[hankvc]

Now that tilling season is over, I am going over the 330 tractor I picked up in June. Side panels are off, fender deck is off, and fuel tank is out.

As expected, the fuel hose in the tank is petrified and broken. The screen was plugged, but cleaned up OK. What should I use for hose replacement? I have 1/4 inch fuel hose, and plan to pick up some Tygon.

The steering wheel rocks back and forth on one axis. Inspection thus far suggests that there is supposed to be a bushing at the bottom of the steering column, which is where I see the shaft rocking (no bushing). Is there a way to remove the column housing from the top? TM1591 only talks of complete R&R of the steering gear with shaft.

Inspecting electrical connections suggests that I need to unplug everything and clean them up, finishing off with Deoxit D-5. The starter solenoid connection was intermittent (had to squeeze the wire connector to get solid engagement, and the hour meter was inoperative until I unplugged it and cleaned the connector.
The seat switch has been permanently bypassed, and not at the switch connector. Harness is not chafed or damaged, and I need to get access to the harness at the TDC. I'm assuming that the pedestal side panels are fastened to the frame at the bottom with the fender pan isolators and the bolts I can see in front of the radiator, plus the ones visible on the side. Any other fasteners I need to consider? From TM1591 discussion of steering gear R&R, it appears that the pedestal panels come off first, then the radiator. Any advice on actually doing this?

What is the proper coolant to mix with water for the cooling system? Is this "Dex-cool" or something else? It appears that the radiator has recently been out for service, with new hoses and fan belt, but if I have to take it out, I'll have it flow-tested before reinstalling.

The alternator and voltage regulator wiring has been completely redone. No plug in the alternator, just leads to separate Faston connectors on the regulator. All the other regulator wires have had wires with separate Faston connectors. The voltage regulator is mounted on the outside of the frame, not the inside as TM1591 specifies. Do I need to be concerned about this. Charging system seems to be OK, but I need to do an electrical check to confirm.

Engine oil and filter have been changed, and the hydraulic system had a new filter and drain and refill with lo-vis Hyguard last year. I don't see a need to replumb anything in the fuel system, just the hose in the tank plus new grommets (the old ones are broken).

Anything else I should be looking at? And should I just plan to pull the pedestal side panels and radiator, which I hadn't planned on doing? I'd really like to restore the seat switch to functionality, which will need a new switch (none present on the new seat on the tractor), plus finding where the circuit was bridged.

Drive shaft and U-joints look OK, and the axle stops are OK but need adjusting.

Hank

 

[coalminer16]

If you take the radiator out pressure check/clean at a radiator shop since heat is so bad for the yanmars and they are boarderline undersided cooling anyways.

Side panels-There is one larger bolt on the inside front. The rest are on the outside: radiator, fuze holder, screen and dash bolts.

Use 3 inches of 1/4 inch tygon hose for the fuel tank. Flush tank out first.

Personally I would replace the rubber parts. Fuel hose on the rest of the tractor is as easy as taping new hose to the old and pulling it through the tractor. Then you don't have to worry about springing a leak when you NEED to use the tractor or it is too hard to reach (think cozy hardside ROPS cab and blower when it is -30 outside and you get the point-been there).

Check for frame cracks around the axle and front cross member. See if you can move the input into the hydro pump by hand. If you can move it then you need to replace the worn parts to prevent hydro creep.

Check the rear hydro for leaks. If there is any leak-replace all seals.

Engine-check the fuel injection pump at the top where the lines come out-orings in there commonly leak. Dipstick for the oil also leaks commonly-another oring.

 

[hankvc]

Thanks for the notes, Travis.

As things currently stand, I have the fuel tank out, cleaned, and ready to reinstall. I have fuel hose for replacing the tank-engine hoses, but haven't been able to round up any Tygon yet.
Need to go to NAPA for that and for some 10mm locking metal nuts for the PTO adjustments on this tractor and the 318. Access to the local NAPA means a long detour because of a road construction project.

I've been through a lot of what I'm doing with this tractor with the 318. Right now my biggest question is with the steering column bushings.
I think the steering is identical with the 316, and am reviewing parts breakdowns in both the 330 and 316 to determine what bushings I need to order. Biggest question about the steering is whether I actually need to drop the steering gear and shaft from the bottom, or whether I can get at the column without having to R&R the gear. Both TM1590 (for the 316) and TM1591 (for the 330) only list a procedure for removing the gear and shaft. Other things being equal, I plan to R&R the side panels, lift the dash panel (job I've done on the 318) and go from there.

