John Deere X300 Riding Mower Runs Rough Then Dies, Surges, Runs Poorly Full Diagnosis & Repair

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We check out an issue with a John Deere X300 riding mower that runs rough, sounds bad when off choke, on high throttle, surges and is low on power.
It ends up being a choke and carburetor issue
We do not fully remove and clean the carburetor, we instead address it while it is on the machine
We go over the full diagnostic process and repair of the issue with tips and thought process
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#johndeere #smallbusiness #smallenginerepair #kawasaki #individualizedrepair
About Us:
My name is Martin. I have been repairing tools and small engines for almost 20 years. We operate a small engine repair shop in Illinois. We service / repair Briggs & Stratton, Kohler, Kawasaki, John Deere, Cub Cadet, Toro Tecumseh, Loncin, Honda, Craftsman, Husqvarna, MTD, Troy Bilt, Simplicity, John Deere, Exmark, LCT, Generac and many more brands. We work on riding mowers, walk behind mowers, snow blowers, zero turns, generators, pressure washers and much more. We normally repair about 3,000 pieces of equipment every year and look at many more that are beyond an affordable repair. Hopefully our videos will save you some money and give you the information you need to work on your own equipment or figure out the issue at hand.
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Please be careful when repairing any piece of equipment and follow all possible safety measures. This video is for entertainment purposes only.

[@thomasroche164]

Thanks for another great video!

[@IndRepair]

Thanks for watching, I appreciate that and your words of support!

[@watermanone7567]

Good video, I usually find the idle circuits plugged, especially on the Honda type carburetors. Thanks for the video.

[@IndRepair]

I do not see them often but every now and again thanks for the tip!

[@philliphall5198]

Hey how about touching on shop safety and PPE Like clean shop floors, tools grinding burrs and the hazards with can end a career and the worst, FIRES 🔥 😮😮😮

[@IndRepair]

Always a risk there for sure. We use wifi blocks to turn off anything that has a heating element at closing (coffee pot, ultrasonic cleaners). Working in a shop environment I teach my people to drag their feet to avoid trip hazzards as there are always some you will run into. Fires start usually with oily rags or debris in the corner, every one around here anyway. Lost two shops last 5 years or so, a diesel one and a car repair one locally. Luckily the shop here never stays like that long. Now that I have some help we are squeaky clean (for a shop, lol). Speaking of burrs, I never got around to it this winter. Something I need to get to

[@steveriggenbach90]

Going over my zero turn I remembered something. Like to share….. I replace the battery hardware with sst 1/4-20 bolts but I include washers. You can tighten and not damage the posts. Hope this helps.

[@IndRepair]

Definitely best for these, great tip! We use stainless 1/4-20 + locking nut and washer

[@steveriggenbach90]

@@IndRepair I’ve never had one back of, but hardware store here I come. I prefer the nylon lock. Thanks

[@IndRepair]

Neither have I just habit from my electric motor days. We use the whiz-nut locking ones

[@robertmcmahon2744]

@@IndRepair Yep. I used to use the same size, but galvanized and with the dialectic grease. Didn't hold up. A year later hardware was rusty. Switched to stainless. For only a few cents more a pound in bulk from the hardware store,well worth it. Much more of a professional look for a long time to come.

[@IndRepair]

@@robertmcmahon2744 They hold up well for sure

[@garymoore8380]

Another great video. Thanks.

[@IndRepair]

Thanks for watching!

[@joeh2253]

thanks again sir, the video is very helpful

[@IndRepair]

Thank you for watching

[@victorbellan8357]

How come there was no fuel coming from the float when you had the bowl off ?

[@IndRepair]

At 21:39 or so it is leaking onto the rag. Without the fuel pump sending fuel it will only drain what is in the bowl and line

[@Rein_Ciarfella]

Good one, Martin! I just encountered my first frozen throttle control rod on a Kawasaki FS730V. No idea how the operators were able to use this Snapper ZT at full throttle all the time! I suspect they just didn’t know any better. Do you think the rod on yours swelled slightly due to ethanol fuel and that’s why you were able to get away with sanding it? I’d be concerned that the additional clearance after sanding might lead to an air leak, although on a choke rod it might not create a problem.

[@IndRepair]

Thanks for watching! Yeah, frozen throttle is definitely much worse. It would continue to run, just have no fluctuation for engine load. Can cause major issues. It seems these swell or get debris onto them eventually, not sure if it is the plastic quality or what. Most common issue I see on a Kawasaki, definitely a great engine. We use the little foam to stop any debris from getting in. Even if it was pulling a small amount of air it would not create an issue since it is in front of the venturi.

