Today I had to replace the battery on my mower. Poulan Pro 22 hp, it has a BS V-twin OHC engine. This is the first battery replacement in 2+ years of ownership. The stock battery is rated at 230 CCA, but the guy sold me 300 CCA battery instead because it was all he had. So, I installed the battery and went about the business of cutting the yard. About an hour into the job, I had to momentarily disengaged the blades when I tried to re-engage the blades...nothing. So I turn it off to inspect/investigate and found that the belt for the blades had jumped the front pulley. So I put that back in place and was ready to go again. Only to find that the mower will not start.

Upon further investigation I found the fuse(20 A) to be burnt out. I replaced it, tried to start nothing except a little pop... fuse burnt again. I replaced the fuse again, this time with a 30 A. Tried to start, again nothing but a burnt fuse. I inspected all the wiring that was accessible but found nothing amiss. On a hunch, I disconnected the headlights, installed yet another fuse...this was successful. So now I am ready to start cutting again, only that I cannot work the engage blade lever. For some reason it stuck and will not budge. I need of help.

What will cause the lever to bind up like that?

Why is it blowing fuses?

Thanks guys.

 

The belt most likely was reinstalled wrong.
When it came off it also may have hit a wire some place and it's shorting out causing the fuse to blow.
Never install a higher amp fuse!!
You end up with burned up wiring doing that.

 

OK. thanks for speedy response.

The belt is the stock belt, has never been off the machine nor did it did not come completely off . Only that front pulley, I simply put it back on the pulley.

Good info on the fuses, will look at wiring again tomorrow.

 

There is a pulley near the center of the deck that moves when you pull the handle to turn the blades on. If grass is piled up on it, it will rust and stick and must be worked free and lubed to work again. Could also be something bent or jammed in there to keep it from moving.

 

I was able to work that pulley by hand, but that did not free up the lever.

 

To be any more detailed, I need your model number. Poulan made a lot of different mowers. I don't know if yours is a mechanical linkage or a cable operated pto. If cable operated, it may have a rusted stuck cable.