How to Test a PTO Clutch for Resistance!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Explanation on why the switch melted; In an electrical circuit, if Voltage remains the same, and resistance is decreased, amperage increases. Here's a textbook definition: "Voltage equals the amperage multiplied by the resistance in a circuit. If the voltage remains constant and the resistance is dropped, the amperage across the circuit must increase." Essentially, with a short to ground there is little to no resistance, as electricity takes the path of least resistance. So because the 12v from the battery (around 14v from the magneto/charing system when the engine is running) stays the same, this is what increases the amps in the circuit! This increased amperage overloads the wires, and this is what melts the switch, then causes failure. On the flip side, if you test your PTO clutch and it has more than 4ohms, you could have corrosion on your connector (possibly caused by water/moisture) which would increase the resistance and could cause issues.

[@judytwyne5748]

Alc

[@JShep-yu3ki]

3+ years later and your video is still providing answers to us DIYers. Thanks

[@chadfield376]

Yep, I agree; I enjoy watching Eliminator’s vids as he gives a no nonsense approach as to what steps to do in diagnosing these typical mower issues. About to do the same testing with a no power PTO on a Snapper ZT I am in the process of getting running again for a hopeful flip:-)

[@sarahc270]

Our Cub has been sitting for about 4 years because it started smoking. Hubby had already burnt motor up and had to replace it. Then got frustrated and pushes it in the corner of the barn. Buys new mower. Here we are.. new mower needs a new part and I miss the cub. So I tow it up to the garage and start taking it apart looking for melted wires. I find an old broken pto switch in the cup holder...examined it..melted. Then I pulled apart the newer one and it was starting to melt as well. Watched your video... I have no mechanical smarts what-so-ever! But you made it very simple. I am getting ready to take my fluke and check out the readings. Guarantee I need a new clutch. THANK YOU.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Good luck!

[@daleleishman4106]

Wow! Thank you for spending some time to explain your process and how things work on this PTO. I've watched a ton of different KZbin videos on fixing things. Sometimes the instructor doesn't go into detail on multi-meter settings or how the part should function like you've done here. Very well done!

[@jefftaylor947]

Just got a free John Deere, and this is extremely helpful in my troubleshooting it! Runs great, however now I know how to start testing the PTO clutch ohms. Many thanks

[@orvilleortiz8616]

Good video,very detailed, I'm a rookie on this but with this kind of videos I'll be a pro in no time....I'm a very quick learner....Its freaking 9:40pm now and I ran to my shed to grab my Fluke116 to check the pto switch and tomorrow I'll be checking the clutch for sure...I was given a John Deere m665 zero trak for free in very good condition but obviously has issues with the PTO, one was replaced with oem pto and it worked once,so I assumed it needs a new clutch....thanks for the video!!!! GREAT JOB!!!!!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching, and good luck! I also have a video on how to properly adjust the PTO clutch: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nouxen-NptKWe8k

[@orvilleortiz8616]

Hey I got it running thanks to your video,checked,I checked the PTO clutch and it had 2.5 ohns and I bought the PTO switch with higher amps and it worked perfect....blades engaged and I already sold it which was my intention.....

[@bobbycreech5217]

@@EliminatorPerformance p

[@kazparzyxzpenualt8111]

I have been chasing gremlins with my friends DR brush hog and this video really helps me take off the gloves and get down to business. Thanks! No click on the PTO, seems shorted, wires get hot right away. Ohm test ...Good to know!

[@bobbycreech5217]

I'm .0

[@hphillips7425]

Good video 👍. Informative and precise. It is a pleasure to run across a video like this. I am sick of video's that are 10 minutes long with 1 minute of information. I don't care if a fast food place made your burger wrong or your dog is having a bad day

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@marcoalvarez5682]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha right on point

[@charliesmith2285]

This video is such a life saver. Literally explains so much. I love trying to fix things myself and I couldn't find the short after my Scag was blowing fuses!

[@Purosanluispotosi]

I have a problem today on my exmark zero turn I was cutting and they stop working and I trun that switch and nothing no noise either I wonder wath is my problem

[@charliesmith2285]

@@Purosanluispotosi check fuses. If fuses are blowing it’s possible this is the issue. It was for sure my issue after blowing fuses and burning out a pto switch. This video saved me. Replaced the electric pto clutch and it works great.

