JD 314 transmission problems

[Teikas Dad]

I've got an old J Deere 314 (hydrastatic transmission)tractor with mower deck that's been running strong for years....until today.

Engine runs perfect, just had it tuned up in the spring. Today while mowing the lawn the tractor suddenly stopped moving. Engine runs fine but the tractor won't move. Checked the linkage between the dashboard hand control and the transaxle, everything looks OK. After sitting shut off for a few minutes I started it back up and it would move - except it was very jerky, both forward and reverse. When putting it in gear nothing would happen for a couple seconds then it would take off like a rocket then stop again.

I changed the transmission filter and made sure it had JD hydraulic fluid in it to the proper level. Still does the jerky take off like a rocket thing...until it stopped completely. I couldn't hear it but my wife said she heard a high pitched metallic whining noise constantly when I had it in gear.

Any ideas? Getting parts for these old tractors is tough.

Thanks

 

[beenthere]

Only thought would be how long has it been since the tranny fluid was changed? Maybe some new Low vis trans fluid is a fix, and maybe the old tranny is finished.. hope it is just the oil or something else easy to fix.

 

[Deere Dude]

I had problems with a 420 one time where the drift pin from the linkage to the shaft on the transaxle sheared or fell out. The transaxle seemed like it was in a delay mode. It didn't have an abnormal sound though, just a delayed operation.