I was using my MTD riding lawn tractor. All was well, stopped for a break. Tried to re-fire the tractor and nothing, won't turn over. The battery is charged. No disconnected wires. Could it be the "Seat engine cutoff mechanism? If so how do I bypass it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Im assuming you've checked the easy stuff. Gas in tank, there's good spark on the plugs, depending on age of mower you shut the mowing deck off. (some mowers won't start if its left engaged. So does the engine turn over? If it does and doesn't fire look at plugs. If it starts and spudders and quits dirty carb filters and or carb. If you believe this is a switch problem you can unplug the safety switch and use a TEMPORARY wire to connect the two ends and bypass the safety to see if it runs. Usually if it's a switch bad tractor won't even turn over until fixed.

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Originally Posted by mrbeavis

I was using my MTD riding lawn tractor. All was well, stopped for a break. Tried to re-fire the tractor and nothing, won't turn over. The battery is charged. No disconnected wires. Could it be the "Seat engine cutoff mechanism? If so how do I bypass it. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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88 thanks for the reply. The engine will not turnover. That was what made me think of the cutoff switch. Where do I bypass, At the connections to the starter?? Just disconnect the switch and run a wire across the two poles on the starter?

In this case your not getting power to the motor. How's the battery? The battery connections? Take off clean and try again. Also another form of checking if battery or not you can jump from a car battery directly to the starter on the side of tractor. Using jumpers you place red jump on red wire connector AT the starter and Black to a ground on tractor. Once you connect both red and black to car battery the motor should turn. MAKE SURE TRACTOR IS IN NEUTRAL AND BRAKE IS ON before doing this. If it turns over than battery problem and or bad Cylinoid (not sure of spelling on this word)

If you believe a faulty seat switch the switch and connections should be under the seat, usually when you sit down on seat it makes the two connections touch which lets you start. And stops when you get up. If you undo both wires from their connection points at the switch and put them to gether you by pass the switch. BUT always repair the switch They are there for you protection.

I had used a volt meter on the battery. Reads 12v. I had tried to jump from a battery charger. Nothing! The issue with the switch has confused me. I understand that the seat is connected to the switch, But so is the brake pedal. Unless the brake pedal was depressed & the seat positioned in the down position, the engine would not start. How do I bypass both these wired components to test the switch.

Your brake and seat are connected to the same switch? Usually they have different switches for each one for the seat and different for the break. The switches will be near each part. You should still be able to disconnect wires from both or where they connect at the switch and hook together to bypass.

Does your charger have a JUmp mode on it? If not the charger alone won't jump a motor. Also I have a jump on my charger and It sometimes doesn't work like going directly from a car battery.

#1 My charger does have a Jump mode. Engine did't turn over.

#2 Does the wiring, from the Switch(s) connect to the starter. Would in the easier to bypass at the starter?? And if so, how do I bypass at the accomplish this??

Ive gone over the whole conversation. You tried jumping directly to the starter? If it didn't turn over than bad starter.

If you bypass everything and put 12 volts directly to starter by using jumpers Red on starter and black on a ground and engine doesn't turn than starter is bad. I just purchased one for 26.00 on line.

I never tried connecting 12 v directly to the starter. Good suggestion. I connected the charger to the battery.

Tractor will not start at all.. New battery, solenoid check all relay and starter switch. Everything check out good. Starter get power. The mover does not make any sound at all.