[@Purosanluispotosi]

Ok I’m going to look for that fuses my machine is old so I’m going to try to find that fuses thank u very much

[@customcutter100]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. My clutch on my Gravely 460 has been shutting off after 10-15 minutes of mowing for the last few months. It finally quit all together a few days ago. Between this video and the one on air gapping and a few other YTubers I was able to determine that the air gap was over .025" I tightened it up to .020" and it works like new! Saved me over $500. Thanks again

[@michaelwinterrowd9097]

Please share link on air gap video

[@customcutter100]

@@michaelwinterrowd9097 take your pick. kzbin.info?search_query=pto+clutch+air+gap+adjustment+

[@progers5019]

Your video was very helpful. You did a great job explaining things. I'm in the middle of replacing the elec clutch on my husq yth-2348 and purchased the same after market clutch from extreme. I'm concerned about using the round anti spin rod vs ordering a newer design flat steel type with more hold surface. My anti spin rod popped out of the hole twice. I had been hearing a singing noise with a slight grind sound for a good while (rather loud only at times) After ohming out the clutch leads found it to be only .002 which is close to zero. It ripped my repaired wires loose twice before I found the anti-spin rod popped out. Anyway I now have the new clutch in hand. I'm not a mechanic but try to fix my own stuff and am usually successful. I do the research and watch videos when available, then go do it. Videos like yours are so helpful to DIY"ers. Thanks

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Anytime!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

In my 1st video, when swapping the PTO switch did nothing, I moved on to the safety switches and sure enough it was the left reverse switch that was bad. He never told me he melted a switch before so when I tested the PTO clutch, I just did a 12v test to see if it engaged. Once it engaged I knew it worked, so that's why I moved on to testing safety switches. Jumping the reverse switch solved the issue, so the original PTO switch was plugged back in. Had I of done a resistance test then and there, I would've seen the PTO clutch also had to be replaced. Live and learn!

[@johnsonslawnserviceministr4038]

Eliminator Performance How about if your PTO clutch registers 07.1

[@FanOWater]

Great, thorough video. I ended up having a different problem (frayed wire that was hard to spot), but watching this triggered the idea that led to the solution.

[@charliesmith2285]

I had a frayed wire right at the pto clutch which in turn I believe burned my clutch out internally. I definitely had both issues whether or not the frayed wire cause the clutch to short out or not.

[@timothyphaff4088]

AWESOME BECAUSE of No BS ING around!!! Right to the point, fast and simple...Thank You, sir...

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching Timothy!

[@ricker752]

I have a pto from extreme coming in. I watched a video from extreme and they talk about burnishing the new pto. Series of engaging and disengaging the pto numerous times before using to cut grass.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yes at half throttle, you "break it in" so to speak.

[@artichoke60045]

Great video. A small correction about voltage, current and resistance. A short = low resistance = high current, and that's the problem. v = i r. Power (rate of energy dissipation) = vi = v^2 / r . Since you have a fixed 12V from your battery, this is the right formula to use. v = 12 volts, so the lower r gets, the more energy is dissipated and the hotter everything gets. There's nothing intermittent, nothing to do with rust or squeezing a garden hose (that's a nice analogy for different physical principles not this one.)

[@geoffrundlett1697]

Yeah, worth reshooting the video because the statements are actually 180 degrees out of synch with reality. Resistance decreases amperage with a constant voltage supply. A short or reduced resistance increases amperage. Entirely different explanation is that resistance DOES cause energy dissipation often in the form of heat, so corrosion at the switch which represents resistance could cause heat build-up which could be enough to cause melting.

[@kazparzyxzpenualt8111]

And this is why I always try to read and evaluate all the comments! Thanks!

[@kazparzyxzpenualt8111]

And this is why I always try to read and evaluate all the comments! Thanks

[@kiddiescripterkiller]

One other nice thing about the Extreme PTO... some models have it where you can replace just the bearings only with a circlip, whereas the oem versions, they can't be replaced without a lot of careful grinding because they dimple the top and sometimes the bottom bearing into place.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Excellent point, thanks for watching!

[@todds7614]

if you have a press they push right out you just have to use a punch to bend the metal back in to hold the bearings and use high quality bearings or wont last

[@garyknirr8209]

Thanks for the video. I have a PTO that PEGS my Amp Meter when I engage the PTO. I'm headed out to check the PTO resistance. I liked your explanation for current. I use similar when explaining to train engineers. You have max thumbs up on this video.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching Gary! And on this particular PTO clutch, it had an intermittent short to ground so when I tested, the resistance was low, but would Spike occasionally which would've melted the switch. Like my customer said, he replaced the switch and it worked for 2 weeks then the resistance spiked and he melted the switch. I haven't heard from him since replacement of clutch, so all is well!

[@markblack59]

P.S. That was a good instructional vid.It was as if you were a classroom instructor. Good job bro

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thank you!

[@kujtimtonuzi9274]

That was a very informative video. Precision information and technique. Wondering if you have any videos on difficult PTO removal. Anyway, thank you. Excellent.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Put a divot in the bolt, loosen it, then use an air hammer. I'll probably film a video on that this summer!

[@mrbumblehill4596]

Solved my melting switch problem on my Ferris, THANKS!

