[edman37323]

I'm working on a John Deere 2004 model Lawn Tractor (riding mower) the model is a L110 with the kohler 17.5 Hp OHV engine. My problem is a no start, not even a click with the koeo or while trying to start it.

My first step I used a 1.5 amp trickle charger to fully charge the battery overnight. It looks like it has the original JD battery however the date and cold cranking amp stamps were not marked so I have to take that for face value.

Day 2, I tested the battery and it was right under 12v normal op. range, but I could not do a load test on the battery while cranking because it's not doing a thing. The only thing I get with the koeo (key on engine off) is the engine hours illuminated, the 20 amp ATC fuse has power across both probe points, the switched circuit power wire going to the carburator diaphragm has power going to it, the hood cover with headlights are removed at this point for easier access. I used my circuit tester on the made in India starter solenoid and of course have power on the top terminal however no power on the bottom terminal which goes directly to the starter, it also has a purple wire on the right hand side when directly facing the engine from the front of the mower and 2 black wire on the post on the left hand side and I haven't traced those out yet as they go into the main conduit.

My last 3 steps for day 2 I connected the 8 awg wire going to the starter to the top solenoid post to manually bypass the solenoid and the motor turned over fine and no problem from the starter either but it did not fire and start up (the flywheel teeth all look good as well as the starter's bendix and its gear teeth as well). Step 2, I removed the air cleaner housing and air filter, it had minimal dirt and a small amount of gas residue embedded into it perhaps from the owner trying to start it and flooding it recently and the excess vapors are dissapating and venting. I added a small amount of 100% 87 octane gasoline and tried step 1 again with no luck. Step 3 I pulled the spark plug, it was oil fouled, I cleaned the groun electrode and gapped it to 32 thousandths as it was I'm assuming an aftermarket Champion plug gapped around 45 thousandths. I then pulled back the boot cover and checked it for any arcing or oxidation and there were neither, it's making good contact on the spark plug also. I placed the plug connected to the plug wire against a groundable surface and tried step 1 again to check for spark at the plug, there was none.

It's 1am and back on the trickle charger for the night, I found a replacement solenoid available at the local JD dealer for less than $20 and an online cd which has all the service info for this model on it for $15 on eBay, otherwise the SM costs around $160-180 from all the online browsing that I've done tonight and that is not happening.

If anyone can give me a helpful suggestion and tell me the exact gap for the spark plug, the compression ratio, and what those 2 black wires and the one purple wire I mentioned go to I would greatly appreciate it.

My background:ase master tech, auto elec specialist, mech/elec/chem engineering which means I have a tendency to overthink things and try to make them better as opposed to just fixing them. Thanks

[maintmankev]

I`m having similar problems . Purple wire goes to ign. Switch .and also tied to safety switches black wires are ground to chasis under battery , and to ign. Switch.I have a new coil and spark plug with no fire to plug. I`m woundering ig the one white wire that goes to coil is a ground.