# john deere won't crank



## jimhampton (Mar 19, 2016)

I have a john deere lx-277, with hydrostatic transmission and 42" mulcher deck, that was running fine, mowing fine. It made a clunking noise and stopped mid-mow as it bounced over a small bump. No big deal; sometimes that happens as it coughs up a big wad of wet, mulched grass. But now it will not crank. There is a faint whine, and the panel lights dim - but no starter action at all. Is there some sort of safety interlock/neutral switch that might have stuck ?


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## harry16 (Dec 8, 2011)

Hello Jim,

Welcome to the tractor forum.

That faint whine you hear, and the panel lights dim - but no starter action.....could that be the starter spinning with no engagement of the starter gear with the flywheel teeth??

Maybe low voltage? Check your battery. Clean your battery connections, especially ground connections.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

G,day Jim:

Have you checked your engine oil ?, have you tried to turn the engine by hand ?, the starter bendix is either engaged with the flywheel hence the lights dimming or the bendix is not engaging the flywheel and I will go with harry16 with a weak battery or bad connections if the engine is free to turn


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## TraderMark (Nov 15, 2011)

Check your battery cable connections, especially the ground and check all 4 connections, not just the ones at the battery. Check the ground where it bolts to frame/engine block.

My son had a mower that always acted like the starter was dragging or there was some sort of bind on the engine. I told him several times to check the ground cable and when he finally listened to the old man sure enough, there was a spot in the ground cable where the insulation had rubbed off and the copper wire itself had nearly corroded in two. New ground cable and it never fails to crank now.


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