[@jamesmacdonnell4085]

@ mrbumblehill4596 I have a Ferris also, z3x 52” 37 vanguard oil guard stander. What model do you have & how old/hours did your clutch break down? Did you replace with oem ogura, I hear Ferris oem parts are a long wait to get. Thank you in advance. Jim

[@tonymayhew191]

Nothing but solid information brother! Thank you very kindly!😉

[@imakeitgreen3777]

I like how u show the multi meter and the setting of the meter.

[@boatanchors6652]

Thank's so much for the detailed video on the PTO Clutch. I had a PTO switch that got hot and melted so I replaced it not knowing that the cause of my problem was indeed the PTO clutch. I measured mine like you showed and was only reading 00.8 ohms not 3-4 ohms. Indeed bad, so ordered the Xtreme for mine as well. thanks Man very well done and informative video. Thumbs Up

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for the kind words, and thanks for watching!

[@jamesbartlett2340]

How do you repair gear driven on a lawn boy snowblower on KZbin

[@prouddaddyglenpool4926]

Thank you. You saved me $600 dollars thank you.

[@travelingkaspersworld4096]

We overlooked this. Switched a switch yesterday but went home pondering whether the classic mistake was made. Replace a part but overlook the cause of the failure? So back to the clutch to check it. Thanks for the video.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@travelingkaspersworld4096]

Thanks to you,..@@EliminatorPerformance Is there any source for acceptable ohms on these clutches? Thanks again,

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Normally the tolerances are 2-4 ohms. Additionally, you can also check the gap between the magnetic clutch. Depending on the hp of your machine, there will be different tolerances. Here's some info: ogura-clutch.com/air-gap-adjustment.php

[@travelingkaspersworld4096]

Thank you very much. I checked mine and it reads 5 then falls to 3 each time. However this machine burned a switch. I have not run it on the new switch. @@EliminatorPerformance

[@sunnybeach4837]

Best clutch video on the internet

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Appreciate that

[@mrbrown6421]

Excellent. Thank you. 2-4 ohms average. Got it.

[@fast68chevy]

good stuff. wrking on a cub cadet zero turn with eletyric PTO clutch hub intermittent engagement failure issue. going ot check resistance of clutch first and then air gap if resistance checks out. and also condition of PTO switch. and replace it if needed. a couple days ago i didnt have any idea there were electric engaged pto clutches on these now i know more than i ever thought i would or could wow.. hmm.. now i am armed with pretty much all the info i need to test diagnose etc this one. great. my multi/voltage meter/tester and here we go.. in the morning..

[@waynestefinashen239]

5 Stars for Extreme PTO's have used them before just a tip for all you Eliminators you should have your RPM's or throttle at 1/2 speed before engaging your PTO switch then throttle up before cutting. This will ensure your PTO clutch lasts a long time. Great video i am sure many people just swap out switches before checking the amperage draw on the PTO clutch.

[@jamesbomar3903]

Thanks for the info. I did not know this.

[@waynestefinashen239]

Your welcome, this information was on the flyer from Extreme and it makes sense like slamming on the brakes of a vehicle from either 100 mph or 50 mph . Which brake pads stand up longer?

[@dovetunes]

Great video. My clutch wasn't working so I tested the resistance and it was only 1.3. But then I followed your other video and adjusted the gap, and it is working fine now. Any reason not to run it? I don't want to burn out my stater or something.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

No it'll be fine if it's gapped properly

[@akzoc]

I would think you'd want to use aluminum anti-seize rather than nickel. The aluminum is less noble than nickel, so the anti-seize will corrode preferentially. Nickel anti-seize would be expected to corrode less noble materials around it. Admittedly, the amount of nickel probably is not enough to drive corrosion on adjoining, less noble materials. However, theoretically . . . Correct me if I'm wrong. Thx for the vid. Very helpful !!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

@@akzoc zinc is less noble than aluminum but aluminum is less noble than copper. I always use nickel anti seize on aluminum/steel, I've never had any issues. I have used copper on steel exhaust studs that interface steel nuts, however, I have since learned that nickel anti seize has a higher heat rating so I almost exclusively use nickel pretty much everywhere.

[@TheLawnCareLifeinMowssouri]

Thanks a lot for the video! Checking out my VENTRAC after the PTO disengaged while running the Tough Cut deck. Just checked the Clutch and it’s reading .5 ohms! Looks like it is time for a new one! This video was definitely helpful!!! 👍👍👍

[@brianmills4891]

Just had a similar issue with my finish mower. I had been noticing that the charging system was not making its normal 13.9 or 14 V when PTO running. Then yesterday I blew the PTO 15 amp fuse. I figured there was an issue with something, but when I did put an extra one in just to make sure it was not a fluke, and it blew that after just a few minutes. Do you think the extra draw from the faulty clutch could be related to the charging issue? I’ve got the 4500k, did you get your clutch from ventrac or aftermarket ?

