Tractor Lockout/ Immobilizer System using Fuel Solenoid.

I tested this and it works. Save your fuel solenoid and make an immobilizer!



The red line indicates power and the black line with the tree indicates ground.

HOW TO INSTALL/ WIRE.

1. Locate fuel solenoid. It will be on the bottom of your carburetor.
2. Snip as far back as you can the colored wire. The black wire can stay wherever it is grounded (usually on the blower shroud).
3. Strip the end of the colored wire and attach a female blade connector, or whatever your switch accepts for ends.
4. Hide your switch where you can access it but isnt visible. Somewhere under the console on the inside will work. A rocker switch will be the best switch to use as they are black and low profile.
5. Hook the solenoid lead to the switch.
6. Take another piece of wire long enough to reach from the first post of your starter solenoid (the one that is always hot) to your switch.
7. Strip the ends and add another female blade connector (or whatever your switch accepts for end) to one end and a round terminal end to the other.
8. Unscrew the nut off the starter solenoid and hook up your terminal end. Replace nut. Attach other end of your lead to your switch.

Viola! Now all you need to do is before starting, switch your rocker to ON and turn it OFF when you are done riding.

*If your switch acts backwards, swap the leads on the post. Or remember what way you need to toggle.*

Quote :

So I literally just had this idea.

My 18.5 Intek has a fuel solenoid. Yesterday I was going to snip it, but being a wuss and wanting to keep it so it could work I didnt and set out to find a new way to bypass it.

This is how it immobilizes.

The fuel solenoid ran off the stator. Meaning it would only open if the flywheel was spinning. When I rewired it, I found that it can go to any hot source.

If you took the hot wire for the solenoid and ran it to a hidden on/ off rocker switch (I say rocker because they are black and low profile), and off that switch the other end to a hidden hot lead like the starter solenoid, you would have a nearly bypassable immobilizer system.

I just barely thought of this because my friend who had the Craftsman doesnt know I rewired it, and that the solenoid is even on it. Meaning he couldnt start it without some electrical/ engine know-how. Currently mine is just on an alligator clip but it is still fairly hidden.

The solenoid could also hook up to the headlight switch or some other innocent hot switch.

Lemme know what you think. I think it is very do-able. Engine cant run without fuel, right?

So in short, you made an immobilizer out of it. Just hide the switch or get a key switch or a remote switch.

Nice, I should do that on mine

Thunderdivine wrote:

So in short, you made an immobilizer out of it. Just hide the switch or get a key switch or a remote switch.

Yea, just use a black rocker switch and hide it inside underneath the dash. It wont run if its off cause gas cant get into the jet.

I've been thinking about doing something similar with my tractor. I accidentally bought the wrong key switch for my racing lawn mower go kart project and since I have that it I've been thinking about using it on the murray to lock out the ignition. the problem was it makes the connection when the switch is on which doesn't work for a killswitch. If you turn the key on, it would stop the motor from running. If I wire in line with my start button then I could kill the electric start.
the only flaw with that idea, is you could still pull start it. But I don't think most people would think to do that.
then again I'm not too worried about people stealing my tractor either. I'm going to be wiring up new lights this weekend so maybe I'll try to figure out a way to make it work.
but yeah that's a damn good idea Doug, thanks for sharing!

FearlessFront wrote:

I've been thinking about doing something similar with my tractor. I accidentally bought the wrong key switch for my racing lawn mower go kart project and since I have that it I've been thinking about using it on the murray to lock out the ignition. the problem was it makes the connection when the switch is on which doesn't work for a killswitch. If you turn the key on, it would stop the motor from running. If I wire in line with my start button then I could kill the electric start.
the only flaw with that idea, is you could still pull start it. But I don't think most people would think to do that.
then again I'm not too worried about people stealing my tractor either. I'm going to be wiring up new lights this weekend so maybe I'll try to figure out a way to make it work.
but yeah that's a damn good idea Doug, thanks for sharing!

You actually couldnt.

With this system, it cuts off the fuel source. The pin in my fuel solenoid (cant say all) stops the flow of gas from entering the main jet if there is no power to it. Meaning that even if it was pull started, it would only run for a few seconds until it burns off the fuel that is still in the intake. Once its out of fuel it wont start until either the fuel solenoid gets power or you inject fuel into directly through the air intake.

I tested it earlier today by pulling the alligator off while it was running and it only ran for a few seconds before dying of starvation. Afterwards it wouldnt start until I put the alligator back on and allowed it food.

