LBrown59
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- 2003 Kubota BX1500/2004 Kubota Bx23/2005 Kubota BX1500
Why did you change the oil in a brand new tractor???
X540... PLEASE HELP
- Thread starter VTtractorguy
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- john deere x540
LBrown59
Super Star Member
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Good move but
to bad you didn't go with the 2305 in the first place.
OP
VTtractorguy
Silver Member
I changed it at the 8 hour mark as the manual says to do. All fluid levels are right at the mark. Greased everything (several times). So I'm not sure what the problem was. Changing the plugs did help so perhaps the gaps were slightly off on the factory ones. As I mentioned, letting it warm up for a minute or two seems to solve the problem.
At any rate... you are right. I should have bought the 2305 to begin with. I'm not losing much on the trade and my dealer is treating me right, so I'm just looking forward... You live and learn...
ATCtech
Member
You are most welcome. I drooled at the X749 briefly (and the price tag) and quickly realized that it wouldn't fit through the doors of my shed. (**** it! <GRIN>) I have a walk-behind blower and tiller, so the X540 is strictly an up-scale lawn mower and towing tractor for me.
You mentioned "25 hours" and "greasing several times". You haven't blown a rear seal out of the deck spindle bearings by chance have you? The manual says greasing with "a couple of shots" at 50 hours. If the spindles are losing grease quickly that would account for the extra resistance to starting the blades.
Bob
You mentioned "25 hours" and "greasing several times". You haven't blown a rear seal out of the deck spindle bearings by chance have you? The manual says greasing with "a couple of shots" at 50 hours. If the spindles are losing grease quickly that would account for the extra resistance to starting the blades.
Bob
LBrown59
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1* That's right I forgot That garden tractors require the first service well before Sub Compacts do.1*I changed it at the 8 hour mark as the manual says to do.
2*At any rate... you are right. I should have bought the 2305 to begin with.
I'm not losing much on the trade and my dealer is treating me right, so I'm just looking forward... You live and learn...
2*I spoke to you from experience on that one.
I bought a CC GT 2554 garden tractor when I really wanted a Kubota BX1500 then turned around later and bought the BX1500.
I should have gotten it in the first place.
Had I done that My savings account would be several thousand dollars fatter than it is now.
LBrown59
Super Star Member
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- 2003 Kubota BX1500/2004 Kubota Bx23/2005 Kubota BX1500
That's my main hang up with the x700 JDs to much money for a garden tractor and not enought tractor compared to a sub cut for the same money or there abouts.
ATCtech
Member
FWIW, and I know this is an old thread, my X540 has now started doing the same thing. I put the 14 bushel bagger on it about 3 weeks ago and in the last week with cooler weather (40-50 degree F ambient air temps.) the engine stalls when the deck is engaged cold. I'm almost done bagging leaves and I'll take the collection blower off and try it without that extra load. I'm at about 23 hours now. If it's still a problem the dealer will be contacted and I'll mention this thread too.
Bob
Bob
Neil Clemmons
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- Dec 15, 2007
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I have an x500 with a 48" deck and it will stall when the engine is cold. Once i engage it at full throttle once, I can reengage it at a lower throttle as long as the engine is warm. So I think there is just not enough torque on the cold engine.
neil
neil
Eric Barney
Silver Member
As a very experienced automotive guy, I would like to add some ideas to this discussion.
I currently own a JD LX188 with a 48" deck, 17 HP water cooled V twin, and an electric PTO. Cold stalling while engaging the mower is a problem I believe can be caused by (1) too much grease in the blade spindles, or the grease is too heavy. The blades will turn easily by hand, at a slow RPM. Try to spin them quickly is a whole different thing. As an experiment, I disassembled the spindles, cleaned all the grease out, then packed the bearings with Moly lube. (CV joint grease) The spindles spin much more freely, and take less effort to get spinning. All other pulleys, idlers, etc. are in perfect condition.