[@rongaudelli7379]

Fantastic video. Saved me a ton of time on the repair and it worked perfectly.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching Ron!

[@robertflum444]

Please tell us what the multimeter ohm readings should be for each pair of PTO switch blades when PTO switch is on and off. Your coverage of the safety switches is great, but although you tell us you tested the PTO switch, you don't show it.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

As close to 0 ohms is ideal. A switch should have little to no resistance at all.

[@rayaratkon1654]

Hi, you do very good videos! i have a john deere ride on when i start the engine automatically the pto is activated with the blades running it only turns off when i turn off the engine i tested the pto with altimeter it gave me 4.7 oms. will it be that the pto is burned inside? 

[@EliminatorPerformance]

So the issue could be with the PTO clutch yes, but it also seems like your pto switch could be melted and it's engaged all the time which isn't good

[@DLJJBJones-pp2cd]

Excellent video, well done sir

[@zood62]

You want to point out that 13.5 volts are necessary going into that new clutch before putting it back into service. Measured at the clutch with PTO engaged. Zero volts disengaged,13.5 +/- engaged. If it's only battery voltage at that new clutch it will fail.

[@randybeard6040]

The Lawnmower Clutch is an Extreme Magnetic Lock that Ties Crank Output Shaft of Lawnmower Engine to Cutting Deck, it Takes One Hell of a Grip when Engaged thus its Cost is Relatively High compared to other Parts...

[@rickeybernard1412]

My Blades cut off when I pull the pto

[@hotratz69]

Explanation of resistance versus current flow (amps) is backwards. Resistance is opposition to current flow. More resistance, less current flow or AMPS. Think of a short circuit as NO resistance and you get big sparks. Think of the air gap between two contacts or wires as infinite resistance, No sparks. And everything in between.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Good explanation, yes I definitely got it backwards and have pinned a comment to better explain. My explanation of Amps being affected by Resistance is actually backwards in this video! Voltage equals the amperage multiplied by the resistance in a circuit, if the voltage remains constant and the resistance is dropped, the amperage across the circuit must increase. Essentially, with a short to ground there is little to no resistance, and because the 12v from the battery (around 14v from the magneto when the engine is running) stays the same, this is what increases the amps in the circuit! This is what melts the switch, and causes failure. At least the video still shows how to properly test a PTO clutch, even if my science was a little off!

[@chrisssmallengines3456]

Good video, We are all human this is something that a lot of people would over look. I would have done all the same things am surprised that there is no fuse in the circuit.

[@kazparzyxzpenualt8111]

Good point. One more fuse, OR A BREAKER EVEN BETTER! What could go wrong?

[@philliphall5198]

Great information and advice Thank You

[@berniebittinger9154]

Gonna go buy an ohmmeter & check out my cub cadet 2186. Pto won’t engage when engine warn. Local guy worked on it twice & put new pto switch on it & repaired a broken green wire on pto switch. Problem came about after a 200 mile trip home on a trailer. Thank you for your videos, you make it simple for the average guy to fix basic problems.

[@George1mac]

Well, my 2010 toro Z master just stopped spinning the blades...no sound...no nothing....checked under the rear and the wiring harness hookup at the clutch was tattered....ordered a new harness, and it engaged....mowed several times and it quit again....this time, I noted the new harness had melted on the negative terminal at the jxn of the clutch and harness....I did check the actual switch and it is not melted....it appears you may have diagnosed my problem......only thing I need to do now is check with the multimeter........We'll see about that..........THANKS!!!................well, I checked the clutch....reads 2.3, so maybe need to go check the actual pto switch for contunity, but still it would now seem if it was bad, why would wire melt at the clutch?

[@rick4321]

Hi. My mower deck quit in the middle of my yard. It would not engage when I pulled the switch so I put a new switch on and that wasn't it. I just pulled the PTO and tested and i'm getting between 8 and 10. Does that mean that is my problem? Just making sure before I order. Thank-You

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Anything other than 2-4 means you have a bad pto clutch, if you're testing resistance in ohms as the connector on the clutch like in the video

[@rick4321]

@@EliminatorPerformance Thanx

[@brandonoh777]

i have a Dixon 0 turn and lately when i engage the pto it wants to kill the engine. 1st thought it was the mower deck bound up but it does the same thing with the belt completely off the PTO pulley...so i took off the PTO and ohm tested it... i get about .5-.6 ohms but when i hook the pto up to a 12V bat it engages. but i felt the wires getting warm. so i put an ammeter in the circuit and it was drawing about 18-20 amps with the pto engaged that seems super high?...which makes scene with the really low resistance. Only thing i can think of is, that high amp drawl is demanding a lot from the alternator winding on the crank shaft and thats what causing the heavy resistance and killing the engine? bit of a head scratchier....but i ordered a new PTO

[@wolf2351]

Gteat job. Thanks for the info. My mower starts fine and the PTO engages but after a while, the pto will stop working and im getting a burning plastic smell. Ill check both the pto switch and the pto itself.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@aikendrum1518]

Great video, but your description of voltage resistance and current is exactly wrong. There must be an internal intermittent short on/in the solenoid

[@Smalltechguy]

Thanks for having the same multi meter as I do and showing the settings. I've got a craftsman ZTL 8000 doing the exact same thing. I told the guy that it could be more than just a switch and possibly a relay. He's very impatient. So I purchased a new clutch and still the blades won't engage. I thought maybe a ignition switch since his has to be double pumped to crank the engine.

