix.

 

JoeRagMan, no problem. Your effort to help on this really appreciated. I don't want to post the wiring diagram since that is probably against the MB policy. Essentially the "S" wire from the ignition switch goes through the seat switch, through the starting solenoid, to the starter(as the "trigger wire"). The starting solenoid appears to actuated by the "blue wire". With all of the safety switches in starting position, the power on the blue wire appears to come from the time-delay solenoid. Late last night I was able to bypass the time-delay relay and the engine turned over, so it appears the time-delay relay is the issue. By bypassing the time-delay relay, it also verified the starting relay works.

Maxify55, thanks for the suggestion on the PTO switch. I tested the PTO switch yesterday and neglected to mention that it tested good.

 

Well, I have to tell the truth to wrap this up. I went back through all the switches, testing them again since it didn't seem the time-delay relay was the problem. Apparently I forgot to reconnect the neutral switch for the left control after testing the first time...oops. The overall problem was identified early on, it was the seat switch that had an intermittent dead spot. I can verify that the MIL will not come on if the seat switch has a dead spot. Thank you JoeRagMan and Maxify55 for your assistance!

 

I hate it when it's user interface error!!

I have a neighbor who absolutely refuses to maintain anything.
Of course, when his Ferris won't start all he knows to do is call his neighbor.
Because, of course, I understand how he is.
I clean his contact points for a good ground.
Check his safety switches and it fires right up.
He is always amazed at how I find shorts.
Maybe I should start charging $150 p/h?
I can call it the cost of not PM'ing your equipment?:hammerhead:

Don't we all have those kinds of friends/neighbors/family?
The list is endless