John Deere X540 Won't Stay Running, Dies Off Choke, Dies Out or Surges Full Diagnosis and Repair

[@richardforcey2399]

I would like to know how the Carburetor linkage hookup on a John Deere Sabre

[@IndRepair]

The linkages and choke motor are different in the following video but if it is a briggs intek the linkages will go into the same slots as we show on the engine at kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYS6ZKKYma5lms0si=fP4Osiq-abFUhBDA

[@Mgrant8163]

Had the exact same symptoms with a totally different cause on my X500. It would run perfect for the first 45 minutes or so then start to surge, cut out, lose power and the only way to keep it running was to push in the choke and hope I could drive it back to the garage. I replaced the fuel filter, fuel pump, coils and plugs and cleaned the carbs. The problem was still there. Good fuel flow through the fuel pump too. Finally, I used my compressor and blew out the fuel lines starting at the carb and working my way back. I heard the bubbling sound in the gas tank when I got to that part. Started and ran perfectly that afternoon so it sounds like the pick up tube in the tank. My next step, and hopefully last, is to syphon out the gas from the tank and see if I can pick up whatever is in there. No clue how to drop the tank and I hope that I don't have to since I don't have a rack to get it off the ground.

[@IndRepair]

I see debris cause this at the elbow often since there is no filter on the pickup. Cleaning the tank will definitely solve the problem

[@Mgrant8163]

@@IndRepair How difficult is it to drop the tank and clean it out? I don't have a lift so I'd have to figure something out.

[@IndRepair]

@@Mgrant8163 You do it from the top, it is not super easy you have to remove the seat/ cowling and then pull the tank out from there

[@Mgrant8163]

@@IndRepair Sounds like a pain but I'll look it up and see if I want to go that extreme. I'll siphon the gas out first and see how much debris is in there first. Might be easiest to just blow out the fuel line with my compressor once in a while. Thanks for your help.

[@IndRepair]

@Mgrant8163 yeah or drain the tank completely and let it dry then blow compressed air in the tank and the dry debris usually comes out

[@handsofgodd]

Good video, well done !!

[@IndRepair]

Thanks for watching!

[@garny3766]

Do you have access to another jd mower with interlock module am141075? Just worked on an x540 with same issues and finally the interlock module failed. Replaced and back up running. Owner said mower has never had so much power and run this good. I worked on this mower over 6 months and module finally failed and brought about its replacement.

[@IndRepair]

This mower is back to the customer now so it is not here but it is running well after the repair we ran it about an hour without issue. I called to follow up with the customer after this comment and he confirmed the mower worked well and got his yard mowed without issue (about an hour and a half). This is definitely a good tip on the electronics, I so often times forget that for the fuel solenoid to work on these models the seat switch, brake switch and ECU must be working properly. I have seen this issue before but it has been quite a while. I do not keep an ECU on hand I just order one if necessary. Thanks for watching!

[@MC-zx1qm]

What about one of these that used to start just fine choke up ignition on pull the choke as it starts up and now what I’m finding is sometimes I’ll have to choke it up a few times while I’m starting and then once it’s running, it sounds like it’s running great, but I’ll go to engage the blades and it stalls But I can 100% guarantee It is not one of the safety shut off because if I kind of choke it up, the blades will engage and everything will run. It will also slow down in slightly tall grass where it used to just power through like a champ.

[@IndRepair]

It sounds like bad fuel, a carburetor issue or just running on one cylinder. Go through the process of elimination and find out what you are missing

[@Lotharwilleke]

Hello, my X540 starts not with hot engine, i must wait 1 hour and its starts again, have you an idea for this problem? Thanks from germany

[@IndRepair]

I would check to see what you are missing when it will not restart. Could be quite a few things. Make sure you are getting spark when it won't restart and then confirm it will not start on starting fluid either. Disconnect kill and test to ensure engine cannot be killed by the mower safeties and see if there is a change. Head gasket, coil issues, etc..

[@philliphall5198]

I had a fuel bowl solenoid that was doing that after it got really hot Once it cooled it would move again But would never die unless you shut it off and then it would not work again until it cooled Drove me nuts for a day 😊😊

[@IndRepair]

@@philliphall5198 That is the worst!

[@philliphall5198]

I would rather pay 600 bucks more and get a kas v twin engine if I was buying a new mower Not sure what the cost really is but it’s worth it 😊

[@IndRepair]

Definitely would agree on this