Another 318 Restore Thread with lots of pictures!!

Looks like you are well into the project. Nice lift also. Wish I had one. It gets harder as I get older to get down on my knees to work on these things.

jydiver said:

Hi all,


and finally the crossmember bolts, I'm thinking there's supposed to be a bolt in that hole

http://www.mytractorforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=383266&stc=1&d=1374623544

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Don't be too quick to add a missing frame cross member bolt... the early ones used two until they discovered the rigidity caused diff covers to leak. Should only use one bolt/washer/spacer and leave other hole open or replace with new cross member with one hole and use shoulder bolt. See TM1590 50-05-27 for details.

i will be watching this...keep up the good work! i too had problems loading pics. if you have windows 7 open the pics in paint and shrink the size a bit.

dkarst said:

Don't be too quick to add a missing frame cross member bolt... the early ones used two until they discovered the rigidity caused diff covers to leak. Should only use one bolt/washer/spacer and leave other hole open or replace with new cross member with one hole and use shoulder bolt. See TM1590 50-05-27 for details.

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Hello
Member dkarst, is spot on here. I have the older style cross member like your's in my 318 and it had Two bolt's going into the front of the Transmission. I pulled the one and replaced the other with a factory John Deere shoulder bolt. There was a safety Bulletin from Deere about doing this due to the Two bolt arrangement breaking the front of the Transmission case from Stress tourque on the cross member flexing between the two frame rail's when working the 318 hard such as tilling with it. Regards, Hammerdown

I find this series of GT very easy to work on. Things come out in big assemblies and let you work on them quickly! You're definitely getting into it now! Make sure to check all your hydrostatic control linkages for wear and fix them so you don't have creeping issues when you put it back together!

Looks like your well on your way :thThumbsU

I started to tear mine down and stopped after half way and a good cleaning. Everything still looked to good to remove and replace and mine is a 1983. Once I cleaned it all up I was amazed at how well preserved it was. If it ain't broke don't fix it lol

That's one of the great things about coming here the wealth of information, I never would have thought to look in the repair manual about a crossmember, I figured it was just left out sometime in the machines past like the fenderpan bolts, there was one, and the pedestal bolts, some were missing some were metric and some were standard and the hood latch is M.I.A. so I didn't think twice when it was missing, I ordered a bolt from JD because the one that came out wasn't shouldered and there wasn't a spacer in there either, so :thanku:.

That's exactly why I bought it KWDAILYD I got tired of my knees and back killing me every time I went to fix something. :thThumbsU

PA318Guyand JohnnyReb it is pretty easy to work on, I just wish it didn't look so abused, for instance somehow someone managed to bend the tie rod, that's a hefty piece of steel I'd bet you could put a jack under it and lift the front of the tractor and it wouldn't bend.

Ok, enough of my whining back to the fun.

RaisedByWolves didn't say what size hole saw he used to cut the hole in the frame for the locking linkage but looking at the pictures it looks to be a one inch, I had a 1 1/4 so I used that and connected the dots with my cutoff wheel.

It's doesn't look like it in the picture but there is clearance between the deck lift and diff lock linkage and I've got the room to bend it down if I need to.

RaisedByWolves at this point installed the linkage for the high low shifter because "you can mount and install the Posi rod brackets with the Hi/Low rod in place, but not vice/versa" I need to complete one task then move to the next so I installed the two mounting brackets and got it all lined up, my holes were a little bit on the low side so I put that little z in the linkage to make it line up with the control rod in the diff.

Next I worked on the high/low rod, some people have bent it where it meets the diff to take up the 3/4" it needs to be shortened but after it bending every which way I didn't want it to, I really have to buy an oxy/acetylene torch, I managed to break the linkage, so I am waiting on another from eBay so I can continue.

I pulled the engine next because it needs tins and a stator and I wanted to take a look in the cylinders because the compression was on the low side and I figured if I'm going to rebuild it I'd rather do it now while I have it apart, I disconnected the fuel pump the wiring harness and the 4 mount bolts and out it came, it's sitting so close to the edge of my school desk because I put it down and realized "CRAP, I should have drained the oil!" :fing20:

I have a couple of comments/questions as I just completed the same transmission swap. I'd show more pictures but I am in compete paint mode right now.

When you get you're new high/low bar, just cut it and weld it of you are able. It is much cleaner. I thought about bending it, but then I decided, this is some thing that should be done the right way.

Also, why does everyone cut such a large slot for the locking diff rod? I just drilled the hole and it all seemed to match and work. Am I missing something?

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I tried to bend it because I don't weld myself, I have to have someone I work with do it for me and I was impatient, my impatience cost me $30, and yes I'm going to have him do it.

I don't know why RaisedByWolves did it that way, I was just following his guide assuming there was a reason for it I didn't see

jydiver said:

I tried to bend it because I don't weld myself, I have to have someone I work with do it for me and I was impatient, my impatience cost me $30, and yes I'm going to have him do it.

I don't know why RaisedByWolves did it that way, I was just following his guide assuming there was a reason for it I didn't see

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I have found (by paying for me parts), patience pays! Haha. Good luck!

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I got the new hi/low bar and gave it to the welder at work to shorten, I should have it back Monday.

While I'm waiting for that I started tearing the engine down, I pulled the tins and this hunk of glass fell out. I wonder how that got in there?

Then I pulled the exhaust and the intake manifolds, I think the valves are in need of some attention

then the flywheel, I'll spare you the picture of my dirty stator , the timing cover and the heads, the cylinder walls look ok to me but I won't really know until I get them to the machine shop.

Then I pulled the valves, both intake valves were moving around in guides so that's where all the oil was coming from and 3 of the valves have grooves like this so I'm thinking they're shot.

