New to me wheelhorse 315-8 issues

[RustyGold 88]

Just picked up a clean wheelhorse 315-8. Only 308 hours & it sounds good . When I shut off the key , it stays running. I have to shut the gas off to make it stall . Lights don’t work & someone relocated the electric PTO to the light switch . I noticed many wire harnesses are disconnected or hacked up  whomever worked on the electricals on this was a bad hack . 

[RustyGold 88]

[RustyGold 88]

Edited June 29, 2022 by RustyGold
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[wallfish 17,011]

Un-10 yr-old it and you should be fine. The key switch needs to ground the ignition magneto to shut down spark.

Looks like they were jumping the safety switches to over ride them

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,046]

Download this file for good wiring diagrams. Each circuit has it's own diagram.

Starting procedure may be unique so here is more

 

[moe1965 738]

Usually it's the other way around.  Can't get it started.... I'm not good with electrical but I'm sure there will be helpful info for you soon.   Looks like a hack job for sure  

[Achto 27,597]

10 minutes ago, RustyGold said:

When I shut off the key , it stays running

 

I believe that the Kohler Command in your tractor has a magneto ignition. To shut the tractor off, the "kill wire" on the coil must connect to ground. 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,046]

Do not allow any battery voltage to get into the ignition wire. That would release the magic smoke in the ignition coil.

[RustyGold 88]

Thanks all. Hopefully I can get these issues straightened out . 

[RustyGold 88]

11 hours ago, wallfish said:

Un-10 yr-old it and you should be fine. The key switch needs to ground the ignition magneto to shut down spark.

Looks like they were jumping the safety switches to over ride them

They jumped all the safety switches , there isn’t even a seat weight switch present. 
I will prob try to install one. 

[953 nut 55,290]

10 hours ago, gwest_ca said:

Do not allow any battery voltage to get into the ignition wire. That would release the magic smoke in the ignition coil.

This bears repeating, when working on your wiring be sure to remove both battery cables to prevent an accidental spark to the ignition module.

The wiring may seem a bit intimidating with so many relays and such but we can help you along, glad to hear that the plan is to replace the safety switches, they are very important.

[RustyGold 88]

So I spent all day today , re-attaching all the color coded looms going to the control panel . What a mess . Most of the factory looms were cut & bypassed with hack crimp connections & jumpers . No more crimp connections, only Solder & heat sink tubing ! Still have a few mystery wires to figure out … Orange/ green/ white wires near the fuse block hanging free . & two wires off the engine block . Your input is appreciated! 

 

 

Edited June 29, 2022 by RustyGold
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[peter lena 8,634]

@RustyGold  like your soldering fix ,https://www.amazon.com/Sleeve-Flexible-Bundler-Management- , regularly use these , wire wraps to prevent chafing and controlling your runs. consider adding an additional battery cable , from your cowl area , ground bolt from battery bolt down , to the corner of your engine / chassis , use serrated washers dielectric grease , engine corner next to clutch pedal . that will enhance the engine tin rectifier ground spot , better amperage readings . I  also use that engine ground to enhance headlights, grounding is a weak spot on these units . just an idea , pete   

[RustyGold 88]

Also what is this mystery front connector for ? 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,046]

The voltage regulator has 9-24-18 written on it. The outside terminals go to the AC wires of the flywheel stator. The center terminal goes to the violet wire and fuse and this circuit charges the battery.

 

See a ground strap on the lower regulator mounting bolt. The body of the regulator requires a good ground for it to function correctly.

[RustyGold 88]

 what is this mystery front connector for ?  Can someone confirm this is for the (2) engine wires pictured (light blue & white) ? 
They hacked up these wires too & im missing the oem connector .. 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,046]

Do you still have the NMIR (no mow in reverse) module? There is a blue and white that goes to it.

If the wires go into the engine we do not know what colors Kohler used so the wire colors may not be correct in our diagrams.

[RustyGold 88]

6 minutes ago, gwest_ca said:

Do you still have the NMIR (no mow in reverse) module? There is a blue and white that goes to it.

