wismile 6 #1 Posted August 19, 2019 Last year I owned a walk behind Self-Paced Toro. My wife would take it out once a week and cut the grass. I don't have a big yard, but when my brother moved last Fall...I inherited a 1999 Wheel Horse 265H with a 38" Mower Deck, a Plow, Trailer and Snow Blower (The snow blower was particularly enticing). A couple weeks ago the tractor stalled out with a few square feet left to cut and now it won't start! Which brings me here. I'll be scouring the archive of this promising Forum...my goal is to fix the tractor so I can cut the grass. For the past 15 years...my wife cut the grass (unless I felt like pitching in) now I have to fix the tractor AND cut the grass. Maybe I should have thought this through! 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,944 #2 Posted August 19, 2019 Okay let's talk this thing through. First of all. Welcome to Red Square! Second. You have found the absolute best site. Because I said so. :-). Not only will you learn how to properly fix that tractor you might even make a friend or two. Third. Being forced to mow the lawn is not necessarily A bad thing. That is what we refer to as seat time. Maintaining and repairing your wheel horse is what we refer to as... Shop time. Man cave stuff. My first instinct in regard to your tractor not running is to ask you what the exact symptoms are. Does it turn over? Have you checked for spark? Have you checked for fuel? All that kind of generic... Also, everybody on here really likes our pictures. We would love to see pictures of your tractor. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wismile 6 #3 Posted August 19, 2019 Thanks for the welcome...you're right on all counts! Carpentry, Plumbing and basic Electrical are more in my lane. My tractor/small engine skills are pretty much non-existent. I'll do my best to describe the issue. The tractor cut out pretty quickly it didn't sputter (much if at all)...but my first guess was it was out of gas. I was wrong there was a third of a tank. When I tried to start it, I got nothing...it didn't try to turnover and made zero noise. No clicks, nothing. I noticed the warning light for the mower deck was on...so I did some Googling, talked to some friends etc... That research led me to the following: Replaced PTO Switch Replaced Both Relays behind the dash Checked all the fuses Nothing worked. A neighbor who knows a lot more about this stuff in general...but nothing about this particular tractor stopped over with a few tools and a battery. He poured gas in the carburetor and used the battery to bypass circuits. His deduction was that it's an electrical issue. The starter seemed fine the engine cranked but there was no spark. I hope I'm remembering everything correctly, it all made semi-sense at the time. His best guess was there's a slightly better than 50% chance it was the Ignition Coil Module. I replaced that...still nothing. It has dawned on me (duh) something is sending a message that the mower deck is engaged...but I haven't seen or heard anything about where that sensor/module is located if in fact one does exist. I think that brings you up to date. Thanks so much for responding so quickly and so willing to help. looks like I may have friend number one! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,079 #4 Posted August 19, 2019 Welcome to the forum. Between you and your friend these diagrams should help you. Each circuit has it's own diagram which simplifies things. This link takes you to everything we have on this model in case you need more. The He models are exported. https://www.wheelhorseforum.com/search/?&q="1999 265-h"&type=downloads_file&search_and_or=or&sortby=relevancy Garry 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,944 #5 Posted August 19, 2019 2 hours ago, wismile said: basic Electrical are more in my lane This is going to be your best friend. What you want to do is get a hold of a Digital Volt Ohm Meter and start working backwards from the spark plug to find where the fault is. It's probably going to be one of those situations in life that is very complicated from the outside but easy to fix once you narrow down circuit to circuit to circuit. I am much more familiar with the older ones and I have no mowing decks or ptos or safeties. You mentioned that maybe your tractor thinks the mower deck is engaged. Using a schematic diagram and your electrical knowledge, perhaps you'll be able to narrow down which circuit is giving you issues. