[Yard-Man-43]

Hello all,

So I own a 80's or 90's lawn boy LT12 riding mower that originally came with a Briggs 12hp engine. That one blew and I came across a 16 horse Kohler Command from a Craftsman rider. ( Engine Model # CV460S) Everything so far has physically fit; the motor fits under the hood and next to the battery and tank, and the original pulley fit right on to the new engine. The exhaust will need some work to fit but I will be tackling that soon.

My issue now resides in the wiring. The new engine has 5 wires going to a plug; black, white, green, red, and yellow. The existing plug coming from my mower has only two wires, a red and a white, both appearing to come from the light switch.

I'm pretty stumped on what everything should go to. I have connected the obvious, thicker red wire going to starter. That's all I've done. No wiring around the starter solenoid had been touched. I will attach a wiring diagram from a Ford LT12 which is the same mower, just different color and different decals,..and a diagram for the kohler engine. If anyone can figure this out or give me any assistance, that would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Cannon51]

Best guess; The yellow wire on the engine goes to the white wire on the tractor for lights.
The black wire on the engine goes to the red wire on the tractor for charging.
Do not use the green wire on the engine.
Your Lt12 diagram doesn't show a switched 12VDC but that's what you need for the red wire on the engine.
Not shown on the diagram but the "M" terminal on the switch is usually a Ground in the Off Position to kill the engine. That would go to the white wire on the engine, it should never have 12VDC+ on it.
Again these are best guesses. I have done this several times but I always double check things with a test light.
Are you sure you have the Smart Spark ignition?
Correction, I do see a yellow wire on the diagram from the "
M" terminal the the magneto. I think it would go to the White wire on the engine.
Cannon

 

[Yard-Man-43]

Thanks a lot for your help. How would I go about coming up with a switched 12vDC for the red wire on the engine side?

 

[Cannon51]

There are 2 connectors on the switch that are not defined on the diagram. Clip a test light to the battery neg and test the wires coming out of the switch. One of them should have no power in Off and power in Run and Start.
Cannon