[@acoustic4037]

At 4:02 - A short to ground should actually reduce resistance and give electricity an alternate path. You're right that it could be intermittent. I'm guessing the internal short was intermittent at first. I like your thinking here but I would be against electron theory to say resistance can be increased by creating another parallel path to follow. You can verify this with Ohm's law. Resistance path A plus resistance path B equals the sum of the reciprocal of both. I'm not perfect, correct me if I'm wrong (with sources cited). Thanks for posting the video I've learned some stuff about these clutches.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

A Short to Ground should reduce resistance, but it's not always the case. It all depends on the circuit, the resistance of the windings, and then the ground (in this case the base of the PTO Clutch). Based on my findings (PTO engage switch that would work for a couple weeks then burn out) it had to be an intermittent issues. The only way the PTO switch would melt like it did, would be from increased amperage in the circuit. Everything else was fine, so process of elimination told me it was the Clutch itself causing the amp draw, thus overheating the weakest part (the switch). We could say we're both right, or both wrong, but at the end of the day, things in a book or on the internet don't always tell us the full story. I find that every machine is always different in the smallest ways. With the new PTO Clutch installed, my customer hasn't had any issues since! Thanks for watching!

[@jimacheson4933]

Great video, clear and to the point. Thanks!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@martinmoffitt4702]

not to beat you up..because it is a very good well explained video.. but why did you not test this PTO fully from the get go....you would have been able to see that the weak link was the PTO all along..and saved time and money for everyone..ESP YOU! thank you and be well!!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

In my defense the PTO worked for weeks to months at a time, so I'm assuming it had to of been an intermittent short to ground causing the resistance to be more or less. But yes, we resistance test them all now, not just 12v test.

[@bkmeisenburg6787]

Great video. Thanks. Having similar issue with my Cub Cadet.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@bkmeisenburg6787]

@@EliminatorPerformance Thanks for your help. Although Im having some trouble. The switch seems to check out in terms of continuity. The new clutch measures 3.8 so right where I need to be. The blades engaged twice for less than 5 seconds each. Any ideas? It's a hand me down mower so I don't have a ton into it. But I don't want to throw good money after bad ya know?! Maybe it's a ground fault somewhere? Do you know where I can get detailed wiring diagrams to go through it. I figure during the pandemic, I've got more time than money! Besides, my eight year old loves working on it. Thanks!!!

[@bkmeisenburg6787]

Eliminator Performance turns out it was the reverse switch. $10 fix. Too bad I had already bought a new clutch for over $150. Oh well. 🤣🤣

[@steveandrews8313]

Great video for a problem I’m having. Only complaint is the amount of ads.

[@HokieJuju]

Excellent video!!! Thank u so much for this, it really helped me out. I have a question that u might be able to answer. Is it possible to replace the bearings on the pulley on a clutch like this?? The electric clutch is working fine, but the pulley has gotten very hard to turn so I’m assuming the bearings are bad. I hate to fork out the $ on a whole new clutch if I can just replace the bearings on the pulley but I don’t want to start tearing it apart only to find out it’s a lot more complex in there. 🤦‍♀️ Thanks again for your help!!

[@EliminatorPerformance]

I'm sure it's possible, but I've never done it before. Maybe some digging on youtube could help, as I'm afraid I can't help much with that specific fix! Thanks for watching!

[@HokieJuju]

@@EliminatorPerformance No worries!!! Thanks to your video I discovered the clutch has high resistance so I’m probably going to have to replace the whole thing. I was going to try to limp this mower through one more cut before winter but I might not be able to do that. 😩 Over the winter I’m going to put a new motor in my zero turn & then I won’t need this other mower anymore, so it’s crappy timing for the clutch & pulley to crap out!!! Thank u for responding though!!

[@cacodaemon1]

My clutch wires are still connected to the clutch but got separated from the red / black wires that ran to it. However, both of the wires coming from the clutch are green with no way to see any difference between them. How to I find out which of the green cables is positive and negative?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Most, if not all electric PTO clutches are "non polarized" meaning there is no negative or positive. Hook up your probes anyway you want.

