John Deere 212 seat switch problem

[jd52ao]

I replaced the seat with a new one without the seat switch. Made a jumper to tie the 2 wires together for the switch. Now engine will
crank, but not fire. What am I missing? I did the same thing on my GX-345 JD and it works with no problem. Any comments appreciated.
Thanks

 

[Bob]

While I'm NOT condoning defeating a safety feature, it SHOULD start with the seat switch wires jumpered together.

Serial number?

Manual or electric PTO?

If electric PTO, likely there's a dirty or poor connection at the PTO switch, or a bad PTO switch.

 

[DoubleO7]

Won't hurt anything to take the jumper out and insulate the ends and see if it will start then.

 

[jeffcat]

I agree BOB. Had that happen once on a garden tractor with an electric clutch. Another thing was a funky socket that held the fuse for the electrical system. The saftey wires also go to the little solinoid on the bottom of the carberator. Try listening down by the carb as someone turns on the key while sitting on the seat. You should hear a little klick.

 

[jd52ao]

Thanks, I will check out your suggestions--

 

[steve_in_mo]

Turn the PTO off.

 

[steve_in_mo]

Put the transmission in neutral. You may need to wiggle the shifter to get the neutral safety switch to let the starter work.

 

[jd52ao]

Thanks for the replys. The tranny is in neutral, and the pto, non-elec. is off. Engine cranks but not start. It started before I took the old seat with the switch off. Started about 3rd revolution all Summer. Only change was removing the seat with the seat switch. Is there a wiring diag. available to see what all is there? My operators manual does not cover wiring.

 

[CKain(MI)]

double check the 'jumper' fix..

 

[Jo Bird]

(quoted from post at 00:15:43 09/23/18) Thanks for the replys. The tranny is in neutral, and the pto, non-elec. is off. Engine cranks but not start. It started before I took the old seat with the switch off. Started about 3rd revolution all Summer. Only change was removing the seat with the seat switch. Is there a wiring diag. available to see what all is there? My operators manual does not cover wiring.

D parts web site has a wiring section that shows the different electrical parts, but the wires are not color coded and run together in bundles, poor at best. They also change by serial #.

 

[Bob]

(quoted from post at 18:15:43 09/22/18) Thanks for the replys. The tranny is in neutral, and the pto, non-elec. is off. Engine cranks but not start. It started before I took the old seat with the switch off. Started about 3rd revolution all Summer. Only change was removing the seat with the seat switch. Is there a wiring diag. available to see what all is there? My operators manual does not cover wiring.

With the mechanical PTO, there's two safety switches on the PTO lever.

One prevents cranking with the PTO engaged, one cuts ignition power if you are not on the seat AND the PTO is engaged.

So, with the PTO lever in the "OFF" position it should start even WITHOUT an operator in the seat, or with the seat safety switch disconnected.

Below is a simplified diagram, showing only the ignition circuit.

Note that the PTO safety switch AND the seat switch are in PARALLEL, with either or BOTH closed the coil is fed power from the ignition switch.

Grab an unpowered test light and verify that power is leaving the ignition switch and find where it's getting lost on the way to the coil.

On the other hand, by coincidence, there could be a wiring issue to the coil, form the points to the coil, or the points might not be making contact.

 

[jd52ao]

Thanks, Bob, I will check that out following the diag.

 

[gregww]

What 07 said. On many tractors, the switch will send the ignition to ground, to kill the engine. Remove the jumper.

 

[Texasmark1]

A wiring diagram helps. I had the same problem with a L110. Looking closely in the "cable" female plug that mates to the seat connector, there was a thin piece of metal deliberately inserted to short the 3 pins together (as I recall 3 pins). Removing that piece of metal with needle nose pliers, allowed the connector to hang loose and the engine start.

 

[Bob]

(quoted from post at 06:52:06 09/28/18) A wiring diagram helps. I had the same problem with a L110. Looking closely in the "cable" female plug that mates to the seat connector, there was a thin piece of metal deliberately inserted to short the 3 pins together (as I recall 3 pins). Removing that piece of metal with needle nose pliers, allowed the connector to hang loose and the engine start.

Greg and Mark, this tractor has Kettering (battery-power) ignition and a two-wire plug.

The safety system does NOT short the ignition to ground, it simply cuts battery power to the coil.

Furthermore, with the PTO "off" the engine should start and run with no regard to "operator presence" on the seat, or even whether or not the seat switch is even connected.

It will be interesting if the O.P. posts back and tells us what his ignition problem turned out to be.

 

[jd52ao]

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions. Have not had time to work on it for a while, but will post the FIX when I find it.
I also like to hear the solution to some problems.

 

[jd52ao]

Well, I gave up and took it to a Mower repair shop. Only thing they found was a blown fuse in a line behind the light switch. If this was added by a previous owner, don't know. Bottom line its running again. Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Bob]

(quoted from post at 09:41:33 10/08/18) Well, I gave up and took it to a Mower repair shop. Only thing they found was a blown fuse in a line behind the light switch. If this was added by a previous owner, don't know. Bottom line its running again. Thanks for all the suggestions.

Thanks for posting back and letting us know!

It does seem as if the fuse was an "owner mod", NO fuses are listed in the parts catalog for this machine, at all!