John Deere 318 Honda GX630 Repower - 400+ hours and 10 years later

Check out my 1985 JD318 with a Honda repower kit from T.H.E Company. This was installed in 2011 and is still going strong!

[@iowafox2206]

I've got a 1978 John Deere 316K and when the engine does eventually go out I'll more then likely do just what you did and repower it. I found online I could get one for $1800. Which isnt terrible but I'm sure as time goes on it will go up in price. I love the video!

[@davez4172]

Nice follow up on the repower. I have the same honda motor in my 318. My Onan popped a valve seat and the cost of repairing the block (the loose seat wallowed out the block) in addition to boring, honing, new pistons and rings etc. was within a $1000 of a new honda. No brainer for me as parts for the Onan are getting harder to come by as time goes on. I have 200 hours on the new motor and no issues. My kit came with flexible hose and fittings to route the oil drain toward the middle of the tractor. I do have to remove the belly screen to drain, but no big deal. My oil fill is on the right side of the motor. It is up against the side panel, but it fits. I did have to open up the exhaust port on the side panel to accommodate my muffler as it didn't fit. The repower kit is as much as another running 318, but you get a brand new motor by repowering. There weren't any 318's available in my area when my Onan quit, so the choice was easy. When I first hit some heavy snow with my 49 snowblower, I knew I made the right choice. The extra power made a big difference.

[@michaelmuilwyk3222]

A lot of zero turns now have a flexible tube in place of the plug with a valve on the end for draining the oil right into a drain pan. Something like that seems like an easy low-cost solution to the messy oil drain. Nice to see a review of the honda kit after putting some hours on. There seems to be a misconception that they will run hot in these tractors. I considered a repower, but ended up rebuilding the original engine for about 1/3 the cost of a Honda repower.

[@JoshWeaverRC]

My pull behind mower has thr same thing. Pull it down, stick it in the pan and open.

[@justinvanaulen2478]

Just wanted to let you know I'm also a life long Honda guy too. I'm always helping friends and family with non-Honda products...but I never seem to have a problem. Weird. Love your garage! I have many Honda products but you have me beat! :-) Great channel.

[@CynicalDad81]

Run some pipe from that drain hole out through the hole in the frame! Love Honda too!

[@Georgiagreen317]

Thanks for the update. I'm a Honda fan also although at the current time, I'm down to one on my pressure washer. I've repowered a few JDs, two with Honda's and they sold quite fast. But I've also had good luck with Kohler V twins in these machines. I'm at 600 hours on one of them, right now and just starting a 400 repower. I used to be totally against repowering these machines but have changed my mind. Those older engines are just not worth the money to overhaul, (if possible) and you're stuck with 1940 technology. In my opinion, just about any modern brand name engine is an improvement.

[@cory2146]

These are worth saving.

[@timr31908]

Onan parts are pretty expensive they're not too bad I motors but I like the Kohler engines from that era a very good motor and very forgiving

[@checkyoursix5623]

Check out a flexible oil-drain tube from the company Drainzit. I love it on my JD GX335.

[@scamp7441]

What kind of seat suspension did you add or was it already on it when you got it?

[@redhat9226]

Question for you, sir, considering a Honda repower for a 318 that I am restoring. On pictures, I see, both the valve cover fill, and the dipstick obstruct the side cover. I see on your tractor here, the dipstick clears without a problem. Did you slightly bend the dipstick towards the engine to clear the side cover? Additionally, do you think with a narrow funnel you could fill the engine with relative success?

[@Chris_Does_Everything]

I had no issues at all with the dipstick, it just fit. In terms of the narrow funnel, I suspect that would take a while but would eventually work. Swapping the valve cover takes no time at all and reminds me to check and adjust the valve clearance. Good luck with yours and thanks for watching.

[@jackboot5321]

Want to not never have to remove the oil drain plug again...? Buy the Harbor Freight Oil/Fluid vacuum. It's a canister you pump and it sucks the oil right out of the dipstick hole. Change the oil filter as usual, but you won't get oil all over ever again.

[@Chris_Does_Everything]

Thanks, I’ll check that out.

[@timr31908]

Mow every 10 days that's plenty good