I am new to this site. I have a 1981 john Deere 317 with the original 17 horsepower kohler engine. It starts up with no problems and runs great for a few minutes. Then it starts choking down, backfires and will only run with the choke on. After about a minute it will run on full choke and then die completely. It will start and run after it dies but the process is repeated with less run time. It will run all day if you continue to spray starting fluid down the breather. I have dipped the carburetor and cleaned it 3 times with no success. Fuel filter is not clogged. Gas cap is vented properly. Please help.
John Deere 317 starves for fuel
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235 Posts
Unscrew the fuel shut off out of the bottom of the tank and clean the strainer.
The shut off will have a hose clamp around it that needs to be loosened up before you can unscrew it. The strainer is a screen that is about an inch and a half long and is part of the shut off. Clean it and you might be back in business.
Later,
Justin
The shut off will have a hose clamp around it that needs to be loosened up before you can unscrew it. The strainer is a screen that is about an inch and a half long and is part of the shut off. Clean it and you might be back in business.
Later,
Justin
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267 Posts
Welcome to WFM.
Do you live in Morgan Mills Texas. If so, we are pretty close. I am up by Weatherford
Max
Do you live in Morgan Mills Texas. If so, we are pretty close. I am up by Weatherford
Max
Update...Ok so I cleaned the screen under the fuel tank, replaced the fuel filter, and flushed the gas tank out about 3 times. Yesterday the machine was running great and I was able to mow with it but today it started acting up again. It will run perfect for about 2 minutes and then starves for fuel and dies. I checked the flow of gas coming out the tank today and it is flowing strong. The fuel lines are not clogged either. Does this mean my fuel pump is not pumping enough fuel to keep up? Should a new fuel pump solve this annoying problem?
My 317 had those same symptoms several years ago. I thought it was fuel, but eventually took a look at the points and found a loose screw. This may have absolutely nothing to do with your problem but it's easy to check the screws, condition, and points gap.
tommyhawk
tommyhawk
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HI Morgan, like Tom Ingels says. check them points. last week my k582 with about 18HRS. use started acting up like you stated. I apparently did not get the screw tight enough when I installed them. they had slowly crept shut. later, JZM
Thank you all for your recommendations and comments. I have no clue how to check points on these things. If the engine will run as long as you shoot starting fluid in the breather wouldn't that rule out the theory of the points being bad?
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5,087 Posts
bad condenser can make a weak spark when its warmed up but run on ether
points are not that bad to deal with, its a gap setting and removing replacing components
points are not that bad to deal with, its a gap setting and removing replacing components
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my points had closed completely. I rotated engine by hand, and they never moved. I was amazed it would even start.
Morgan, lay off the starting fluid. you could possibly do some serious damage to a gas powered small engine. better safe than sorry. JZM
Morgan, lay off the starting fluid. you could possibly do some serious damage to a gas powered small engine. better safe than sorry. JZM
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1,043 Posts
James-
I have seen that happen. I saw a Kohler K181 bounce a spark plug off a tool shed ceiling because of starting fluid.
Morgan-
If you think its fuel related then mount a tank straight to the carb and higher than it. It will gravity feed fuel to the carb bypassing the fuel pump. See if it will stay running this way.
I have seen that happen. I saw a Kohler K181 bounce a spark plug off a tool shed ceiling because of starting fluid.
Morgan-
If you think its fuel related then mount a tank straight to the carb and higher than it. It will gravity feed fuel to the carb bypassing the fuel pump. See if it will stay running this way.
UPDATE-please read. I was able to set up an auxiliary fuel tank with gravity feed. I plugged in the auxiliary tank's fuel line directly into the carburetor. I routed a new fuel line from the tractors fuel pump into a bucket on the ground. I started the engine and monitored. The engine ran great at full throttle with the gravity fed fuel. Choke was off. The fuel line coming out of the fuel pump was filling up the bucket on the ground with good fuel flow. The engine was running perfect, the fuel pump was filling up the bucket as it should. After about 20 or 30 minutes the flow from the fuel pump completely stopped but the engine was still running great from the gravity feed. I checked the fuel flow from the tank under the seat and it was free flowing. Does this mean my fuel pump is bad for sure?
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Well it could mean you pumped the tank dry.
It sounds to me like you have isolated it to the fuel system.
It sounds to me like you have isolated it to the fuel system.
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267 Posts
If the fuel line inside the tank is old and rotted, it could cause this problem. Or it could just be disconnected from the 90* fitting.
When the fuel level gets down to the point of sucking air, it will die and still show plenty of fuel in the tank.
Have you replaced the hose inside the tank
Max
When the fuel level gets down to the point of sucking air, it will die and still show plenty of fuel in the tank.
Have you replaced the hose inside the tank
Max
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267 Posts
Sorry. I think I was confusing the 318 and 317 fuel systems.
The 317 has a strainer / outlet in the bottom right????
Maybe the strainer screen is restricted due to gunk or trash.
I know you cleaned it but it might be needing to be cleaned again. Blow low pressure compressed air thru it.
Take your portable tank loose from the carb and move it to the tank. Plug it in the line where you unhooked it from the tank. Run it like that while you clean the strainer. If it runs good for a long time, you will know the pump is good or not
HTH.
Max
The 317 has a strainer / outlet in the bottom right????
Maybe the strainer screen is restricted due to gunk or trash.
I know you cleaned it but it might be needing to be cleaned again. Blow low pressure compressed air thru it.
Take your portable tank loose from the carb and move it to the tank. Plug it in the line where you unhooked it from the tank. Run it like that while you clean the strainer. If it runs good for a long time, you will know the pump is good or not
HTH.
Max
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1,346 Posts
Morgan,
A good mechanical K-series fuel pump should quickly pump and hold a 3-4 feet column of fuel. Attach about 4' of 1/4" clear tubing to the pump outflow fitting, hanging the tubing from a tree limb or whatever is handy (the cheaper tygon tubing works fine for this one-time use). Crank the starter and fuel should quickly pulse in the tube. Stop when the fuel is near the top--this corresponds to 1-2 psi of pumping action. A good pump will hold this 3-4 feet column of fuel. If the fuel drains back in a minute or two, the pump is weak. A pump like this contributes to hard starts, but will probably not affect engine operation until it soon fails. A failed pump may put nothing into the vertical tube. A pump can be bench tested this way using a short section of tubing in a fuel container and hand pumping the pump arm.
Harold
A good mechanical K-series fuel pump should quickly pump and hold a 3-4 feet column of fuel. Attach about 4' of 1/4" clear tubing to the pump outflow fitting, hanging the tubing from a tree limb or whatever is handy (the cheaper tygon tubing works fine for this one-time use). Crank the starter and fuel should quickly pulse in the tube. Stop when the fuel is near the top--this corresponds to 1-2 psi of pumping action. A good pump will hold this 3-4 feet column of fuel. If the fuel drains back in a minute or two, the pump is weak. A pump like this contributes to hard starts, but will probably not affect engine operation until it soon fails. A failed pump may put nothing into the vertical tube. A pump can be bench tested this way using a short section of tubing in a fuel container and hand pumping the pump arm.
Harold
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