318 hard to start when it's hot

Steve,

If your 318 has the B43G Onan with points and condenser, be sure to change out the condenser as the older they get the more likely they are to fail at elevated temperatures.

While not quite as critical on the later P series engines with the electronic ignition, the condenser can still have an effect there as well, so change it for good measure if your engine is a P218.

I agree with Wayne that the PTO is probably set to too large a gap -- should be 0.018 per the manual.


Chuck

Hello All
The other day I replaced a Traction belt on a John Deere 285 Hydro Transmission Tractor. They are Not fun to change. Once I got it all on I cranked it up and tried to move it. Nothing the Tractor would Not move in forward or reverse. I know that all of the Pulley's were fine for the traction belt and nothing looked to be worn out. The woman that owns it was mowing a steep grade with it. The Tractor slid on wet grass then it Popped out it's Traction belt Tension spring. I put the spring back where it belonged and placed a new belt and it still does not move. I visited the local John Deere dealer and the head mechanic tell's me that the Model 285 when loosing it's Traction belt sometimes locks up the brakes. I checked the parking brake and it seems to be working with no binding. The Hydro disconnect lever on the4 Transaxle is in the down position which should be the run position and it still does not move. before I take this Tractor to the dealer Tomorrow has anyone else come across this problem and can you Please help here at what I need to check or look at ? Thanks, Kurt

Hello All
I went back up yesterday to work on this Tractor again. I had to get it from out behind her House it was on a steep hill, so I brought my Arctic-Cat quad with me and it has a winch on the front of it. I pulled up behind it placed the winch hook through it's trailer hitch picked it off the ground and pulled it up onto her level lawn. I ended up have to take the Rear floor pan section off again to see what may be making the Trans axle not move.



Once I got the floor pan off i spotted the brake rod's that operate the rear brakes and the bracket that the brake rod went into was bent badly and it had wedged against the frame rail. I straightened it and the Trans axle released the brakes and turned free again. I Placed the rear section of the floor pan and the Tractor operated fine. Once thing I did notice is when the brakes were locked up it did not effect the engine RPM's when placing the Hydro lever in forward or reverse of which I found Odd as I suspected that if the brakes were locked up it would have at least tried to move or Bogged the engine down when the Hydro lever was moved to forward or reverse but it didn't.




I saved the woman the cost of The John Deere dealership diagnosing it which which would have been a $110.00 as well as the labor Charge of them having to remove the rear section of floor pan to find and repair the issues causing the Trans axle to be locked up. I missed this bent brake rod bracket as I have not worked on one of these more modern Tractor's in the past, but Now I know what to look for should it happen again. The Traction belt tension spring had to have done this when it came flying out of the machine as she snapped the Traction drive belt, sliding down the steep incline due to damp grass. Regards, Kurt