John Deere 318 with Onan Performer Engine

[wlshaffer1947]

We have a John Deere 318 with Onan Performer Engine with front snow thrower. Tractor starts and run good for about 20 minutes of blowing snow. Tractor acts like it is running out of gas and quits. It starts up immediately and run good for about another 20 minutes and does the same thing. This has been going on last year and this year so far. I have replaced the fuel filter, cleaned the carbeurator, plugs replaced. Any ideas on the problem?

 

[mddorange]

:welcome:
To the forum from Northwest Alabama. I am sure someone here will be able to help you, but it might take a couple of days for the right people to check the forum.

 

[oldmech]

Hi! Some years ago. I had same trouble with John Deere 317 .Engine was Kohler K17 . I find carburator jet come frosted. I just stop ten to 15 min. heat from engine remove frost. Onan and Kohler two opposed cylinder engine have long intake manifold and this one run too cold. Cold and wet air get frost in carburator. . I do not make but may be send some heat from engine head on intake manifold. Now I prefer use My Grillo 107 d Honda Gx 340 one cylinder with home made snowblower. Good luck Oldmech

 

[Kish318420]

Have you checked the coil? Known to fail from heat/age, also I would look at the electronic ignition down under the flywheel, the trigger and the magnet unit, These will cause to stop after about 20 minutes and quite till they cool off, till they completely fail. The trigger pickup is around $127.00, the magnet unit should be the gray plastic on the crank shaft, if it is black plastic replace it (these were known to have the magnets fall out too). Just replace mine on both the 318 (P218G) and the 420 (P220G) this past summer.

 

[Wayne_H]

On my 318 with that engine it was the electronic ignition that Kish mentioned above. You have to remove the engine to change it. That sounds like a lot of drama but not too bad. When it stalls check to see if you have spark...

Wayne

 

[windcatcher]

" Tractor acts like it is running out of gas and quits. It starts up immediately and run good for about another 20 minutes and does the same thing."

Beyond the coil or perhaps points, there is another hidden problem. Many of the JD tractors (318, 322, etc) have been out for some time. They all have rubber gas line hoses going into the the tank which are mounted onto a metal elbow. The ethanol gas we're using these days destroys these gas hoses and causes them to break apart inside the tank. I purchased a prime JD 322 because it acted like it was running out of gas. I found out the gas lines were all but gone in the tank.

You'll have to remove the seat pan to get to the gas tank. Should be 4 acorn style nuts - 9/16" wrench IIRC. Unplug your rear lights and the wires for the operator presence seat switch. Remove the seat pan. You should see the gas lines on the top of the tank.

Here's the parts breakdown: John Deere - Parts Catalog