# 318 won't start



## lilwing500 (Jun 17, 2012)

Hey folks, weird goings on with my 318. A couple weeks ago I tried to start it and it wouldn't even click. Battery level was good, inline fuses were good. I checked the ignition switch and it was rusted up pretty good so I ordered another. Installed it and it still wouldn't start. On a hunch I flipped the PTO switch on and off and the tractor started right up. I ordered a new PTO switch and installed it and the tractor ran fine.
Today I started it up, mowed most of the lawn, shut it down to move some lawn furniture around and when I got back on it...nothing, not a click. I double checked all the switches including the neutral safety switch and all seemed okay. Any ideas on what to check next would be greatly appreciated!


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## Rusty (Jun 15, 2011)

Seat saftey switch?


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## lilwing500 (Jun 17, 2012)

Seat safety switch has been bypassed.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Recheck the PTO switch. My 317 does this,occasionally,too,and if I wggle the connector,it takes right off!


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## lilwing500 (Jun 17, 2012)

PTO switch and starter switch have been replaced and installed with dielectric grease on the contacts, still no go.


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## wjjones (May 28, 2010)

Check your seat bypass rig it might have failed on you. How did you bypass it?


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## JD322 (Oct 3, 2012)

Simple test light and make sure you are getting power to the stater solenoid. It can be a challenge to get to but you might have a bad one, as they go bad it usually fails the saftey switch system which starts with the key then pto switch and then neutral start.. seat switch is not part of the system when starting the machine... If You ment the TRACTOR runs and PTO wont start than DISREGARD THIS WHOLE POST>>>


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## Rusty (Jun 15, 2011)

lilwing500 said:


> Seat safety switch has been bypassed.


are you the guy in those "Don't do this" saftey movies I've seen?


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## lilwing500 (Jun 17, 2012)

LOL! No Rusty I'm the guy that bought a used 318 with the seat safety switch already bypassed.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Connect a jumper cable from the battery +,directly to the starter- side of the solenoid,and see if it rolls over(connect to solenoid,first). If it doesn't the starter is bad. If it does, feed a wire from the battery + to the solenoid's small terminal. If it rolls over,there's a problem in the wire from the switch. If it doesn't,the solenoid is bad. You can also use a jumper-cable from the battery + to the battery-side of the solenoid,to see if the cable is bad.


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## Rusty (Jun 15, 2011)

lilwing500 said:


> LOL! No Rusty I'm the guy that bought a used 318 with the seat safety switch already bypassed.


Sorry,sometimes I just can't help myself glad you got a chuckle out of it, thats exactly why I do it, have you gotten it figured out yet?


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## lilwing500 (Jun 17, 2012)

jhngardner367 said:


> Connect a jumper cable from the battery +,directly to the starter- side of the solenoid,and see if it rolls over(connect to solenoid,first). If it doesn't the starter is bad. If it does, feed a wire from the battery + to the solenoid's small terminal. If it rolls over,there's a problem in the wire from the switch. If it doesn't,the solenoid is bad. You can also use a jumper-cable from the battery + to the battery-side of the solenoid,to see if the cable is bad.


Thanks jhngardner367 that was my next step. I have located the starter (left side below motor) but the solenoid is another thing. I have read that depending on the year of the tractor it could be located in several areas. I guess I will have to drop the deck to get a better view of the underside of the tractor.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

It should be located under the battery(bottom ) plate. They don't make it easy !


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