520Lxi won't start

[MN_REV-800 4]

I'm a new member.  My 82 year old dad couldn't get is 1999 520Lxi to start and decided to get a new John Deere.  He gave me his 520Lxi to sell.  It is in very good condition and ran fine until it stopped and just won't start.  It would intermittently not want to start, but by pushing extra hard parking it would start.  That trick stopped working for him.  I picked up the tractor a couple of days ago.  After a 20 mile trailer ride and sitting in my garage for a few hours, I tried to start it.  Nothing at first, then I pushed extra hard on the parking brake.  It fired right up and ran great.  The next morning did the same thing fired right up and ran great.  I drove it out onto my driveway and sprayed off the engine with the pressure washer 'kind of' avoiding the electrical components.  When I tried to start it to put it back into the garage it was totally dead.  Since then here's what've tried.

 - Seat safety switch was already bypassed.  Checked the wire to make sure they were securely connected.  They were.

 - Put jumper wire in connector for parking brake switch 

 - Tested Parking Brake Switch with multimeter.  The switch worked so I hooked it back up.

 - Disconnected all wiring harness connectors in the engine compartment and blew out moisture and dirt (from my pressure washing)

 - Tested Ignition Switch - Verified continuity between B terminal and I, R, L, S terminals based on key position - Worked properly.

 - Discovered Starter Solenoid ground nut was completely missing.  Ground wire just loosing sitting on ground stud (see picture).  Added washer, lock washer and nut.  - No Change! Still won't do a thing.

 - Battery voltage at the terminals 12.4V

 

I'm not sure what to try next.  I feel like I'm just randomly trying things.  I need help doing things in a logical method.

 

Also, I'm curious what the tractor and snow blower would be worth once I get it running.

 

Thanks!

 

Wade

 

 

 

[gwest_ca-(File Mod) 11,820]

Welcome to the forum.

This set of diagrams should help. Each circuit has it's own diagram.

Garry

[MN_REV-800 4]

I found the problem(s).  I think that the original starting problem my dad was having was due to the starter ground lug nut and washer falling off.  As part of tracing the circuits, I took the relays off to test them.  A couple terminals of the relays were 'tarnished' so I cleaned them with some emery cloth.  Then I blew out the relay sockets with the air compressor.  There was quite of bit of dust and debris that came out.  I think when cleaning the tractor and I blew out the area between the dash and radiator I blew this debris into the relay sockets.  At any rate, I plugged the relays back in and it fired right up and ran great.

[WVHillbilly520H 10,376]

IMHO, you should keep that Lxi the last of a dead breed, but since you asked for a fair market value just from the pics and it being a liquid cooled Kawasaki powered xi series with 2 stage blower and not knowing the hours $1500-2 would be guess but others might say less, I sold a 1200hr 520xi package with 48" deck snow plow 42" single stage thrower and rear clevis hitch for $2500 last year, Jeff.

[DennisThornton 4,771]

Very nice machine and in great shape! 

$2000 or so. 

Only possible issue is some had cam gear issues.  A search here should give more info. 

[Kurt-NEPA 755]

Nice tractor - well worth the effort to get it fixed up.  I  think the 5xi tractor is one of the finest ever built.  Good to hear you got it running.

[Kurt-NEPA 755]

Just had thought. You said that if your dad pushed real hard on the brake pedal it would start up.   If that happens again....

 

There is a micro switch on the parking brake linkage that won't allow the tractor to start unless the brake pedal is pushed.  If the brake pedal is adjusted too tight that switch may not activate unless you push really hard.  You could try backing off on the brake adjustment, its located on the rear of the tractor, on the right side.  Looks like a thread rod with a spring and Ny-lock nut on it.  Just loosen it a bit.