Engine runs fine, starts right up, but when I put it in gear, as soon as I release the clutch/brake it kills the engine. It does the same thing if I try and engage the blades. Please don't tell me it's the transmission. Please.

Most likely one of the 3 safety switches, not a trans problem.

Hi,
Seat switch or connections to it!
Peace,
Clarke

Thanks for the responses. I think you were right about it not being the carb, but I am going to clean it with seafoam anyway -probably never been done. I'll look into my harnesses more thoroughly tonight, and start jumping the other 2 switches. Also will be ohming out the harnesses. I saw in an earlier post a web site for wiring diagrams, but it was only for dealers. Do you fellas have any good sites for WDs. Fist, I'd like to have one just to have it, but also I'd like to find out if these switches are normally open or closed, and whether they provide ground or power.

Hi,
Your machine is new enough to probably download the manual from:
Home Improvement Projects, Product Manuals & Home Management Tools - Managemyhome.com
And it will have the wiring diagram. The parts list will be available from Sears, but will only have a drawing of the harness.
Peace,
Clarke

I may have found the problem. Like I had written in another post, when I had checked the clutch safety switch There was a buildup of yard debris in the plug and switch which I cleared out. Also reseated the switches. Also looked the harness over. I'm thinking it was either the crap in the clutch switch and plug, or a switch was out of rig. Started right back up, and works beautifully now. Even if I didn't really find a concrete answer to the problem, I did learn one hellof a lot from the help I got on this site thanks guys.

Hi,
It may be a surprise to you, but 15-20% of electrical problems tend to be connection problems where unplugging and replugging can disturb the corrosion and refurbish the connection. This is especially true if the switches reside beneath the battery behind the engine.
Also, a phenomenon called galvanic corrosion can rear its ugly head. This is where two dissimilar metals meet and the eletrical properties of each and the current flow cause a form of corrosion that will break the circuit.
Peace,
Clarke

Yeah, same thing on jets. Corrosion seems to be a constant issue.

Corrosion of jets would be lessened if you could get gas with out alcohol. Galvanic corrosion happens under specific conditions. The electrolyte ability of gas is less than water and the alcohol can absorb water. You'd think their engineers would have a better grasp of this. Galvanic and Corrosion Compatibility Dissimilar Metal Corrosion - Engineers Edge