Frustrated: 212's not playing nice

Ken,
Welcome to WFM. You're in the wrong forum, though. This is the Late Model Forum, which is for tractors built AFTER 1992. Your 316 was made before 1992. Try posting in the Restoration & Repair section here and you will get better, more informative responses.

First post, I'm in need of some help with a 79' JD212. The tractor will start and run in warm or cold weather, but dies consistently after 3 to 5 minutes. It will restart, but then continues to die in short and shorter intervals. I've done the following to chase the issue with no success/change: Drained fuel, cleaned filter, replaced coil, condenser, points, ignition switch, plug and plug wire, new fuel cap. Changed the ignition switch. The tractor has good power and runs smooth until the it dies. Thoughts/ideas?

Were it me I would also replace the condenser with one you know came from Kohler. If it doesn't help you will then have a spare. Welcome to WFM. Roger

Once it dies can you isolate fuel, compression or ignition?

Check for spark. Is it missing?

Drizzle fuel into the spark plug hole (or use WD-40 or either through the carb). Will it run?

Plenty of fuel at the line connection to the carb. It just dies, like the key has been turned off. Plenty of power and runs clean until it shuts down. If kick the clutch pedal and load/unload the engine as its dying, it will re-fire about 50% of the time. Then die again a minute or two later. It will also die, just sitting still at half throttle, not under load. PTO on or off, moving or static makes no difference.

Always restarts, after a bit of cranking, without ether etc

The condenser and coil came from the JD dealer, I assumed they were correct. It had the same issue before and after replacing them, so slim chance that's the issue.

Thanks for the responses so far.

have you clean the carb?
check the needle valve seat - it might be sticking.
and the float level setting - it might be set to low

That's what I would think, float adjustment.

Good suggestions here. I would also check the harness where it plugs into the ignition switch. You said you replaced the key switch. Take a good, hard look at the plug and make sure the wiring connectors are clean. Let us know!

Take a real good look at the wire connectors inside the 5 prong plug on the back of the ignition switch. Almost every gear drive that I have has had a problem with a lousy connection at the ignition switch, with some melting on the plastic part.

mine quite charging due to that. I Pulled the plug off and it was melted due to high amps and high resistance. Cut the plug off and the wire ends. Installed new ends and a new switch.

'Bout fell off the chair when the parts guys told me the price of the switch. It won't be long until they discover the error and charge the proper Deere price.

Thanks for all the suggestions. The connection to the (3 month old) ignition switch all looks good. I've gone over all the wiring carefully that I can see short of pulling the engine or cutting the harness apart and all looks fine. Started the tractor in the dark and no sign of arcing to ground etc.

Once the cycle of dying after 10-15 minutes began again, I tried starting fluid again and no reaction, just turned over. I pulled the plug and watch the spark, two or three sparks and then no spark until I released the key and a couple more sparks as the engine slowed to a stop. After talking with a co-worker, he suggested I try it again after unplugging the rectifier. After doing that, the spark pattern looked normal, I re-installed the plug and blew the snow out of the driveway for 20-30 minutes with no further issue. I'll pick up a new part this weekend and fingers-crossed this is the final fix. Has anyone else run into a failing rectifier ?

hummm...A grounding issue seems likely here, perhaps. I have never had a "bad rectifier". I have had issues where I thought it best to replace it. All my charging problems are bad connections somewhere on the tractor. Be it at the rectifier or ignition switch plug.

Wonder too about seeing a spark after you turned off the ignition. How do you shut off the engine?

Where is the battery ground cable located at? I mean where on the engine is it?

I have had some real real real strange things occur over time. One electrical item you have never had to replace and never heard of it causing problems is the flywheel.

Flywheel. NOT a typo. That is when I realized that my tractors are cursed. Each one. I should burn them.

Chris,
I have had a bad rectifier that heated up and killed the engine. After a brief time it would restart and go until hot again. If I remember right it got hot and melted when it was off too. thats how I found it. I got a replacement from O'reilly autoparts.
Good Luck

Dom

I had a bad rectifier on a 210. It would run a while then start missing and blowing black smoke. Then die. It took me a long time to find the problem but I found that if I turned the headlights on during the misfiring the motor would gradually clear. The way I see it, the rectifier was putting too high a voltage into the ignition system causing the coil to misfire. New rectifier and no more problem.
Doug