John Deere LX277 help?

Jegs · Aug 9, 2023

Hopped on the tractor last night after work to finish up the lawn (wife was already 1.5 hours into it with the Simplicity). Turn the key it turns over for about 3 seconds, doesn't start and stops turning over, shut the key off, try again, grinding noise like the starter is grinding on the flywheel. Cycle the key again and it just clicks, so I think battery? I try jumping it and nothing, cycled the key a couple more times and it clicked twice then nothing, dead as can be.

So I charge the battery, start the other tractor with it to make sure it's good (this morning) pop it back in the JD and jump the solenoid with a screwdriver. Now I get a whirring sound, sounds like the starter is spinning but not engaging. replace starter? Solenoid, or both? I'm kinda thinking both?

used red MN · Aug 9, 2023

I think your battery may just be bad. When you put it in the other tractor and started it you took out the surface charge. Then when you put it back in the JD it without the surface charge it did not have enough power to spin the starter fast enough. I think those starters are still the same as days of old and rely on the inertia of a quick spin to throw the drive in. Maybe an auto parts store can check it. Also check to make sure the JD is putting charge in the battery. Those electric clutches have a fair draw.

wore out · Aug 9, 2023

LX277 uses a ''solenoid-shifted'' starter. To the O.P., have you jumpering across the two large terminals on the solenoid or applying power to it's small terminal?

Jegs · Aug 9, 2023

Jumping across the two large terminals.

wore out · Aug 9, 2023

You need to put battey power to the othe SMALL terminal or tab to engage the solenoid.

T.R.K. · Aug 9, 2023

Sometimes if the starter just spins and does not engage the engine the battery is hooked up backward. Postive post to negative cable and netagive post to positive cable.

Don't count on your charger to tell you your battery is 'good'. Only a load test will tell if it has what it takes to crank an engine over. I have seen where the battery voltage fell so low when trying to make the engine start the starter didn't spin fast engough to cause the bendix to engage the flywheel.

Jegs · Aug 10, 2023

Thanks W.O., I'll do that, think I'll pick up a battery too and see if that does the trick.

John Deere LX277 help?

Jegs

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used red MN

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wore out

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Jegs

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wore out

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T.R.K.

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Jegs

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