Super hard mechanic question.

[fishbisquit]

This involves a 30 year old john deere lx 173 tractor. I turn the key and 80% I get a click. The other times it starts and runs 100% perfect. The battery is new. The starter is new. The starter solenoid, which goes into the starter and spins, is new. I had the ignition control panel swapped out with a different one and it made no difference. The starter and solenoid both work when jumped. The machine looks new. When it goes it runs like new. I just cant figure this one out. I always get a click when turning the key. It is almost like the majority of the time not enough power is getting through. But checking what I checked, I dunno where else to look.

 

[650lb Sumo]

Mice gnawed cables?
Connections of cables to battery not good? [Edit: Probably not this if it starts 10/10 when jumped.]
Earth cable gnawed or otherwise improperly connected?
You're intermittently triggering some safety switch (no weight in seat, vehicle in gear etc.)?
Such a switch intermittently malfunctioning although you are doing things correctly?
Edit 2: Relevant fuses and relays checked? Maybe mice got one of them.

 

[Tone C]

Have you tried turning it on and off again?

 

[NoSmilez]

control alt delete

 

[ChickenBrother]

Other than what you've already done, I'd put in new spark plugs and change out or take a steel brush to the spark plug contacts and make sure there's no corrosion anywhere from the battery to starter to spark plug harness.

That's a great mower you have and they run forever if you maintain them properly. I bought a used sister model back in 2013 with a manual transmission instead of hydrostatic and that thing was fun and I'd still have it if I wasn't in a house with a smaller lawn now.

If you can't fix the issue yourself, assuming everything else is in good condition, I'd bite the bullet and just take it to a licensed John Deere shop and have them overhaul the starter system.

 

[nonoob]

9 times out of 10 it's a simple issue with a loose wiring connector. Before cranking, have someone there to push/pull on the wiring to see what changes. R&R parts gets expensive quick - sounds like you've already gone that route.

If a connector doesn't have a strong physical connection to a wire - it doesn't have the necessary electrical connection to correctly make the circuit. If you can pull one off, you just found your gremlin of a problem. Good luck finding the problem.

 

[AGGAMEMNON66]

Have you tried hitting it with a hammer?

 

[IDGETKTFO]

Could be a loose connection in the seat safety switch.

 

[650lb Sumo]

Other than what you've already done, I'd put in new spark plugs and change out or take a steel brush to the spark plug contacts and make sure there's no corrosion anywhere from the battery to starter to spark plug harness.

That's a great mower you have and they run forever if you maintain them properly. I bought a used sister model back in 2013 with a manual transmission instead of hydrostatic and that thing was fun and I'd still have it if I wasn't in a house with a smaller lawn now.

If you can't fix the issue yourself, assuming everything else is in good condition, I'd bite the bullet and just take it to a licensed John Deere shop and have them overhaul the starter system.

This post made me realise the OP is about a lawnmower rather than a farm appliance.

If you are ready for the next step after successfully assembling IKEA furniture have a look:

John Deere Electrical Wiring Harness (LX172, LX173, LX176)

 

[ChickenBrother]

This post made me realise the OP is about a lawnmower rather than a farm appliance.

If you are ready for the next step after successfully assembling IKEA furniture have a look:

John Deere Electrical Wiring Harness (LX172, LX173, LX176)

The OP model and the one I had are riding mower "lawn tractors." The distinction is academic but these and larger riding mowers are considered commercial equipment and carried by professional landscaping and farm equipment dealers vs. the residential riding mower lines carried by hardware stores like Home Depot.

 

[Sweater of AV]

 

[jefferz]

I'd assume you, or someone, has done a visual inspection of the wiring, so my next step would be checking any safety switches. Seat, neutral safety, pto, etc. And check your grounds.

You can find tutorials on youtube or forum posts on how to check those switches with a multimeter. If you don't have one, you can get them at Harbor Freight for under $10.

If you're jumping the starter, and it's firing up every time, it has to either be a short in the wiring, or a safety switch.

 

[chill doggie]

Is the starter OEM? Was it a cheap Chinese part?
If so it’s not uncommon for a relatively new one to bitch out.

 

[650lb Sumo]

The OP model and the one I had are riding mower "lawn tractors." The distinction is academic but these and larger riding mowers are considered commercial equipment and carried by professional landscaping and farm equipment dealers vs. the residential riding mower lines carried by hardware stores like Home Depot.

See Sherdog can be educational sometimes, it's not all calling people gay and retarded or bashing your political enemies.

I can do better. Not only will this model cut your grass on automatic mode, no supervision required, you can ride it or use it to pull things (like a lawn tractor) too:

 

[Kwiatkowski18]

Sounds like an electrical problem. I'd start tracing wires, something is shaking loose

 

[Otto!]

Could be a loose connection in the seat safety switch.

That would be my guess as well.

 

[My name is]

My guess would be wiring issues maybe a bad ground or perhaps a bad starter relay

 

[IDGETKTFO]

That would be my guess as well.

When i bought my Cub Cadet, i had no idea there was a seat safety switch, and a blade safety switch. It took some getting used too. And the damn reverse mode, lol.

 

[milliniar]

This involves a 30 year old john deere lx 173 tractor. I turn the key and 80% I get a click. The other times it starts and runs 100% perfect. The battery is new. The starter is new. The starter solenoid, which goes into the starter and spins, is new. I had the ignition control panel swapped out with a different one and it made no difference. The starter and solenoid both work when jumped. The machine looks new. When it goes it runs like new. I just cant figure this one out. I always get a click when turning the key. It is almost like the majority of the time not enough power is getting through. But checking what I checked, I dunno where else to look.

Check with John Deere.

 

[Blandnuts]

Low blinker fluid.