While this certainly improved the stalling, it is not the only issue. The X540 has nearly 10 more HP than the LX188. It is driving the same size, or only slightly larger three blade deck. Why would it even slow a little during PTO engagement? My theory... Fuel management! The reason the engine stalls is due to the carburetor. this is especially true when the engine is cold. Or not fully warmed up.
Utility engines feature very simple fuel requirements. They are meant to run at constant RPM's. Because of this, the carburetors lack accelerator pumps, power valves, and other features that an engine that needs to have when instant throttle response, and a large variation in RPM range is needed.
Small sized carbs are less prone to throttle lag, or hesitation than larger carbs are. (Air velocity)
Since our tractor engines are controlled by RPM governors, the actual throttles are not really open very much when the operator has the throttle at full. (And there is no load on the engine.)
When the PTO engages, the sudden torque load causes the governor to 'snap' open the throttle butterflies on the carburetor to try to get the engine back up to operating RPM's This causes a severe hesistation or stall since the carb is not designed for quick throttle response. The larger carb on the X540 will be more prone to this than the much smaller carb on the LX.
Features like the accelerator pumps would solve this problem, but would cause others. Cost, reliablity, emmissions to name a few. Electronic fuel injection is a mature technology that should be in place on the X540. It is used on the X728. I'll bet that engine does not slow much when even the largest deck is engaged. EFI will also provide the correct amount of fuel under all temperature conditions. No stall, even when cold.
My new X540 has arrived, and I will keep a close watch on this issue. I will post any comments, and possible solutions if I find them.
Preventive measures will include: Changing the engine oil to synthetic as soon as the break in period has passed. Using fuel additives to combat ethanol corrosion, and using very high quality, low drag lubes in the spindles.
I currently own a JD LX188 with a 48" deck, 17 HP water cooled V twin, and an electric PTO. Cold stalling while engaging the mower is a problem I believe can be caused by (1) too much grease in the blade spindles, or the grease is too heavy. The blades will turn easily by hand, at a slow RPM. Try to spin them quickly is a whole different thing. As an experiment, I disassembled the spindles, cleaned all the grease out, then packed the bearings with Moly lube. (CV joint grease) The spindles spin much more freely, and take less effort to get spinning. All other pulleys, idlers, etc. are in perfect condition.
While this certainly improved the stalling, it is not the only issue. The X540 has nearly 10 more HP than the LX188. It is driving the same size, or only slightly larger three blade deck. Why would it even slow a little during PTO engagement? My theory... Fuel management! The reason the engine stalls is due to the carburetor. this is especially true when the engine is cold. Or not fully warmed up.
Utility engines feature very simple fuel requirements. They are meant to run at constant RPM's. Because of this, the carburetors lack accelerator pumps, power valves, and other features that an engine that needs to have when instant throttle response, and a large variation in RPM range is needed.
Small sized carbs are less prone to throttle lag, or hesitation than larger carbs are. (Air velocity)
Since our tractor engines are controlled by RPM governors, the actual throttles are not really open very much when the operator has the throttle at full. (And there is no load on the engine.)
When the PTO engages, the sudden torque load causes the governor to 'snap' open the throttle butterflies on the carburetor to try to get the engine back up to operating RPM's This causes a severe hesistation or stall since the carb is not designed for quick throttle response. The larger carb on the X540 will be more prone to this than the much smaller carb on the LX.
Features like the accelerator pumps would solve this problem, but would cause others. Cost, reliablity, emmissions to name a few. Electronic fuel injection is a mature technology that should be in place on the X540. It is used on the X728. I'll bet that engine does not slow much when even the largest deck is engaged. EFI will also provide the correct amount of fuel under all temperature conditions. No stall, even when cold.
My new X540 has arrived, and I will keep a close watch on this issue. I will post any comments, and possible solutions if I find them.
Preventive measures will include: Changing the engine oil to synthetic as soon as the break in period has passed. Using fuel additives to combat ethanol corrosion, and using very high quality, low drag lubes in the spindles.
