Takeuchi TL130 half dead

So after 2 days of sitting, my TL130 has an issue. It started fine, but when I close the safety bar, nothing comes alive. No controls nothing. The gauges (fuel, temp, warning lights) are working, but also I noticed the horn was not working. I fiddled with the safety switch on the end of the lap bar for a minute before shutting the machine off and looking under the hood for anything obvious. Nothing stood out, so I tried firing it again to try again, this time it would crank and crank and not start. I proceeded to check the all of the fuses in the panel below the passenger side stick (all were fine) then I checked the big fuses by the battery, all were fine. So I suspected the fuel cut off. I’m not 100% on normal operation on these but I unplugged and checked voltage. One wire (presumably ground seemed fine) one was constant 12v. And the third seemed to do what it should, powers on with key, powers off when Ignition is off. I pulled the entire solenoid assembly off and moved the connecting spring. The machine now fires up. (But I have to manually pull the shut off to kill the engine, which tells me the solenoid is bad) but now the machine is running, however still no controls. No horn, nothing but gauges. Is there some sort of common issue With these units that seems to fit the issues above?

Hi Brad-

I'm sure you'll get some good help here. I'm not home and can't send you my wire diagram but will when I return. It sounds to me like you have 2 separate problems and it seems you have the running problem mostly solved. I suspect you have a problem in the lap bar circuit that enables the controls. I'll check the schematics as soon as I get a chance. IN the mean time you might search google for the schematic...

Not sure how to attach a PDF file. I'd look at the safety bar relay (right most relay) to see if the lap bar Prox is energizing the coil.

I was having the same old issue with the lap bar contact. I cleaned the dust off the sensor and the plate and it works again as usual. Not sure how this system works. It seems the distance apart needs adjusting with minimum space. Anyone know how much space needs to be between the sensors? In cleaning it without removing I may have widened it. When I push it back together a bit, it's working again. What is the plate on the lap bar? I haven't looked at it that closely. Does that side need to be kept free of corrosion for best contact? What spray do you guys suggest for cleaning the sensor? I have been using electrical contact cleaner CRC.

Peter-

I haven't looked at mine at all but the schematic calls it proximity sensor. As best I can tell it's a 2 wire device and "usually" proximity sensors are non contact devices so whatever is triggering it only has to be in close proximity to it. Where it's only a 2 wire device it may even be a magnetic interface. Normally these are sealed so cleaner type shouldn't effect it nor should a reasonable amount of surface dirt. Heavy rust may effect it though

So should the lap bar contact plate be bare metal to make good contact. If so, should I clean with abrasive?

Peter-
as I mentioned, I haven't even looked at mine so I can't advise you definitively. I can tell you proximity sensors "normally" don't require surfaces to be clean or make good contact. So dirt, dust and minor surface rust shouldn't effect how it performs. Usually proximity sensors just require that the sensing surface be within a certain distance (close proximity) for them to function.