DYT4000- electric clutch problem

I'm sure others will chime in about the gap in the clutch. My Husqvarna did this and I found out that the clutch was full of dirt build up and grass. Once I cleaned it all out with the air hose and learned that two much gap creates high amp draw and blow fuses and later on would eventually take out the PTO switch. Grab your feeler gauges and check the gap. I want to say 12 to 14 thousands of an inch, but I can't remember right now. I have it written down in a book somewhere. Hopefully your clutch is adjustable and it's easy to do.

@ Everland: I always engage the clutch at low RPMS while still on the concrete before starting to mow, rarely shut it off until done mowing and at that point bring it to idle with deck fully raised before shutting off the PTO(-though this time i forgot to turn the PTO off).
@hammerhead: Clutch itself was pretty clean and no gap issues. I've adjusted my clutch a few times previously, this does not seem to be that. I am leaning toward the switch itself due to the fact that even with the clutch disconnected at its connector plug, when snapped to the on position it takes the ammeter to full discharge and the draw down affects the motor causing to want to die - until you snap it off then it returns to normal.

Remember, i foolishly left the switch on when i shut it down, and tried restarting the tractor at least a dozen times with that on trying to figure out what was wrong. Perhaps it is my confirmation bias...but you did confirm that the switch can be compromised by the high draw. I found an upgraded switch ("10 amp upgrade"!) on amozon for 11 bucks.

With clutch disconnected from switch and you engage the switch and have the ammeter go to full discharge...then I would have to agree, your switch may be toast. For $11.00 dollars you can't go wrong by changing that out. Keep us posted when you get the new switch installed. It almost feels like when you pull the switch, it may be causing a short somewhere...maybe inside the switch???

I'd be thinking about looking for a short/ground in the wiring or the clutch itself using a meter-do it with and without the ground connected. Next would be jumping 12V directly from the battery to the clutch connector, bypassing fuses, switches, etc. It's been awhile, but I think the resistance reading on one of those is only about two ohms so a "good" reading and a slightly lower one causing high current is hard to detect. Unfortunately, after verifying integrity of the wiring and no ground leakage, treat like a light bulb and replace/substitute.

Good luck,

If the clutch is NOT plugged into the wire coming from the switch and the meter spikes when switch is engaged...then I believe There has to be a bare wire between switch and the clutch. Or the plug is buggered at the end where it plugs onto the clutch. I just wanted to make sure that clutch is not plugged in when mater spikes when switch is pulled. Process of elimination.

@Hammer
Yes, correct. Clutch connection is pulled apart. The clutch itself is not connected. And just last night after getting home found a video on how to test the switch. That would have saved 12 bucks. Have been away for 3+ days and the Guy i hired to mow while my mower was down still has not mowed. He drove by, saw my neighbor mowing and being not sure...thought my lawn was being mowed...uggh.
Found video on quick ohm test of clutch. Will do that but it is not seeming to be the culprit given it is disconnected. After that i will start with the connection at the clutch end and work backwards a bit looking for an issue. Peeling off the loom to separate and trace wires is going to be a pain.
If i could get the individual connectors out of the plug block on the switch end this could go a bit faster; connect them all where they are supposed to be and remove one at a time to isolate the wires involved and trace those.

lots of wiring now exposed. no issues seen so far. can the seat switch play in at all? i dont think so as there is no discharge/short while running if i am in the seat or not. Only happens when i snap on the pto switch...with or without the electric clutch connected(ohm test on clutch is good i think at 3.1 ohms)
What about this thing called the interlock switch down on the chasis? can that be fried and short?? How do i bypass that and or test?

What about the diode in the clutch circuit? Anybody?
Any one think it could be the diode in the clutch circuit?
I have the battery out. Wiring removed from Ignition switch, PTO switch and many other things disconnected. I am showing continuity between both red PTO wires at the switch terminals when i think there shouldn't be any. I also show continuity between both terminals in the connection that goes to the clutch connector. some continuity one way may be allowable if the diode is working right.
I also have continuity at either of the terminals at the clutch connector with both of the red wires in the pto switch connector.
There looks to be a possibly melted spot where the diode would be hidden under the rubber sheath.
Can I clip the lead end of the diode going to the black wire? I think that provides a bit of ballast/cushion to help the switch last longer is all. I could at least mow until i get the correct diode.