If the wires go into the engine we do not know what colors Kohler used so the wire colors may not be correct in our diagrams.

Yep , the NMIR module is there . I figured out that the 2 engine wires are supposed to go to a harness that plugs into the empty harness in the front. They cut the plug off . Someone replaced the OEM solenoid With a non-wheelhorse one . I ordered the correct one that the orange/green wires are supposed to connect to . The only one left to figure out , is the white wire with a ring terminal near the fuse block . Where does it connect to ? 

Edited June 30, 2022 by RustyGold

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,046]

A ring terminal would indicate it goes on a screw or bolt and I have no idea what or where that would be.

 

The ignition wire shows as being white from the ignition coil to the kill relay.

With the battery disconnected can you check with an ohmmeter to see if the ring terminal on white wire is common with the white ignition wire?

The Kohler wiring diagram shows a white wire to an optional low oil pressure switch to kill the ignition if no oil pressure. I don't think Wheel Horse used that but the wire may exist unused in the harness.

 

The only way to identify the relays is to compare the wire colors going to the relay. These would get a big white identifier letter added to the case so one could keep them straight if it were mine. Most often each relay is identical so can be interchanged if needed.

[RustyGold 88]

On 6/30/2022 at 11:37 AM, gwest_ca said:

A ring terminal would indicate it goes on a screw or bolt and I have no idea what or where that would be.

 

The ignition wire shows as being white from the ignition coil to the kill relay.

With the battery disconnected can you check with an ohmmeter to see if the ring terminal on white wire is common with the white ignition wire?

The Kohler wiring diagram shows a white wire to an optional low oil pressure switch to kill the ignition if no oil pressure. I don't think Wheel Horse used that but the wire may exist unused in the harness.

 

The only way to identify the relays is to compare the wire colors going to the relay. These would get a big white identifier letter added to the case so one could keep them straight if it were mine. Most often each relay is identical so can be interchanged if needed.

. The white/red striped ring terminal appears like it should attach to the B+ side of the solenoid .it comes from the 30A main fuse block . The schematics aren’t much help on this one 

Edited July 1, 2022 by RustyGold

[peter lena 8,634]

@RustyGold  noting your picture of the rectifier mount to engine tin , add a ground wire to 1 of the mount bolts, then to a verified , (  not a hope so ) ground . I  add a battery cable to my battery bolt ground spot , behind dash , then to corner of engine , clutch pedal side  , use serrated washers , that grounds the engine to frame securely , also hooked my headlights to that rectifier spot , solid bright , just a thought , pete  

[RustyGold 88]

We’ll after many hours & sourcing many replacement parts . The horse is back running off the OEM umbilical cord as it’s supposed to .I had to solder extensions to all the cut harness wires & reconnect them with solder & heat sink tubing . I reconnected the front & rear lights which were also cut & non-functional.  Put in a new control panel with the correct new PTO switch & new key switch.  Sanded , primed & painted it with 4 coats . Went with a new round dial hour meter , since the existing rectangular  one was broken 😡 I sourced a heavy rubber hole plug for the hole someone sloppily drilled next to the throttle . I even went through the trouble of drilling a hole in the seat mount bracket & installed the reverse key switch & seat safety switch which was missing of course  .  Replaced the solenoid with a OEM toro one . What a hack job the prior owner did . I learned a valuable lesson from all this , check & recheck everything well when buying used , not all sellers are honest ! 

Edited July 15, 2022 by RustyGold

[peter lena 8,634]

@RustyGold  you made out ,good for you ! taillights are solid bright , telling you solid ground , another thing about regularly going over your horse , is to take advantage its  running condition and make improvements , for any related functional  problems , basically , tweak / improve the function . typically levers and linkage ends are a sloppy rusty fit , add washers and grease , firm up the function and they work easier .  ever think about a lubrication soak down on that paint ? it looks pretty good now , penetrating oil will feed that paint , spray it down , let it sit a day , wipe it down with a clean cloth, till dry , no sandpaper or scratch pad . do it again , that paint will pop with depth and slick finish . finish it with linseed oil rub down , only an idea , been doing it for years , paint looks very deep and solid . pete