PTO shuts off.

[genep]

I used my CC 1440 today for the firs t time since last fall. While mowing the PTO must have shut off ten times in 2 hours. Can anyone tell me what's going on?

[Doog M]

Gene
I'm not familiar with a 1440. But it seems that the air gap needs adjusted on the PTO.

[jchabot]

I would start with a good cleaning and adjust the air gap as Doog is suggesting. Check the wiring from the pto coil to the switch, and while your at it check out the switch. There is a possibility that moisture got into the switch and the contacts may have corroded over the winter. Sometimes just cycling the switch back and forth a bunch of times will clean it up. If in the end the switch remains suspect, run a jumper wire direct to the pto and see if it will stay engaged that way.

If all else fails it is possible that you have a break in the coil wiring that is opening up when it gets hot. Hopefully that's not it.

[Jlaws]

Gene if I remember correctly thats a cyclops tractor . I had a 1535 cyclops geardrive that would shut down the PTO every time I hit a bump in the yard , or if I leaned on the edge of the seat on a hillside . It was the seat switch that needed adjusted . You might want to check that also .

[vince_o]

JIm Good to see you again!


Let me ask you this, did you have to jump your batt off?

Those elec ptos take a lot of amps to run, and if your batt isnt good then it will shut off. If your batt is good and charge then yiour charging system cant keep up. There for with the lack of amps to enguage your pto, it will shut off.

I must have seen this 100 times in the spring working in the mower shop.

It wouldnt hurt to check the air gap.

[genep]

Well guys, thanks for all the tips. It is the seat switch mechanism. I sat on the tractor with the PTO operating and a slight move of me on the seat toward the rear and OFF goes the PTO. I removed the switch and put the two wires together and that fixed it. No more cutting out of the PTO.
Then I decided to remove the second below the seat switch that kills the engine if you are not seated. Well not so good luck with that. After removing the switch and putting the wires together, now the engine cuts off as soon as I release the brake pedal from the lock. Now what?

[genep]

Today I was able to clear up my problem of the PTO shutting off by itself. The problem was the switch below the seat. It was far too sensitive and it's removed and the two wires connected together. Now only the PTO dash switch controls the PTO and nothing else. My 8 other CC do not have that feature and I don't need it shutting down my mower all the time. Both of my 82 Series CC had all this stuff removed by previous owners prior to my purchasing them.
The other switch below the seat that shuts off the engine if one doesn't set the brake is now also removed. However it was more difficult, but I finally determined that the two wires for that switch simply had to be taped off and not connected together. Since I am the sole operator of this tractor, I believe I've not put anyone in any more danger by performing the above work. Thanks to all who offered help on this.

[Amigatec]

I replaced both the starter safety switches on my 2 WF's.

But one thing I like to do with mine is, if I am pulling one of them by myself, I can walk because beside them and steer both of of them. Just keep your walk away.

On another side note about safety switches and controls. On another site I visit, there was a story about a person operating a rear tine tiller, one of those with the handles you have to hold to engage the tines. Well the operator stepped in a gopher hole and his foot slipped up into the tines, he tried to let go of the handles, and got hung-up instead. Finally the Tiller ran into the fence and stopped but not before wrapping his entire foot up. The EMT's had to remove the tines with the man foot still in them and transport him to the hospital. The man was Diabetic and before it was over, they removed his leg at the knee.

So before you remove or disable any safety device, you may want to reconsider.

[vince_o]

You know I had a hard enough time getting tines off in the shop with air tools, let alone in the field with a foot in it.

My troy bult is like that. But I dont see how it could stay running. I let vince and danny run mine.

[Amigatec]

My Troybilt Horse Tines are held on with 1 bolt in the end. Take it out and smack it with a hammer and they are off.

I don't know how true the story is, but it is something to think about.

[genep]

My TRoy-Bilt tiller has dead man switches at each handlebar. Let go of this and the engine immedialtly stops. Must be his was an older model that kept going. In my work with the fire department, I've seen hands and arms wrapped up in snowblowers. Forget the jaws of life. Time to break out the tool box and take the thing apart.

[vince_o]

I forgot about the old ones that you put in gear. But most times the bolt heads are so worn from being in the dirt.