John deere 216

The actual clutch mechanism is right underneath the mower on the pulley system

Try the following test. For safety purposes remove spark plugs. Now with engine off and key in run position turn PTO on. You should hear the clutch engage (clunk). Grab both sides of the clutch pulley and try to rotate the pulley. If the clutch is properly engaged you will not be able to rotate the clutch pulley without turning the engine.

check drive belt and pulleys

The John Deere F525, a front cutting machine, has 3 fuses.
20 Amp
15 Amp
10 Amp

Check the 15 amp fuse. I believe this supports the PTO clutch. If you replace the fuse and it blows again, check the electric clutch. You will likely find burnt or melted wires. The bearings do go out on these clutches causing them to run hot and eventually burn up.

PTO Clutch will not engage: There is a very fine one page discussion on evaluating electric clutches at this site:

http://www.messicks.com/Articles/FixingElectricClutch.aspx

My JD tech manual, which covers the entire LA 100 series, agrees with the electrical specifications. It states that the Electric PTO Clutch should show the following:

Resistance 3.7 ohms
Current Draw 3.25 amps
It does not give the air gap.

It does include a note to check the PTO Clutch Key for damage or if missing. So there is a drive key between the PTO Clutch and the shaft. Additionally, it recommends checking the tightness of the cap screw. That's the screw or bolt that holds the clutch on the shaft.
Cap Screw torque 55 lb-ft (75 N.m).

If the fuse blows, I recommend you check the resistance of the clutch. If the clutch is shorting to ground it will show zero resistance when you ohms the connector wire to a ground position. In which case, you will have to replace the clutch.

Fixing Electric Clutches

Other possibilities.
On the F525 there is a cut-off switch in the hydraulic system. It is a low pressure cut off. If you were running the mower and deck and then it suddenly stopped, it may be low pressure in the hydraulics. It will not automatically reset as you are using the same volume for the drive pumps. Once the oil gets low enough it cuts out the deck drive 1st, then the drive pumps.

The voltage at the electric needs to be checked. You have a bad switch or electrical connection.

Another way to check the pto is to apply 12V battery voltage directly to the clutch's electrical connector via jumper wires. If engages fully doing then you an electrical problem before the clutch.

The drive belt may be broken, or it may have slipped off a pulley.

sounds like the wrong size belt or pulley

check routing of the belt also

Probably the pto switch. Find the 2 wire 'T' plug from the PTO clutch and disconnect. With a voltmeter across the the 2 spades on the tractor side of the plug you should get 12 volts DC with the PTO switch on ( you may need to sit in the seat ). If you get 12 volts at the plug its probably the PTO clutch. If no power then its a fuse or the PTO switch

Hi, check your belt tension, check all idler pulleys and drive pulleys for free rotation with the belt off and finally check that the belt is not bottoming out in any of the drive pulleys. If so, replace the belt. The blades should come up to speed imediately wether hot or cold and it sounds like your belt is slipping in one or more of the pulleys which drags the motor revs down until it grips. Regards Phil.

I am having the same problem. Mine is the PTO switch wires that are breaking at the connection to the clutch just above the belt pulley that is under the engine. I have fixed mine several times, because there is so much vibration.