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John Deere 345

2K views 10 replies 8 participants last post by  mikestoy 
#1 ·
Hello, I've had my 2000 JD 345 for a little over a year now and its been the best one I have. I use it commercially for my lawn care business. Every time I use it before I shut it down I idle it for about 1 min. Sometimes I might have to get off and open my garage door or something and when I start it back up it surges for about 20 seconds. I was wondering if I should worry about it or if it's just a regular thing for the 345's. :thanku:
 
#2 ·
I don't know what is normal but I will say my GX345 does not like idling once it gets warmed up.
If I use it and bring it down to idle it spits and sputters.Does not stall but does not idle well at all.
Once I throttle it back up it does fine and will mow till the cows come home,but once idled back down the same thing happens.
Normal?Not sure but mine does too.

AJ
 
#4 ·
Exact same for me also.
 
#5 ·
My 02 GX345 idles fine but when I bought it 2 years ago it did not like going up to full throttle quickly so, had to push lever up very slow. I saw some threads about adding Seafoam so I have used it with much success.
 
#6 ·
I have a 2000 345(48c deck) also great mower, 602 hrs. haven't noticed any surgeing at idle, I run non etho gas and add seafoam every often so, 345 likes it and i feel better. had to replace two valve cover gaskets' the old ones crack and engine oil drips down onto the muffler headers, smokey situation replaced them with better updated ones good to go. other issues throws 3 inches of grass up on the front of deck around the belt pullys doesn't seem bother, just annoying, i blow it off after every mow. just got done mowing got to go blow the deck off put johnny away.
 
#8 ·
I run non etho gas and add seafoam every often so, 345 likes it and i feel better.
had to replace two valve cover gaskets' the old ones crack and engine oil drips down onto the muffler headers, smokey situation replaced them with better updated ones good to go.
See........both these shouldn't have happen and it's complete BS on a expensive tractor like this.

Come on JD, get your act together.
 
#7 ·
I have a 345 and an X500 with Kawasaki engines, and I had an X485 with a Kawasaki before that. They all seem to fumfer around at idle when hot. None of them are what I'd call steady idlers when hot, but if I let them sit for a few moments they seem to steady out. So I am calling it normal. I run Seafoam in all of my machines.
 
#10 ·
From reading your comments, it appears you have a governor issue when you reduce the throttle down to idle speed and it sputters. Idling don't hurt any type of combustion engine. Pay no attention to those that say otherwise. Small combustion engines such as chain saws, outboards, lawn mowers, and lawn tractors runs very well at idle, and for many (hours) without any problems.
 
#11 ·
Small combustion engines such as chain saws, outboards, lawn mowers, and lawn tractors runs very well at idle, and for many (hours) without any problems.
I thought so to until I had a X540.
You couldn't idle that engine to save your soul when moving the throttle down to fast.
After putting up with that for a year, in came a X720 with fuel injection into my life..............:thThumbsU

I remember the salesmen telling me on that X540, our great uncle sam doesn't what us to idle those engines.

BTW.......I power troll when fishing with my boat, so a engine that doesn't idle is no option...........:dunno:
 
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