[@philliphall5198]

Other thing is you must have a good battery, don’t boost off battery and expect alt will charge it up while mowing, low voltage will damage clutch also

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yes that's an excellent point, if I ever get one in that has that issue I'll do a video on that. It's kind of like a vehicle in a sense, the alternator itself isn't enough to run the system so you need the battery, but without the alternator the clutch would kill the battery.

[@Mr.Big-Gunz]

Damn,,....i wish you lived in my neighborhood cause my mower's FUBAR...my pto will engage but then it keeps popping back off, it won't stay engaged but a couple of minuets then it keeps kicking out again and again...it's a MZ52 Husqvarna with the Kohler engine...

[@nighthawk7921]

"On the flip side, if you test your PTO clutch and it has more than 4ohms, you could have corrosion on your connector (possibly caused by water/moisture) which would increase the resistance and could cause issues." .... So if your PTO is measuring 6.7 ohms. Would it the FIX be to take the connector apart and clean the terminals & use some anti corrosion grease on the connector. OR is the Corrosion you are speaking of be actually INSIDE the wiring of the PTO itself? Would the GAP being off Cause the OHM's reading to be HIGH or even LOW?

[@Discophreak]

If you machine does not have a 12v battery, what voltage would engage the clutch? It is obviously running on magneto electricity, but what do I test for on incoming wires to see if the problem is before or at PTO?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Well theoretically you could unplug the pto clutch, start the engine with the brake engaged and pull the pto switch, you should have some Voltage at the plug going to the pto clutch

[@Discophreak]

@@EliminatorPerformance I did... bypassed all safety switches and it was about 28v DC when I threw the switch. I was hoping it was a wiring harness/safety switch issue but the voltage right before the PTO goes from 1v to 28v when the PTO switch is pulled. Pretty sure it is the clutch. New clutch from John Deere on a 36" walk behind? $811 + tax....unbelievable.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

@@Discophreak check out Xtreme pto clutches, they're less expensive and have good build quality

[@gadasavideos8564]

I just tested one and has 3.5 ohms, so looks good. It's not in a mower so my first test was going to be just to apply 12v and see if coil clicked. Not having battery handy I tried my booster pack. I use it a lot when I have no battery by putting it in override mode . In this case the booster gives an error light as soon as I touch 2nd terminal. I'm guessing it sees even 3.5 ohms as a short.

[@thomgarza]

Any tips on how to make the crankshaft stationary so I can remove bolt off the bottom shaft (main deck drive pulley on LA 140 John Deere )?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Easiest way is to get someone to hold the flywheel up top! I just did a video on John Deere 325 Engine Removal, and showed how to loosen a seized PTO Clutch bolt using an air hammer. You can check it out if you'd like: kzbin.info/www/bejne/hZ6XnHuooKiFiNE

[@thomgarza]

@@EliminatorPerformance 10-4. Thanks for such a prompt reply.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

I always try to reply as best I can, cheers!

[@thomgarza]

@@EliminatorPerformance I'm an older guy and I need to say this; your YT video's are some of the first that I've viewed that are spot on as to content, movement, edit and camera angles. I worked in Cryogenic Valves and help write an ISO 9001 Manual for the business which is extremely technical. Its a pleasure to see a younger guy who totally "gets it". Thanks again.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

@@thomgarza thanks for the kind words, always try to be professional. I tend to talk quite a bit in some of my vids, but usually it's because there's good info I like to get across. And my father wrote up ISO 9001 manuals for the closed die forging industry, I know how much of a pain that can be!

[@Huntersprojects]

HELP I’m not sure what to do I was mowing with my simplicity regent hydro 14 I just fixed and the clutch like blew up it started grinding and the mower wouldn’t shut off what should I do I left it in my yard I’ve never had a mower with an electric PTO

[@xincarceratedx]

My PTO doesn't make any clicking noise or any noise at all when I attempt to engage it. I noticed it was very much so not all of the way on before this happened, like the bolt on the bottom only was on my a couple threads. I've since put back on with thread locker and turned it, but still no noise or anything when engaging. Suggesting?

[@davidis3001]

Very nice video.like all the details and info.thks for going through it all and not leaving things out

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Glad you liked it

[@doncook3584]

Love these awesome videos. Money savers

[@BradHudsonhudson]

Good video but you forgot the most important part. After installing new clutch you need to varnish the new one before operating. Start off low idle and engage pto for 1 seconds and turn off let blades stop than engage 10 times. Do this at half throttle and full throttle.

[@EliminatorPerformance]

@@BradHudsonhudson yes it's called burnishing the clutch, and we do it with every one.

