ELECTRIC CLUTCH TROUBLESHOOTING:

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Arkansas Outdoor Power Equipment, Management.

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"The SERVICE DEPARTMENT" about TROUBLESHOOTING ELECTRIC CLUTCHES

BLADES WON'T ENGAGE

If the blades won't engage, make the following checks.

Can you hear the electric clutch engaging with the engine off ?
With the engine off and the key switch on, pull up on the red blade engagement knob.
Does the clutch on the bottom (or back) of the engine make a clicking noise ?

If yes,

that means the magnetic function of the clutch is properly working.
Check to see if the belt is properly installed on the pulleys.

If no,

check any fuse in the circuit or the Red Knob switch, or the wire connections going to the clutch might be loose or corroded.
Is the grounding point for the clutch corroded or painted ?
Find the grounding point for the clutch and clean that area.
Make sure there is no paint or rust preventing a good ground.

ON MOST MACHINES,
THE MAIN GROUNDING POINT IS NEAR WHERE THE ELECTRIC STARTER IS MOUNTED.
YOU MIGHT FIND SEVERAL GROUNDING WIRES.

Does the battery have a good charge ?
The battery is what operates the clutch, you can have a dead battery and the engine will continue to run, but the clutch will stop if battery voltage is low or lost from the circuit. Is the battery being charged ? Is the fuse blown for the battery charging circuit ?

The clutch has a key which holds the clutch to the engine shaft.
This would be a very rare cause, but if the key is sheared, the clutch pulley won't turn.

SPEED VARIATIONS

If your blade speed varies with different deck positions, check the following:

Is the belt properly installed?
A belt can be improperly installed and have just enough tension to turn the blades.

Is the belt worn out and has "burned" places ?

Keep this in mind,
speed variations on mowers with an electric clutch
is not an indication of a bad clutch.
The clutch either works or it don't.
Any speed variations will be caused by
engine speed changes or belt tension
or belt condition.
Off brand belts are not a good idea.

Always use original equipment belts.

BLADE SPEED SLOWS DOWN when cutting grass

if raising the deck causes normal blade speed, then the upward pull of the deck may be putting tension on the deck causing better belt tension and increased or normal blade speed.

Keep this in mind about "loads" on the engine.
Your twin cylinder engine can run on one cylinder and it may sound normal.
When you apply a load, such as cutting grass, your engine will slow down and your deck will also slow down. Raising the deck, removes the load from the engine and will cause the blade speed to return to normal.

A blown Head Gasket can cause a lack of power (loss of compression)
so that when cutting grass, you lose engine performance. The cylinder can run smoothly and sound normal without load, but loading the engine will lose power.

Pictures coming soon.

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