Craftsman/Kohler Riding Mower Runs & Blows Fuse

[benjamming]

2000 Craftsman mower model 917.271131 with a Kohler Command PRO 16.5HP OHV model CV16S-43527 spec #43527 Family YKHXS.4262GB 426cc engine.

Will start right up & runs but then dies PDF.

 

[Rand]

short somewhere? its 19 years old probably a wire frayed or bad switch?

Is that with the deck running or not.. had a JD with a bad electronic PTO that was melting wiring/fuses.

 

[MParr]

Just guessing, look for a chafed wire, check for a loose ground wire or bad electrical connection. There is some short somewhere.

 

[Woodster]

Yessir--as said, run down each wire that you can find. Gotta be a ground out/short somewhere.

Look especially at the items grounded to the chassis, or look at "screw on" type metal bezels connecting ignitiion switch, solenoids, etc--they may be making bad or intermittent grounds blowing the fuse.

Page 32 schematic doesn't look to complicated--trace each wire.

 

[benjamming]

That is without the deck running.
I don't know why I said page 16; was thinking page 31 - getting old!
The weird thing is that this issue didn't happen one week and now it is.
I was hoping for a bad solenoid or switch but that doesn't seem to make sense; after all it starts and runs!

 

[Lubener]

Since it happens after it runs for a short time, I do not suspect a dead short to ground from a chaffed wire which would blow the fuse immediately. Myself, after tracing the circuit, I would be looking at the components in the charging system, especially the regulator.

 

[Silverado12]

Try unplugging the kill wire from the coil. There also is a kill switch in the carburetor (anti-backfire switch). I believe, although I'm not a small engine guy, that the engine should run indefinitely with these bypassed. I have seen some engines that are ground to run, though.

 

[Jmoney7269]

As a small engine mechanic I have seen this several times....
Most of the time it was due to a faulty regulator or a shorted stator under the engine flywheel.
Also as mentioned earlier hold your hand on the carburetor anti backfire solenoid and if it gets hot, replace it..... because it shouldn't. I have seen this several times to be the culprit also

 

[JTK]

Originally Posted by Jmoney7269

Also as mentioned earlier hold your hand on the carburetor anti backfire solenoid and if it gets hot, replace it..... because it shouldn't. I have seen this several times to be the culprit also


For sure on this.

I had one that somehow was working, but was shorting to the point that it electrified the whole carburetor and was making the thin wire throttle return spring glow red hot. This was on a cheap Chinese replacement carb on my Craftsman rider 18hp Briggs engine.

 

[gotnogunk]

I had the same thing on a craftsman B&S. I just dried it with electric cleaner and used steel wool. I thought it was from when I sprayed it off.

 

[benjamming]

Found the original root cause - battery was connected backwards & tried to start not knowing the problem. I guess that would mean it's the regulator???

 

[RF Overlord]

Originally Posted by benjamming
Found the original root cause - battery was connected backwards
I'm confused...how would the engine even start if the battery was connected backwards?

 

[benjamming]

It wouldn't. The issue was found & rectified. Then I came in & tried to start with the above issue.