[@km376]

Is this lawn mower or are you basing this off of a automatic PTO or a manual PTO my Cub Cadet has a cable and it is a manual PTO cable that goes to the deck if my PTO broke at the lever where I engage the blades would that be a bad PTO cable or is there such thing as a manual PTO going bad if it's operated by a manual cable and lever what I'm basically trying to do is replace the PTO cable which I don't work on lawn mowers but it's very transparent it's very simple just to connect connect connect connect connect the cable but I didn't want to spend the money on the PTO cable which I seen The Leverage is broke the that connects to the lever that pushes down to on the side of the lawn mower is broke off but I didn't know if there was something causing it to break other than a bad PTO cable or could something else be wrong the lawn mower cranks it moves forward backwards and does everything except the lever is loose it is broke off but I just wondered if there was anything else underneath the deck that could cause this PTO cable to go bad or not move if any of this makes sense this is my first time dealing with anything on the lawn mower

[@markblack59]

Chris, you didn't mention if you burnish the clutch or not.I. too replaced Warner clutch on a bad boy with extreme and I had to burnish the clutch before putting aload on it or it would have void the warranty

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Mark Black The instructions said to use upper washer and lower spacer, without a lock washer, and engage 10times on half throttle then retorque bolt. Failure to do so would void warranty. I always do whatever the manufacturer suggests (which is why I took the time to call them in the 1st place).

[@tjsilverjones]

Just wanted to point out mine (exactly the same clutch) has a resistance of 3.4(which seems fine) but has conductivity between both hot and ground. When I did my 12v check there was no clicking on, only sparks coming from the wires when they touched the battery. Dead short but the resistance check showed it was in tolerance.

[@sallytruss4372]

Had all the symptoms, new clutch, switch wiring still getting hot --- was getting 5.5 from the engine , put on new voltage regulator-- now 4.4---- which is above the 4.0 threshold for the clutch. It’s a20 year old exmark 60 inch o turn. Can the problem be aging components internally pushing too much past the voltage regulator? Thanks, Martin

[@johnthorp4546]

Well explained and great video!👍

[@ElliottPattersonTrains]

Can I get a link to where he got a this clutch from I am running into the same issue need to replace the clutch

[@mythreepigs520]

Excellent , helped me determine my pto clutch was bad , I knew it was but tested with my ohm meter to confirm and just like your test reading 00.5 Mine was same 00.5 , very well explained and excellent visuals thank you . Jim

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching!

[@Gods-Elect]

I thought once installed you were sopposed to turn it on & off a few times to brake it in didn't see you do that a'm I wrong?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

You are correct, I engaged and disengaged the clutch 10 times at half throttle to "burnish" the PTO clutch, I just didn't mention it in the video.

[@Gods-Elect]

@@EliminatorPerformance Thanks for the quick replay.

[@yaryar1976]

Had a mower given to me. B-inlaw had a wrench drop onto the battery while he was mowing and shorted things out. The shop didn’t quite get it figured out. I’m guessing the pto might be the most expensive electrical piece on it?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yea, but he may have just blown a fuse

[@arkbak1333]

My PTO switch is good. But my PTO will not engage. I checked the PTO clutch as you instructed in the video. Mine is 5.2 ohms. Could it be a faulty PTO clutch?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Could be!

[@philrouillard1982]

My simplicity when engaging the pto it may wait 5 to 10sec when first time when mowing. Then it is fine for the most part. ???

[@tomgaffy9434]

Do you use factory manuals for diagrams and detail theory of operations?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

As much as I can yes

[@tomgaffy9434]

@@EliminatorPerformance: Thanks I think you are really knowledgeable. I'm an older person looking to learn to repair items as a retirement job.

[@stevelebsack7724]

I have a toro time cutter that will mow fine for 30 minutes then the engine will start to die but if I turn off the clutch the engine smooths out and runs fine. Any ideas?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Turning off the PTO clutch takes load off the engine, sounds like a fueling or coil heatsoak issue. Flush your fuel lines, I've seen dead bugs floating in fuel tanks get sucked into a line and cause a shut down after so many minutes

[@dans4270]

Thanks for the video, very informative 👍🏿

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Thanks for watching Dan!

[@dans4270]

@@EliminatorPerformance hey question for you. Mine is getting 12.6 volts, the clutch engages, it's continuity is 3.6 but it still won't turn the blades. What gives?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

@@dans4270 check the armature air gap? If the clutch is too far from the battery it may not be engaging? Watch this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nouxen-NptKWe8k

[@dans4270]

@@EliminatorPerformance ok thanks. This just happened after running over a nice sized rock my kids left out for me lol Bend the blade about 4 inches.

[@onjisan]

So if i have one thats 1.6ohms, does that mean its bad? Symptom is that I cant disengage it with the switch (already replaced switch, same issue)

[@EliminatorPerformance]

1.6ohms is within spec, I'd check the armature air gap, I have a video on how to gap a PTO clutch. Other than that, you may have an issue where it's always being supplied 12v, I would check wiring.

