X340 Slow

[cvarc]

Our 4 yr old, 420 hour x340 isn't moving as fast as it once did. Engine speed is same and drive belt seems properly tensioned. Transmission is a sealed unit so no way to check fluid level. Trans control arm is straight up vertical at neutral and pedal seems to move it back and forth fully but don't have any spec on how far that should be. Have seen comments about tranny problems on this x300 series, when on inclines and mostly occurring after 200 hours. Hoping some one knows what is causing our problem and hopefully not the tranny?

Thanks.

 

[Bullseye]

Our 4 yr old, 420 hour x340 isn't moving as fast as it once did. Engine speed is same and drive belt seems properly tensioned. Transmission is a sealed unit so no way to check fluid level. Trans control arm is straight up vertical at neutral and pedal seems to move it back and forth fully but don't have any spec on how far that should be. Have seen comments about tranny problems on this x300 series, when on inclines and mostly occurring after 200 hours. Hoping some one knows what is causing our problem and hopefully not the tranny?

Thanks.

Does it get worse when it warms up or is it the same when cold? (engine and transmission)

 

[cvarc]

Does it get worse when it warms up or is it the same when cold? (engine and transmission)

No, no difference hot or cold.

 

[bulldogfan]

check and see if there are plastic bushings under the floor pan where the foot pedals are. It is amazing the difference tight bushings have on forward and reverse speed. If there is play at those linkages, that is where I would start.

 

[cvarc]

Thanks. I will have a look.

Today I ran some speed tests and find it is only traveling 4.2 mph vs the spec speed of 5.8, and slightly slower with the deck running. It also runs slower than spec (3.5 mph) in reverse.

I feel I need to figure out if the issue is either that the tranny is slipping or is it the engine is running slow but I do not know what the engine rpm at full speed should be or how to adjust it. I see a screw sdjust under the carb and behind the place where the choke and throttle cable connect but have not figured out how to get to it or if it is what it does.

I also notice that the threaded fitting with the side pin that connects to the transaxle speed lever doesn't seem real tight in the hole in the lever. It rocks a little in the hole and maybe if it were tight the lever would move forward a slight bit more.

Thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[dadohd]

cvarc,

The tip about the pedal bushing is right on target. The forward pedal should completely stroke out the transmission. The reverse pedal height sets the reverse speed. Either the pedal height setting has slipped (adjustment right under the footrest) or the bushings are worn out. There are two sets of bushings. Feel for looseness where the pedal bushing meets the frame. The plastic bushings can crack and get loose over time robbing you of speed. If you replace, set the pedal heights to the spec and you'll be back at top speed. Hope this helps!

 

[cvarc]

Thanks for the advice and your post was a good reminder for me to update the status of this issue. The problem has now been resolved by JD. They related they found the linkage loose, the governor misadjusted, and the pedal mechanism loose. They didn;t state if the bushing were cracked or not. I looked at them recently and they don't appear warn, so maybe they did. This was all repaired without charge since it was apparently not done correctly after they had replaced the engine crankshaft and PTO clutch a couple months ago. The PTO repair was the second one, the first having occured in December (yes, we mow here in DEC! ;-) ) The securing bolt broke right at the thread ends and the blade drive pulley and clutch half fell off. The first repair was to merely put in a new bolt. That lasted about 5 months and it was still under warranty. The next time, it was out of warranty, and after the initial $2000 repair bill, then the 'let's split it' repair bill, then the 'would you pay $600' repair bill, JD finally wrote the whole thing off as we kept insisting that the issue was a design flaw, or was still under the original under warranty repair, or they should have replaced the crankshaft the first time. Eventually, they concurred, and have since been quite accomodating. Mower speed is back to 5.8 MPH (we've measure it) and the cutting is level and height settings now correct as the mower deck had been mal-adjusted also during the PTO repair. So, now all good again. Also, the backfiring issure that had begun occuring around the same time was traced to a bent choke control rod that didn't let the choke fully open when the control handle was released. Choke butterfly was still about 30 degrees open. No more backfiring since that was corrected. :smile:

 

[mowermurph]

Our 4 yr old, 420 hour x340 isn't moving as fast as it once did. Engine speed is same and drive belt seems properly tensioned. Transmission is a sealed unit so no way to check fluid level. Trans control arm is straight up vertical at neutral and pedal seems to move it back and forth fully but don't have any spec on how far that should be. Have seen comments about tranny problems on this x300 series, when on inclines and mostly occurring after 200 hours. Hoping some one knows what is causing our problem and hopefully not the tranny?

Thanks.

It is a transmission problem. My X-340 started having the same problem. I researched these transmissions and upon closer inspection I found that there is a rather easy fix to this problem that wont break the bank. It worked for me. First, as you already have, check all the easy trouble shoot remedies first. Pay attention to your mower while attempting to pull out or climb a small incline and see if you hear a slight whining noise. If so that is the pump in the transmission telling you that it doesn't have enough fluid to establish the correct pressure to run the mower. You are correctly being told that it is a sealed transmission however you will find that it has a "factory fill plug" located in the top left of the transmission slightly under the fan pulley. It will resemble a grommet. You will need to remove the rear body of the tractor and reposition the fuel tank out of the way. This is rather easy being there are only 4 small bolts that hold the body on along with the two nuts that connect the hydrostatic pedals to the linkage. You'll also have to pull out/remove the cut height knob located in the middle of the machine. Once you remove the pedals and body from the mower and resituate the fuel tank out of the way," which can be done without disconnecting" you will have access to the factory fill plug. Check the plug for damage and you'll probably find it is dry rotten causing a small leak. Clean the area well and remove the plug. A thin screw driver and a small hammer will do the trick. You will find a small round magnet sitting vertically within a securing ring that resembles a notched out washer. They should pull out together. Clean these two pieces well and remove any small metal particles attached. Stick your index finger into the hole and see if you touch transmission fluid on the tip of your finger. Kind of like checking an solid axel rear end for 80/90 gear oil. If you do not detect any fluid, purchase a quart of John Deere low viscosity transmission/hydraulic fluid and a replacement factory fill plug. Using a funnel pour fluid into the fill hole in small quantities until you can detect fluid within the transmission by placing your finger into the hole up to the first joint. When you can feel fluid on your finger the transmission will be full. Install the new factory fill plug and put mower back together as before. Run mower to check function. You may also want to adjust the hydrostatic pedals a bit for better movement. You should find this will correct the problem and give you several more years of serviceability. hope this helps everyone. worked for me.
Take care.