Also, what coolant do you use for the radiator?
From the looks of it, the radiator has recently been out of the tractor, but if I've got the side panels off, R&R radiator to get access to the area behind may be a "just do it." I do need to get into the pedestal area to do a detailed electrical inspection and connector cleanup. Also to find where the seat switch circuit has been bridged.

No problems with frame cracks, and the hydro linkage is tight and needs nothing. (I need to get this tractor into service so that I can deal with the worn 318 linkage).

No fuel or oil leaks at the engine, and none on the hydro or hydraulics.

Hank

 

[knottyrope]

I use Prestone in my 430. there is a wetter additive that is supposed to be used from john deere

 

[coalminer16]

I just use JD coolant. With enough brands of engines that need coolant and having issues with some coolants in my past as well as knowing diesels can have issues with coolant since the diesel explosion can cause pin holes to form at the the walls of the cylinder if the wrong coolant is used (early diesels anyways) I just end up using the OEM coolants unless I really don't car much about the vehicle/engine due to price of buying and how much life I expect out of it.

VW wants one thing, honda another, GM another so I just go with OEM.

I don't know about the steering gear on the 330/316. Brother has a 330 but hasn't touched the steering.

The only place I find Tygon locally is Carquest. Some of the places look at you funny when you ask for tygon. I also have bought online. I know have I think 100 foot or maybe it is a 50 foot roll of the 1/4 size. I use enough and I was sick of it being out at carquest around snowmobile season start from everyone else using.

 

[Highwayman1]

Hank,
As Travis mentioned go with Cool guard it prevents the condition he mentioned known as cavitation of the block. Its formulated for all John Deere engines including the machines running Yanmar diesels.
As far as electrical goes I replaced all connections on my restored 332 with weatherpack connectors as they are a better connection and dirt doesn't get in easy. You can get a full pack for around $60.00 from the JEGS catalog.
I have a 330 other then a leaking radiator I cant find anything I would fix as its running at this time just has a leaking radiator.
Michael

 

[jd195350]

Hank,
How are your 330 updates coming along?
Joe G.

 

[hankvc]

Not much real progress on this project recently.
It took some research in parts catalogs for similar machines to sort out some questions, but I've now gotten orders placed for most needed spares. No such thing as 1/4" Tygon fuel tubing in this 8X10 block 2-cop town, so I'll have to get it from McMaster-Carr.

I did decide to use the JD Coolant, which is on order. For electricals, I haven't found any connectors that need replacing. However, I generally stick with (Tyco) Faston pieces, and have an assortment in stock here. The corrosion in connectors, which I can clean up, and in some other places suggests to me that this machine has had too much pressure washing. Mouser carries both the Faston and Packard connector lines.

"To do" still is to pull off the pedestal sides and the radiator. While the hoses look "recent,"
I've ordered new ones for stock in case I need to replace.

Recent activity around my place has been to replace several rotted/broken wood fence posts, and I have a Zama carburetor from a Stihl brush cutter sitting on my "kitchen table projects work table" waiting for me to put it back together with a diaphragm kit. And I had to contend with a broken throttle cable on the LT133 (new one in parts order).

As things stand, I've got enough open projects going around here to last me until snow flies, but today I have to mow the pasture before getting to any of them.

Hank

 

[hankvc]

The past few days I've gotten enough other projects done around here that getting the 330 buttoned up and a mower mounted on it is up on the priority list.

I've had the pedestal sides off. The bad news is that I can't replace the missing steering column bushing from above. I'll have to drop the gear out of the tractor. Also, I can't find where the seat switch wiring has been crossed. Getting into the area where the starter relay and TD module are located---as Joe Griffin said, there isn't space to cuss a cat without getting a mouthfull of fur. Plus the tiller is still mounted, and the belly pump is in the way of getting at things from the bottom.

Very clear to me that the radiator has been out and run through a radiator shop recently. Reinstalled with new hoses and a new fan belt. So all I am going to do with the cooling system is drain and refill with Cool-Guard, so that I know what's in there.

Most of the work I've had to do has been soap and water, oiling all around, inspection, etc. I hit all the grease fittings with a grease gun, but none took very much. I wasn't able to get the gun on the U-joint fitting from the top. Don't know if it's any better from the bottom.

The one thing that really needed doing before putting the tractor into service was the fuel tank stuff. That is all done---tank washed (it needed it), pickup screen retrieved from the bottom of the tank, cleaned, and reattached with a new hose, and new grommets.
All in all, this tractor was in much better condition when I got it than I'd expected.

