mower wont start with key. 314 John Deere

SodBuster87 · Jul 31, 2017

So I picked up a 314 John Deere. Got it cheap enough($150) But it needs alot of work. Anyway was tinkering with it tonight and it started with the key ran for awhile died out. Went to restart it and dead. Battery is good, lights all come on but no start. But if I jump the starter directly it spins over 100 miles an hour but won't fire. Just looking for were to start looking for the problem.

Thanks, Sodbuster

Lee B · Jul 31, 2017

<a href="http://www.greenpartstore.com/John-Deere-Ignition-Switch-With-Key-AM103286.htnl" target="_new">John Deere Ignition Switch With Key AM103286</a>

You are in luck, they don't want more than you paid for the tractor to replace the ignition switch on the tractor. Some people have all the luck and sometimes it's the other way around.

It's a very common issue for the internals of such an ignition switch to fail on the starter application side like this, taking the switch apart to fix it at this price point isn't worth consideration.

<img src="http://photos.yesterdaystractors.com/gallery/uptest/a167576.jpg"

SodBuster87 · Jul 31, 2017

Update: Found a loose wire on selenoid. Wiggled it engine fired right up and ran. BUT only stays running if you play with the choke. Drove it around the house got almost back to the garage and it died. Went to wiggle wires and one came off. Too much sheet metal in my line of sight to see wich post on the selenoid it came off of. But I'm guessing this is problem number one. Problem number two is that it only runs by playing with the choke and the exhaust reeks of two stroke oil. Hoping clean gas and sea foam will cleam out the carb if I can keep it running long enough.

leon · Jul 31, 2017

For a tractor that old, made '79 to '83, and for that price, you'd better be a pretty good mechanic.

Lee B · Jul 31, 2017

With new information I would agree with you on electrical issue. But I wouldn't be tolerant of half a tank of whatzit mixed gas at all. I'd siphon as much out as I could and remove the carburetor bowl for the quick kill on water's favorite place to pool up and cause troubles. I might use shop air with a rag around air nozzle to carefully and lightly pressurize the gas tank to get the last drops to flow out the needle and seat too. Then 2 ounces of seafoam and fresh gas in the tank. If anything can cut that kind of crud it's seafoam.

mower wont start with key. 314 John Deere

SodBuster87

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Lee B

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SodBuster87

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leon

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Lee B

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