Trouble starting G2160: I want to bypass the interlocks

[Tyke51]

I have a circa 2006 G2160 lawn tractor with a 60” mower deck.
For years now, I have had intermittent starting problems. Even when new, the interlocks didn't always work as expected, such stopping when I rose up off the seat with the mower engaged.

If I wiggle the switch under the seat or near the brake pedal or rock myself back and forward violently, it will eventually turn over and start. Repeat as necessary. Once it starts, it will continue to run until I turn the key off.

I could have it taken to the local dealer and fixed for megabucks but would rather bypass the safety interlocks.
Can someone explain how to do that? I saw it mentioned in another post.
Thanks, Mark

 

[al m]

Forgive me if I am wrong,and of coarse " we" would never bypass a safety feature,could it be as simple as un plugging the switch and putting in a jumper?
Perhaps ther may be a adjustment on the micro switch that would keep it more firmly engaged.

 

[100 td]

.....stopping when I rose up off the seat with the mower engaged.

A standard safety feature on 99% of mowers

If I wiggle the switch under the seat or near the brake pedal or rock myself back and forward violently, it will eventually turn over and start. Once it starts, it will continue to run until I turn the key off.

Hopefully a small adjustment of the switches, a spray of WD40 or similar on them, a check of the electrical connectors on the switches, or replacing the switches themselves will fix your issue and leave the machine in a full safety functional state, in case one day, someone besides yourself, needs to use it or move it.
YMMV.

 

[Dave_eng]

Mark
Doubtful if anyone would tell you to bypass safety features for to do so would mean accepting a lot of responsibility if someone got hurt.

What I have said along those lines is that there is a way to add a relay to the starter circuit to overcome poor safety switch contacts and high resistance in the safety switches.

To determine if this "fix" will solve your problem you must buy a test light for around $10

With this test light, with the alligator clip on the - battery terminal, when the tractor wont start, you hold the key in the start position and touch the test light probe to the starter solenoid terminal which will be a small wire not a battery cable sized wire. You may need a helper to do this test.

If the test light illuminates and the starter does not engage my fix may help you and we can go into the details once you have the results from the test I am suggesting you perform.

This is an example, not the neatest, of the use of a relay on a Cub Cadet 18 HP Kohler engine.

Dave M7040

 

[lugbolt]

I ain't gonna tell you how to bypass everything, as it's a stupid way to "fix" a problem. Find the problem and fix it, it's simpler in the long run. That way the next time you have a problem, you can go right to the manual to figure it out as opposed to trying to track down a rigged wriing job.

On those mowers, I saw a lot of them with PTO safety switches acting up. I seem to recall that the switch's plunger spring was strong enough to push the PTO lever forward which made the controller think that the PTO was on, therefore causing engine to fail to start.

If you're jumping up and down on it to make it start, you either have a bad switch or a bad connection. Perhaps a bad controller but more likely a switch or connection. Find and fix it. I use a cordless test light for stuff like this but not everyone has one, and a traditional corded 12v test light works just as well.

 

[Tyke51]

9/19/2017 update
I brought a friend over to troubleshoot my Kubota. You guys had suggested that I find the problem and fix it.
Weeks ago, I had cleaned and sanded the spade connector with the small wire on the starter solenoid and it started fine for several weeks. Problem solved, I thought.
Today it wouldnt start. We took apart the switch under the seat and found it was already jumpered. Not sure who did that. It started fine w/o the switch in place under the seat. It turns out that the mower engagement lever on the right side of the tractor wasn't always in a vertical enough position to fully compress the interlock switch and allow the tractor to start.
We're going to make an adjustment to remedy that.
Thanks for your help.
I'm wondering if the dealer would ever jump that switch? Years ago, I had the dealer bring the tractor back to their shop for a routine initial inspection, blade sharpening and mower adjustment etc. I'd also mentioned that the interlocks weren't always working correctly.
Mark

 

[100 td]

May as well go the whole hog and fix the seat switch while you're there, get it back to factory spec and safe, in case someone else ever uses it. Fix the cause, not the symptom.

 

[lugbolt]

About 5 years ago I personally watched an older gent mow over his granddaughter's leg. He was on a JD L130 riding mower, which of course has RIO (reverse implement option)-where you had to push a button to back up. She was running behind him to pick up a stick and he just hit reverse without looking and ran her over. RIO switch was bypassed. I don't ever want to see anything like that again and thus when I see a "can I bypass this switch"-I will turn the other way. I get the question about once a week at the shop; people get mad at the switches because one was knocked off it's bracket or whatever by a tree limb while bush hogging or something along those lines, but I'm telling you that Kubota (or any other manufacturer) didn't just put them there to make money. The put them there to protect the operator and/or the people around. Same for rotary mower discharge chutes which most people remove because they're "in the way". They are kind of a nuisance until your own kid gets hit in the forehead with a rock that comes flying out from under a mowing deck because that chute isn't there. I've seen stuff come out from under a mowing deck and fly so far so fast that it just disappears, similar to a rifle bullet.

When people ask me at the shop how to bypass or disable, I either change the subject or just plainly tell them I won't tell them how. Most of the time they get mad. Tough. I'd rather have a mad customer than a dead one.

Safety devices are just that. Safety devices. You take them off or bypass, you take the liability into your own hands. If someone else tells you to take them off or bypass, they take some liability into their hands....

 

[K.P.]

I have a G2460...the gas version of yours...and have replaced the safety switch with new. Only costs a few bucks at Messicks, they'll have it to you in a couple days, and takes all of 5 minutes to replace including gulps of beer. Do it right, don't mess these babies up. You know what a great mower it is so keep it stock the way it was intended so it's safe to pass down to your grand kids