Hank

 

[jd195350]

Hank,
Glad that you are making some progress on your 330. It certainly is tight working on a lot of it. It sounds like your 330 may have been in better shape than mine was. Since mine had the rear PTO, that makes it easier to work from the bottom of it.
Keep up the good work.
Joe G.

 

[hankvc]

I buttoned this project up a couple of days ago. I've used it to do some tilling to break up compacted soil in a dirt corral so that I can do some regrading.

Reassembly raised a number of questions. I am a stickler for using proper hardware when putting things together, using the JD Parts lists to identify what JD specified originally. Some confusion about the bolts used in the pedestal side panels. All of the captive nuts are M6, including those in the radiator. The P/L specifies M8X16 bolts in that location, but the captive nuts in the radiator are M6, and I reinstalled using the M6X12 bolts I took out.
Looks to me as though 16 mm long bolts will hit the radiator tank.

The fender deck mounts to four isolators, using 0.120 thick flat washers and crown nuts above the deck per the P/L. None of the four crown nuts on the tractor were clamping the deck when I took it off. Spent some time checking part dimensions.
The isolators, which appear to be recent replacements, are the correct dimensions. The flat washers were random thicknesses. I figured that .062 thick flat washers on the isolators under the deck, plus .062 flat washers above the deck would allow the crown nuts to clamp the deck, but it appears that the crown nuts are not the JD parts. I had to add flat washers to get clamping. Has anybody else been through this drill to get clamping? I need to get some small hardware packages like clip speednuts, and probably need the JD spec crown nuts to get clamping with two flat washers.

At the moment, I need to get the tiller off the tractor, pull the mower deck off the 318 and put it on the 330 so that I can continue mowing while prepping the 318 for winter with the 47 snow blower.

Apropos of Joe Griffin's comment, this tractor was in pretty good condition overall when I got it. The previous owner bought it from a dealer a couple of years ago to use in rototilling for a new lawn. Obvious to me that before he bought it, the cooling system had been redone, and the charging system was rewired. And the previous owner had done an oil-filter change on the transaxle, using low-vis HyGuard to refill.

 

[jd195350]

Hank,
Good to hear that you have about finished up your 330. I have the crown nuts you mentioned and have some extra washers to make them clamp properly.
I still have some work to do to mine. Having trouble finding a 37mm socket to fit the rear axle nuts. I need to pull the axles out when I service the hydro and put new seals on them. May have to order one from ebay or some supply house.
Joe G.

 

[hankvc]

Joe, check the dimensions across the flats of your axle nuts. I think they are the same as is used on the 318, and Deere spec for those is 1-1/2 inches, not metric. Proper tools to use are a 3/4 drive breaker bar, enough extension to get inside the wheel with it on the ground, and a 1-1/2 inch socket. The other large nut on the tractor is the pitman arm nut, which requires a 1-5/16 wrench.

Depending on how tight the axle nuts are, you can use the brakes to hold the axle with the wheels off, but the amount of torque the brakes will hold is limited. Figure on needing to have the wheels on and chocked to hold the torque.

Hank

 

[jd195350]

Hank, I took the right wheel off so that I could get my 6" digital caliper on the axle nut. It was checking very near 37mm (1.4578"). My 1 1/2" socket (12pt) seemed loose on it. I took a 1 1/2" open end wrench along with .030 + .012 feeler gauges and it was a snug fit on the axle nut. That is why I thought it was 37mm. I can find 36mm and 38mm impact sockets 6 pt 3/4" drive locally, but not a 37mm. I believe that either a 38mm or 1 1/2" in a 6 pt socket would work and not round off the nut. Can find 37mm on Ebay and could order one. I do not use paypal so it would slow down the shipment. I think the first thing I need to do is get the axle nuts off and make sure the brake drums will come off. Thanks for the info.
Joe G.

 

[hankvc]

Joe, I took a quick look around. Stahlwille, which is the top German line, does not make a 37mm. socket, which says to me that is a size not used by any standard metric hardware.

I'd suggest a good quality 1-1/2 inch 6-pt power socket.

 

[rapshee]

I second Hank on the 6-pt 1-1/2 socket. Using a 12-pt socket is more likely to strip if loose fitting.
I used a Snap-on socket and an impact to remove the axle nut on my 316 Onan. Took about 2 seconds per side to remove.

 

[jd195350]

Thanks Hank and Erik for the additional info. I will get either a 38mm 6 pt impact socket (1.4975") or a 1-1/2 inch 6 pt impact socket (1.500")