522xi: Mechanic disabled charging system, quoted $500 to fix

[Boyd W 0]

Fall of 2017 I went to start my 522xi which rotated then I heard a clunk and ran on one cylinder. Tractor had around 350 hours on it. June 2018 I finally got enough money to pay for someone to fix it. Mechanic I trusted retired from doing small engines. I called around getting quotes of 4-6 weeks before we can work on your tractor, except 2 weeks from a shop I’d never brought anything to before and I picked him. Over the phone he guessed that 1 or 2 lifters stuck and bent pushrods. He described removing the engine from the tractor and replacing lifters and pushrods and a few gaskets. Quoted me around $500. Upon bringing tractor to him I said that the right rear tire has a slow leak and he would have to add air to it 1-2 times while he has it. A week later he called and said it’s done. I arrived to get it and he first said let’s load it up. I was puzzled by this as I hadn’t paid for the repairs yet. We loaded it. Inside he says: oh by the way that leaking rear tire, I put a tube in it. ($93 I see later on the bill, he never called for authorization to do that). Next he says: “oh by the way you are going to start to go through batteries”. I asked why? He said “because it’s not charging at the stator”. Right then in my mind I was thinking “something is up” but didn’t speak it. I asked “how much to fix that”? He said “oh, uhh about five hundred dollars”. I paid the $600 bill and left. Initially I thought he was incompetent but later guessed since he made the unauthorized repair of the RR tire that he purposely sabotaged the charging system. Sure enough I started going through batteries and had to switch to a small car battery, I’m on my 4th one. I was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease in 2013 which has been quite a battle. I have a fair amount of mechanical knowledge, a lot of  manuals for the Toro 5xi tractors. On other forums people have suggested that the stator likely didn’t fail with so few hours on it. I’m guessing that the mechanic left some wires unhooked that he could easily hookup if I was dumb enough to ever let him touch anything of mine. I have: service manual, owners manual, parts manual. Any suggestions of what to start checking for wires left unhooked? I’ve left the appropriate reviews for him on Google, Angi.com both of my YouTube channels and I’ve told neighbors, friends and coworkers what he did and suggested to them to never bring anything to ____. I already gave him a nickname. 

[Boyd W 0]

And I should clarify the charging system was working fine before he touched it. 

[Pullstart 65,749]

Sorry to hear of your struggles.  The charging systems on these tractors aren’t that complicated.  Since the Lyme disease, are you able to do light wrenching?  Maybe have someone come help you?  Neighbor kid looking to learn something maybe?

[lynnmor 7,703]

Do you have the engine service manual?  Does it show the procedure for checking the stator?  Typically you check the AC volts at the regulator, but I haven't looked up what engine you have and I don't know the year of the tractor.

 

Exactly what was the issue with the engine?  Why were you not keeping the battery charged instead of buying new?

[953 nut 59,216]

As @lynnmor said, the charging system is not complicated. The diagram below is you entire charging system from start to finish. With the engine running you should read from 25 to 35 +/- AC Volts across the two AC terminals on your voltage regulator and the B+ terminal needs to have 12 Volts DC +/- with the key on. Since the engine runs it is reasonable to presume the 25 amp fuse is good.

[JoeM 8,162]

If the fuses are good and you need to check the voltage at the regulator.

Sitting in the seat you need to remove the left engine cover. Located in the bottom corner on the fly wheel shroud is the voltage regulator. If anything was left unplugged this is where you will find it.

You can check for the AC voltage coming from the stater and the DC out put of the regulator. 

It has three leads that go into one plug that connects to the regulator. 

The regulator is almost impossible to change without loosing the engine and raising it up. 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,388]

 

[John2189 535]

I have tractors that does not charge. All I do is charge the battery once in awhile. Why are you buying new batteries?