# X320 won’t start



## DeereJohnMiss (7 mo ago)

I’m new to the forum, so hello.

I have a John Deere X320 that has been in service since March 23, 2007. It’s been a great lawn mower, not giving me any major issues … until recently.

She went dead and I couldn’t get her to start again on the last mowing last year. This spring, I went through the start-up maintenance routine. Nothing.

I did some YouTube searches and, as a result, tried a few other things, as you’ll see below.

This is what I have done (not exactly in this order):

1) General start-up maintenance with new oil, air and fuel filters, new spark plugs
2) Replaced starter solenoid
3) Replaced both ignition coil assemblies
4) Replaced seat safety switch
5) Replaced brake safety switch
6) Replaced ignition (key) switch
7) Replaced battery

When you turn the key, nothing. Hour meter does not even show. For a while, I could “jump” or “hot start” it using a screwdriver and the cross-over method anyway lmake it run for a while. Got half my yard mowed and then it went dead. Now when I crank it this way it won’t stay cranked more than a minute, if that long.

I am not mechanically inclined, so I don’t know all of the lingo, but I can follow instructions. Any suggestions? Thanks.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Welcome to the forum. We have a few great mower lads here, I'm sure we can help you out. If it ran, then it doen't seem to be a spark problem. It could be a fuel issue, ie: gummed up carb orifices', pinched fuel line, plugged up fuel filter or even a plugged up gas tank vent. How old is the fuel?


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## DeereJohnMiss (7 mo ago)

Thanks for the welcome, and any help is appreciated!

The fuel is a mixture of old (2021) and new, I suppose. I have thought about siphoning it out and pouring in fresh. 

The carburetor has never been serviced. A family member who fancies himself a small engine guy had the idea that the fuel solenoid might be the issue. He said he had seen the symptoms before and that in that instance he had removed it and cut off the pentile, resolving the issue. I allowed him to do that to mine, but it didn’t make any difference. Was that a bad idea?

One of the more perplexing issues is the ignition problem. Turning the key does nothing; won’t even turn on the headlights. As I said earlier, the ignition switch is new. The safety switches are new. The battery is new. The fuses are new. The starter solenoid is new. (Sorry for the repetition.)

I’m feeling utterly defeated.


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## sixbales (May 18, 2011)

The first thing you have to do is get power to the keyswitch and instrument panel. I found the attached wiring diagram on the internet:

*View attachment x300 series electrical from TM2308.pdf*

From this diagram, I noticed that you have 5 switches involved in the start safety circuit: S1 - Brake Switch, S2 - Reverse Switch, S3 - Seat Switch, S4 - Key Switch, S5 - PTO/RIP Switch. Check out these switches to ensure they are functional.


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## DeereJohnMiss (7 mo ago)

sixbales said:


> The first thing you have to do is get power to the keyswitch and instrument panel. I found the attached wiring diagram on the internet:
> 
> *View attachment x300 series electrical from TM2308.pdf*
> 
> From this diagram, I noticed that you have 5 switches involved in the start safety circuit: S1 - Brake Switch, S2 - Reverse Switch, S3 - Seat Switch, S4 - Key Switch, S5 - PTO/RIP Switch. Check out these switches to ensure they are functional.


Thank you very much, sixbales. I did not know it had so many safeties. I will check out the others.


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## FredM (Nov 18, 2015)

Also check "K1 Start relay", if the safety switches are not working, then the start relay will not work either.


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