# electric clutch/pto problem



## 2008Conquest (Aug 30, 2014)

Hello. I have a 2008 Conquest that now has a new electric clutch because I thought I narrowed the problem down to that. The pto cut out while mowing and would engage only some of the time I tried it after that. If it did engage, it turned off shortly afterward. I replaced the pto switch. I adjusted the old clutch. I bypassed the whole safety system by running from the battery to a toggle to the clutch because I didn't want to replace every safety switch on the thing. I put the new clutch in today and now engaging the pto kills the engine within seconds. Please help me.

Thanks


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Check under the deck to see if the blades are blocked/frozen. Also check to see if the pto turns with the engine off,and pto off.
One other thing to check,is the belt,to see if it tangled/jumped a pulley.
When you installed the drive pulley on the engine shaft,did you make sure the chamfered edge was UP ?


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## 2008Conquest (Aug 30, 2014)

Thank you. The belt and the deck is clean. Any other ideas? Thanks.


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

Some of those newer tractors have safety modules that prevent you from just bypassing the safety switches.


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## 2008Conquest (Aug 30, 2014)

What's the chamfered edge? I installed the pulley like the original but it was an updated part. The old pulley and clutch used a key in the shaft. The new assembly came with a key machined into each.


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## 2008Conquest (Aug 30, 2014)

*safety bypass*

I wouldn't be surprised at all if the tractor denies my bypass, but how? There were 2 wires from the original pigtail to the original clutch. Now there is a wire from the positive battery terminal to a fuse and a toggle terminal. There is a second wire from the toggle on terminal to the clutch. The third wire connects the grounds. I'm not being sarcastic; what safeties could be in play?

Thanks


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

The upper lip of the pulley center tube,that holds the key,has a bevel . If it's installed wrong,you won't have the proper clearance.
When it shuts down,does it act like it's locking up,or like you just turned off the engine ?
you might try checking for crossed/shorted wires,in the harness,also.


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## 2008Conquest (Aug 30, 2014)

It acts like its shutting off. Before this adventure, I usually had to hit the reverse safety key simultaneously with the pto switch to keep it going. It acts like that.


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## skunkhome (Nov 30, 2008)

Ok, as I suspected there is something amiss with your safety interlocks. If I am not mistaken there is a little black box containing a micro processor that controls everything. You had a system malfunction before so there is no telling what is happening now. 
I tried wiring around the seat safety switch because the operator was too light to reliably compress it. I tried wiring around it and cutting it out all together and somehow the module knew we were meddling with the system. The driver had to either wear a weight belt or put up with it cutting out every time it hit a bump.
I am reasonably comfortable at sorting out electrical issues using a wiring diagram but if it involves a microprocessor I'm clueless.


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