Doug Fackler wrote:

FearlessFront wrote:

I've been thinking about doing something similar with my tractor. I accidentally bought the wrong key switch for my racing lawn mower go kart project and since I have that it I've been thinking about using it on the murray to lock out the ignition. the problem was it makes the connection when the switch is on which doesn't work for a killswitch. If you turn the key on, it would stop the motor from running. If I wire in line with my start button then I could kill the electric start.
the only flaw with that idea, is you could still pull start it. But I don't think most people would think to do that.
then again I'm not too worried about people stealing my tractor either. I'm going to be wiring up new lights this weekend so maybe I'll try to figure out a way to make it work.
but yeah that's a damn good idea Doug, thanks for sharing!

You actually couldnt.

With this system, it cuts off the fuel source. The pin in my fuel solenoid (cant say all) stops the flow of gas from entering the main jet if there is no power to it. Meaning that even if it was pull started, it would only run for a few seconds until it burns off the fuel that is still in the intake. Once its out of fuel it wont start until either the fuel solenoid gets power or you inject fuel into directly through the air intake.

I tested it earlier today by pulling the alligator off while it was running and it only ran for a few seconds before dying of starvation. Afterwards it wouldnt start until I put the alligator back on and allowed it food.

I guess I should've been more specific, I don't actually have that fuel cutoff solenoid on my carburetor, mine didn't come with 1. That's the only reason I was thinking of wiring it in line with the actual start switch.
Your idea with the fuel cutoff would work much better.

FearlessFront wrote:

I guess I should've been more specific, I don't actually have that fuel cutoff solenoid on my carburetor, mine didn't come with 1. That's the only reason I was thinking of wiring it in line with the actual start switch.
Your idea with the fuel cutoff would work much better.

Ah, yea, that might make things more difficult.

I too am not too worried about people stealing my tractor, but it will at least deter troublesome people from starting it.

First post edited to show a pic of how it works, what a solenoid looks like, and how to wire it in.

Very clever, tho once known u can bypass this easy and even with a block battery

Thunderdivine wrote:

Very clever, tho once known u can bypass this easy and even with a block battery

Its not so much to keep it from being stolen, more or less to deter unwanted riders. For instance, my Craftsman II will at some point be rode into Auto in town. While its parked and I am working, I dont want anybody riding it or even starting it. By switching it off, nobody can use it until I turn it on or I tell them where it is.

If you really want security, using a keyed switch from a snowblower (like FF's racing mower) underneath andneeding to use two keys will make it nearly impossible to start.

Theres tons of possibilities, but to keep it simple it is just to deter. Unless you know where the switch is, youre not starting it.

I put my fuel shutoff valve in a hidden spot.. also you could do a switch under the running boards like on model T's

dylansrockinrigs wrote:

I put my fuel shutoff valve in a hidden spot.. also you could do a switch under the running boards like on model T's

You could also rob a switch and key from an old junkyard car and conceal all the wires

When we rewire the mowers, we don't label any of the switches... Sometimes I forget how to start it!

Stretch44875 wrote:

When we rewire the mowers, we don't label any of the switches... Sometimes I forget how to start it!

Trick even yourself, lol

When my new video on the Craftsman, youll see how I start it. Its ghetto as all hell cause im too poor to buy switches.

I am working on a 'Tractor Lockout' system of my own, using a completely different method and more high tech (details to come soon). This use of the fuel solenoid would work with the system I'm designing, You could even combine this method with the one I'm working on to make it even harder for someone to start it.

Great idea Doug, shame I don't have a fuel solenoid on my carb or I could add this idea to my tractor.

this is not only a gkodd idea but a cool one.
the problem for me is i dont need one. when my tractor goes into town its in the bed of a truck on its way to a trail.
but anyways, good idea

Its still nice to have if you have a solenoid. Keeps your pesky friends from starting your machine.

Im sure if I tied a small bit of rope to my Alligator it could be used as a cheap tether too.

Doug Fackler wrote:

Its still nice to have if you have a solenoid. Keeps your pesky friends from starting your machine.

Im sure if I tied a small bit of rope to my Alligator it could be used as a cheap tether too.

Then they kill, your battery, lol

xxXMowerdudeXxx wrote:

Then they kill, your battery, lol

Not a problem for me, my battery barely cranks the engine over without a jump as-is haha. No alternator sucks.

Doug Fackler wrote:

xxXMowerdudeXxx wrote:

Then they kill, your battery, lol

Not a problem for me, my battery barely cranks the engine over without a jump as-is haha. No alternator sucks.

I have one, but my battery sucks and will start stop about 4 times and its dead unless u been driving it for a few mins then its good lol

I use a lawn mower battery and it has a hard time cranking my motor sometime i have to use a battery charger or jump it.

The battery on my buddies v twin is a 230 and it starts it and its been sitting 3 years and is a 07 battery ! And it's better then mine

Yeah some battery are better.
I did have a car battery in my mower and it started with no prob but i put it in something else so im stuck with a small mower battery.