[@onji]

@@EliminatorPerformance Thanks so much. I'll look up your air gap video! I also found that while all of this is happening, the seat switch isnt killing the connection when its released. Its a 4 pin switch. I did test it, and I found that theres continuity on the outside pins, and the inside when the switch is not depressed. When depressing there's no continuity on anything.I ordered one for the heck of it. We'll see

[@brianschrier6193]

What is the root cause of the problem? I've got a Scag & it has eaten a blade clutch every couple years.

[@hlanceboyd]

so i thought my clutch was shorted, but I bought a new one and got a 0 when I tested the resistance, so I guess either my multimeter is bad or I am doing something wrong.

[@SEAL7471]

If the wire that connects to the clutch is giving a signal whenever the pto switch is on and stops giving a signal when when off, does this mean the problem is for sure the clutch? If the signal is getting to the clutch fine but the clutch isn't doing its job , so it has to be clutch right?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

If you measure 12v at those wires when the PTO switch is on (with the key on and parking brake on) and your PTO Clutch doesn't engage, then yes it could be a clutch issue. However, it may also need to be adjusted (the magnet could be too far away to engage the clutch) I have a video on that here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/nouxen-NptKWe8k

[@SEAL7471]

@@EliminatorPerformance Ok thanks man

[@toenails.]

What was your ohm reading on the bad clutch? Just wondering thanks

[@am6066]

Have any idea what the current pull is on a normal PTO?

[@LarryReynolds591]

Okay but what if the old pto clutch ohms out just fine and you're still melting switches???

[@wesavelawns2406]

Hey thanks for the video .I've been searching all over trying to get some info. So I have a Scag V ride . I accidentally left my key switch on for 4 days. I went to use the mower and it would not start so I took the battery and charged it. The mower started right up but now when I pull the PTO switch and does not click and the blades take like 10 to 20 seconds to turn on. So I checked to make sure the wires were pushed into the socket,it seemed to be fine. Any idea what this could be. I would appreciate your help thank you.

[@Theyralltakenfu]

Those Scag mowers are awesome, hope you got it fixed right a way.

[@jmvenus]

So what if I have No Ohm reading on my electric clutch? That would mean it’s open. So does that mean the clutch is good??

[@jmvenus]

I’m getting No Ohms reading, not 0 ohms.

[@damianferro]

I have tested my PTO on the machine, and the tester is showing 03.2 ohmz. could it be bad contact between the switch and the plug, or the plug at the clutch itself?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Yes very likely! If the PTO clutch tests good (between 2-4 ohms) then the connector most likely could have corrosion, or a bad connection at the switch!

[@bryannabb0]

What if the resistance is high and it won't engage when voltage applied?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

Could be corrosion due to water/moisture inside. That would cause high resistance and negatively affect the circuit. Check connections too for corrosion

[@bryannabb0]

Ok. Thank you for the info. I'm afraid I'm going to have to pull the motor to get the PTO off. Trying to test all I can before having to do that.

[@rapidride2]

I had previously burnt out a pto switch. I replaced that. Then it blew fuses. Using the fluke meter correctly the pto measures 0 (zero) ohms yet it audibly clicks and locks up when attempted to turn by hand. Any ideas?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

It should be 2-4ohms. So if your Voltage remains constant (12-14v) and your resistance decreases, your amperage goes up. This is why you're melting switches and blowing fuses. The fuses aren't rated for the high amps in the circuit. You need a new pto clutch.

[@1AloneX2]

best instructional video!

[@RCThis]

My scag PTO measured 2.2 ohm. I hope that's a good reading. If the ohm reading goes higher does it mean its beginning to go out?

[@ksredsfan]

would a problem in pto clutch even though its engaging would it slow engine like a bogging loss of power feeling?

[@Jesusfreak39]

i replaced my pto clutch it reads 4.2 oems and i replaced switch it was reading ,50 oems suppose been 13-14 i pop switch nothing happens i have a hth42xp Husqvarna

[@richardb7093]

The resistance on my new PTO Clutch Simplicity 1708536SM (Warner OEM) measured 7.1 as did the resistance on the original Warner PTO I was replacing. The old PTO would not engage the blades after it was running until it cooled down. I purchased the Simplicity in 1998..Resistance must differ?

[@jojohawkins6512]

I engaged my pto..and sparks started coming from the pto clutch..?? Any suggestions?

[@EliminatorPerformance]

I'd recommend checking the air gap 1st, here's a video on how to check and adjust that; kzbin.info/www/bejne/nouxen-NptKWe8k

[@Z-Ack]

Instead of using the lower powered 12v battery, remove it and take your positive and negative terninals and connect them both to a stove electrical cord and connect an additional wire from the frame to the ground wire of the plug.. then get a video camera to record the victory startup

[@clarkhislop5329]

5.1 is to high can it be adjusted ? or do i replace ?