6x4 (I think it's called) side by side

[Richard]

Have a JD. No doors, no rollbar,nothing, just two seats and a rear tilting deck.

Bought from wife's cousin who lives next door so I know some of the history. (only paid couple hundred)

One of those "used to work fine" but he got fedup with something, bought a new one.

Issues:
1. One plug sparks perfectly fine, other is dead. Pulled the coil out for dead, tested it via ohm meter, everything tested with continuity (presuming it's supposed to be that way!) These are brand new plugs. Tried the old one and it's also dead.
Sprayed some ether into it and it gurgled a bit which is a good sign. (I put new hoses, battery, new gas...did more than detailing here)

2. Carb: no fuel was getting to carb. Has an inline clear filter so could see nothing getting there. Pulled supply off carb, fuel got to moving and came squirting out. Presumed air blockage or something was keeping it from flowing into carb (bowl was dry as a bone) Took float off.... it's not flooded. tinkered around, and now, have fuel at carb. In fact, it's dribbling OUT the (inlet) venturi.... I'm speculating it's not supposed to do that!!! Maybe the float needle isn't stopping (bowl is now getting fuel). Give it a gentle blowing test and it seems to start/stop the fuel easily.

I've not gone too much further into this. Taken me all day to get this far (I've had carb off probably 10 times.

Oh, and I do NOT recommend dropping into a gravel driveway, the non-magnetic crush washer used to seal bottom of carb....nor, to drop the non-magnetic spacer used to bolt a sensor onto the carb! Probably wasted an hour just looking slowly to find each of those.


Any thoughts on 1-2?

 

[Rockbadchild]

How long it have been park ?

if you switch the pug around and one side is always dead Id say you need a coil or stator...

you also might have to clean the gas tank...

Clean the carb very well, its not suppose to leak out, if it dose it's flooding, there is a carb cleaner solution you take evert piece of the carb apart and you leave it in there for 12h it work like a charm...

 

[beenthere]

Kawasaki 2-cyl engine? Search the net for the model number.

 

[Richard]

A bit of an update with a question.

I can only work on this on weekends and I won't if it's raining out.... so this has been a slow process.

Tinkering today, I'll just cut to the chase... I got it started. As of yet, no new parts other than spark plugs and fuel line. I did a LOT of cleaning. Must have been some filthy contacts in some of the in line plugs that you can pull apart.

None the less... still need a new drive belt.

Here's my question. Went to push gear lever into forard and/or reverse and it does the gear grind. Once it's in gear, it runs fine. The (what I think is a differential lock) seems to work or at least the dash light for it comes on.

None the less.... start up, have in neutral, full brake on and go to push into forward and it doesn't like it at all. It WILL go but I don't like the sounds it's giving to do so.

Do I now need to yank the transmission and take it apart? Does the brake pedal also act as a clutch and I'm not waiting long enough? (I think I was waiting TOO long as it was so I'm falling back on something is goofy in there)

Still.....can't complain.

I got $600 in it. $500 for the machine, $100 with a new battery, plugs, fuel line from tank to carb. I need to also get a new drive belt. Should I stay with Deere tagged and spend the cash or get one off ebay/other for something like $35/50?

Oh, and it drips gas out of the carb bowl. Not a lot but, dripping gas isn't a great idea, especially when it drops onto the hot engine!!!

 

[RandyT]

There is no clutch just a centrifugal belt drive system. Sounds like idle speed is too high preventing the drive belt from fully disengaging. the belt should slip on the driven engine pulley at idle and not turn the transmission pulley. A partially engaged drive clutch will cause the belt to spin the driven clutch and that will cause the hard to go into gear with the grinding that you are experiencing.

And need to get the gas leak fixed before it causes a rude awakening.

 

[confused8122]

The carburator, I just replaced the one on my jd gator with a cheap Amazon one. Works perfect.

The transmission, engine idle speed needs to be lower. So it needs to be running good, or the lower idle will stall.

Mine is pretty rough looking, but it was cheap

 

[beenthere]

A bit of gear-grind noise/condition is normal. Just shove it into forward or into reverse, when the engine is idling. Belt condition may be making it worse than it should be. There are specs to measure the belt wear, and should find them in the service tech manual.

 

[Richard]

never thought about idle speed, will check it out

 

[Richard]

Minor update.... went out and started it. My gut feel is it's idle speed is in the ballpark. (just going by sound)

I DID however, look at the sprocket/flywheel, whatever it might be called that the belt goes around on the transmission.....and indeed, it was turning.

(very carefully) I reached down to see if I could put my hand on the (moving) side of it to slow it down or, stop it.

Nope. Being cautious, I didn't fight it nor get something that would allow me to apply higher pressure. Still... I don't think I even slowed it down.

These have a centrifugal clutch I think. Does it also have a CVT? Looks like a conical shaped drive such that, if the end of it moved, it might close, changing the ratio of the drive gear/sprocket. It LOOKS like it might move/adjust (presuming relevant to speed)

While driving in field, I tried to keep eye on the drive sprocket to see if it DID change ratios, and to the best I could tell, it didn't. (maybe it's not supposed to). none the less, the belt was NOT slipping on the transmission part so after I get a new belt, I'll figure out the next issue!!

Wife's cousin next door was floored when he saw me driving in the field with it. He was convinced that the engine would have to be rebuilt. All I really did was clean ALL the electronic contacts. Not sure which one 'fixed' it, but collectively, something happened.

 

[beenthere]

Question, do you have the service tech manual? If not, will you get one?