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wismile 6 #6 Posted August 20, 2019 (edited) I may not know how to use it YET...but I certainly understand the value of the wiring diagrams! Hopefully my friend gets it...if not I have a couple of other people that should. Thank you sooooooooooooo much Garry! It's funny Eric...I thought 20 years old was pretty old for a lawn tractor. But that's the nice thing about meeting knowledgeable people...you can learn a lot from them! Now I'm gonna run to YouTube and learn how to use a Digital Volt Ohm Meter. Then I have to figure out if the cheap meter I have is the one I need! Thanks again! Edited August 20, 2019 by wismile 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,944 #7 Posted August 20, 2019 1 minute ago, wismile said: thought 20 years old was pretty old for a lawn tractor. We have 4 running here. Ours are a bit heavier than a lawn tractor. They're garden tractors.... My honey has 2 1967s and I have 2 1974s. We use them very regularly to move heavy loads, haul firewood, grade the driveway, plow dirt or snow etc..... Read some stuff.. watch some videos... You'll figure it out. And, keep asking questions. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pullstart 62,979 #8 Posted August 21, 2019 @wismile! As with most hvac systems, sequence of operation will also be your best friend! Is your power source good? How about chassis and engine grounds? Ok, follow wiring most likely from the battery to the ignition key switch. Check power in, power out. Some switches have power out in more than one location... such as accessory, ignition and starter. Then, there’s safeties. Most safeties are normally closed, but some may be more detailed if it’s giving you a light or notification of mower engagement. Check power in, power out, etc. Is the engine cranking over by itself, or simply nothing? Check for voltage to your ignition coil, if it has one. You should be able to find it without an issue. Also, becoming familair with your meter, understand that resistance and continuity are not the same. Continuity is a connection, such as a good wire, good switch, etc. Resistance (ohms) can show or not show continuity, that’s in in an instance of a light, coil, solenoid, etc. good luck! “Remember, we’re all in this together. I’m pulling for ya. “ -Red Green 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sparky-(Admin) 21,369 #9 Posted August 21, 2019 Welcome from another Connecticut guy!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
953 nut 55,538 #10 Posted August 22, 2019 Have you checked the engine oil level? There is a switch that protects you from operating with a low oil level. There should be a connector with three wires going to your engine; White, Violet and Green wires. The white wire is the one that will kill the ignition if it is grounded. If you unplug the connector and take a jumper directly from the "+" terminal (presuming the battery is charged) to the large post on the starter it should turn over and produce spark at the spark plug. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jay bee 906 #11 Posted August 25, 2019 to @wismile I think you're going to like it here. You'll make a lot of friends and gain a lot of information. Keep asking your questions and include photos when you can. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wismile 6 #13 Posted September 19, 2019 I apologize for the delay...life got busy and I had a hard time finding the right friend to help me figure this out! Today I have a tractor that starts...although I can't figure out why it works! When last we spoke I replaced two relays, the PTO switch and the ignition module. Add starter solenoid to the list. Then we spotted a broken wire that should have been connected to the engine block...we fixed it and she started right up! Turn it off to clean up...my friend went home...time to put the tractor away...it didn't start! We did some metering...12v to the starter yet when we jumped the solenoid it still didn't start. We check the continuity that was fine, so we hooked it up to my car battery and the starter worked fine! We check the wire to the starter grounded to the engine block and got less than a volt! We reinstalled the starter with a ground wire running to the other side of the engine...problem solved...she runs like a champ! Question is how can one side of the engine be grounded properly and not the other side?? I apologize for any incorrect terminology...but I hope I conveyed enough for someone to offer a possible answer? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 67,944 #14 Posted September 19, 2019 Glad to hear it's up and running I can't answer your question specifically other than to theorize that there's a gasket in between the two engine halves and one side is grounded but the other side is dirty. that's why some of us are so adamant about making sure all your grounds and connections are clean before you try to do any diagnosis of any kind. another thing I can tell you from personal experience is that the strength and quality of a good source of ground can and will remain one of the mysteries of the universe I have now gotten into the habit when I rewire a tractor that I run redundant ground wires. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