[@bigjwarlok8538]

Have you had any issues with your Spark Checkr? Mine likes to read "High" on a good coil. For example, I used it on an SV715 Kohler yesterday. It ran fine, but I was curious what the spark checkr would say, and it read both coils "high" Thanks and good video. I've experienced the surging issue on the same Kawi and it was the the #2 intake gasket leaking.

[@IndRepair]

Interesting on the Spark Check'r! I have ran into a few times it has not registered exactly right but I have been using this tester for probably 10 years (originally sold under different names) and have only seen this a handful of times. Most of the time I have the selection accidentally to the car setting instead of the mower setting when something weird happens to it. I wonder what the cut off is for high-low with a push mower vs a riding mower

[@bigjwarlok8538]

@IndRepair I emailed Trillium (produces Spark Checkr') on Friday and a guy by the name Gary Devroy emailed me back. He said to send it to them and they will send me a new one. I sent mine off Saturday. Hopefully, I'll get the other soon. I really believe something is off on the one I had. Almost everything small engine, on the lawnmower setting, read high.

[@IndRepair]

@@bigjwarlok8538 Weird for sure, it definitely should not do that!

[@stevenbelsky1652]

I just bought a new john deere x330 it will be stored in a unheated shed. Would a oil pan heater be something i should use since it will be used alot in winter in wisconsin

[@IndRepair]

For cold winter starting you can or a thinner winter oil will help also

[@lopincol]

Here in Canada a lot of people, including myself, use 5W30 all year. Helps a lot compared to the 10W30 that's usually used.

[@robertmcmahon2744]

Please for give me if I missed it. What were the prices of the different lift tables.?? Thanks.

[@IndRepair]

www.mile-x.com/search.php?search_query=Handy%20lift Handy S.A.M 1200 was about $2,400 delivered with tax and the B.O.B 1500 was about $3,000 delivered with tax

[@robertmcmahon2744]

@@IndRepair As always thank you. Due to my budget restrictions, I'm going to proceed with my modification of a Harbor Freight motorcycle lift. I'm adding Harbor Freight car ramps which will fold underneath when not in use to lift a regular sized lawn tractor. The combination will serve me well for now, until I get the $$ and space. Just realized that you are located only about 90 mins. Anyways, Peace out and God Bless.😎✌🖖🙏🤝

[@IndRepair]

@@robertmcmahon2744 I would be interested to see how that turns out. As always work with what you have first! I think all of us doing small engine repair have had one or more of those lifts at some point. You get some big calf muscles pumping them up every day but they are built well for the price. It really is a small world!

[@robertmcmahon2744]

@@IndRepair Hope to add a "air over hydraulic" pump from Harbor Freight to it with little to mo modifications. For around $130(depending on sales and coupons) it's without a must for this project. Foot pumping sucks. Plus, I tend to trip of hit my shins on those damn things.😡

[@IndRepair]

@@robertmcmahon2744 I have many spots in my shin from those tables! We had two and it was horrible sometimes

[@Br4iNl3sS87]

Hi. I have a brand new Husqvarna ts142 and i used gas that i got for my snow blower from 2-3 months ago and it started rough idling after about 1.5hours of mowing. Can it run well for a bit then start to have issue because of "old gas"... shouldnt it have struggle since the very start. Thanks if you know :)

[@IndRepair]

Hey there, it sure can run great for a while and then start pulling bits of the heavier fuel (less octane or water contaminated). That is where I would start along with making sure the fuel line/filter/pick up tube is not blocked causing a slow fuel flow

[@Br4iNl3sS87]

Thanks. that was the plan(after watching the first few min of your video) or try to siphon the fuel out but they made the fuel tank with weird angles and elbow... so the only small pipe i had at Home would not fit. Also im pretty young and not really a gearhead. First machine i will be trying to fix. Thanks again!

[@IndRepair]

@@Br4iNl3sS87 Awesome! Will be a good one for you!

[@porkypineacres3536]

Big fan here. Can you provide the recommended RPM for a 24hp V twin. It’s on a YTH24V48 Husqvarna. Appreciate it. Keep the videos coming

[@IndRepair]

Normally 3450 to 3550 is a perfect speed on these engine. 3600 max

[@porkypineacres3536]

@@IndRepair Appreciate the information. Running in the low 3400s with load. Not going to mess with it. Thanks again.

[@IndRepair]

Awesome, right where it should be

[@larrygould8246]

Where in Illinois are you ? I am from EDWARDSVILLE Illinois.

[@IndRepair]

Bloomington, Illinois

[@IndRepair]

Not too far but definitely not close either

[@michaelfarris2556]

Man, did you free that bird?

[@IndRepair]

Lol! Yes, I let the little fellow out. He was extremely anxious about it!