That chunk of glass looks to be the remnants of an adult beverage.


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I thought the same thing, maybe that's how he bent the tie rod, MWI (Mowing While Intoxicated)

jydiver said:

Then I pulled the exhaust and the intake manifolds, I think the valves are in need of some attention

then the flywheel, I'll spare you the picture of my dirty stator , the timing cover and the heads, the cylinder walls look ok to me but I won't really know until I get them to the machine shop.

Then I pulled the valves, both intake valves were moving around in guides so that's where all the oil was coming from and 3 of the valves have grooves like this so I'm thinking they're shot.

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Hellojydiver
There is a lot to be said for the look's of that Exhaust Valve. It is No secret that these Onan's run dirty meaning far too much fuel is fed to them by their Niki Carburetor. It was factual to the Point where the EPA made them stop production due to not being clean enough for the enviroment. That said, I think that there is much room for Improvement here without compromise to the engine'ss power or durability of long running hour's & I have Played with the Heat range of my spark plug's as well as my Ignition. At this time I have jumped up one heat range in the NGK spark plug's that I am using and added a David Kirk Point's saver Modual to my Ignition system which eliminated my original Ignition condenser.



I noticed right off that my Tractor start's much faster and seems to have more power than it had with the Original Ignition condesner in place due to a much hotter spark produced now. I decided to open the spark plug gap to 0.035" now being a full 0.010" farther than what Onan said to run them being 0.025". I have checked my Plug's after running them this way for a full ten hours and I see now that they appear to be lighter in color now looking like a Medium Chocolate color in nature than the original one's were being sooty looking and black in color, which to me show's to be Far Too Rich of a fuel mixture. I Plan to jumping at least one more possibly Two heat ranges in my spark plug's in the near future to see if that will help the engine burn cleaner. It is of my Huble Opinion that leaving these engines run so rich causes a severe build up of carbon and black wasted carbon deposit's on it's exhaust valves as your's Certainly show's to have.



I will at this time only work with spark plug heat range rather than change the main fuel Jet as I still want the Power provided by the Original main jet in my Carburetor, but do not want my engine to run lean and hotter by dropping the size of my main jet, my Intent here is to make my Onan run much more efficently being a more complete burn of the fuel that it is getting of which I think I can accomplish. It is of my Humble Opinion, that by going higher in spark plug heat range the fuel mixture will be more completly burned thus in Essence eliminate the black carbon deposit's on the exhaust valve or the head area. And another benifit from this experiment will be a Much less fuel consumption which add's to my wallet over the long run and makes my Onan run that much further before needing a Valve job, de-carbon procedure or rebuild again. Regards, Hammerdown

Hammerdown said:

Hellojydiver
There is a lot to be said for the look's of that Exhaust Valve. It is No secret that these Onan's run dirty meaning far too much fuel is fed to them by their Niki Carburetor. It was factual to the Point where the EPA made them stop production due to not being clean enough for the enviroment. That said, I think that there is much room for Improvement here without compromise to the engine'ss power or durability of long running hour's & I have Played with the Heat range of my spark plug's as well as my Ignition. At this time I have jumped up one heat range in the NGK spark plug's that I am using and added a David Kirk Point's saver Modual to my Ignition system which eliminated my original Ignition condenser.



I noticed right off that my Tractor start's much faster and seems to have more power than it had with the Original Ignition condesner in place due to a much hotter spark produced now. I decided to open the spark plug gap to 0.035" now being a full 0.010" farther than what Onan said to run them being 0.025". I have checked my Plug's after running them this way for a full ten hours and I see now that they appear to be lighter in color now looking like a Medium Chocolate color in nature than the original one's were being sooty looking and black in color, which to me show's to be Far Too Rich of a fuel mixture. I Plan to jumping at least one more possibly Two heat ranges in my spark plug's in the near future to see if that will help the engine burn cleaner. It is of my Huble Opinion that leaving these engines run so rich causes a severe build up of carbon and black wasted carbon deposit's on it's exhaust valves as your's Certainly show's to have.



I will at this time only work with spark plug heat range rather than change the main fuel Jet as I still want the Power provided by the Original main jet in my Carburetor, but do not want my engine to run lean and hotter by dropping the size of my main jet, my Intent here is to make my Onan run much more efficently being a more complete burn of the fuel that it is getting of which I think I can accomplish. It is of my Humble Opinion, that by going higher in spark plug heat range the fuel mixture will be more completly burned thus in Essence eliminate the black carbon deposit's on the exhaust valve or the head area. And another benifit from this experiment will be a Much less fuel consumption which add's to my wallet over the long run and makes my Onan run that much further before needing a Valve job, de-carbon procedure or rebuild again. Regards, Hammerdown

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Holy smokes that is a lot to absorb! :thumbup:

I will be reviewing this in a few weeks as my Onan goes back together. Thanks for the information.

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Hey guys,

Wow Hammerdown that's alot to digest, I'm very interested in how you make out because considering how much carbon was in there, once I ran the rebuilt engine a bit, I was going to try to rejet it to lean it down thinking it was getting too much gas and not enough air, what you're saying is that it's getting the right mix just not enough spark to ignite it, please keep us posted on your progress.

Anyhoo back to the tractor, I finished getting the engine torn down last week, one of the mechanics at my local dealer was nice enough to remove the crank gear for me, you guys were right that thing was a PITA so I threw him $20 for his trouble. Once I got the pan off I see someone was in this engine because he stamped a 2 into the second rod, they looked pretty good but they're the old style so they are being replaced, the pistons looked good, sorry I didn't take a pic, so I saved a few dollars there and the guy at the machine shop said the valves and seats weren't that bad and that he'd be able to cut them. I also managed to get it torn down and to the machine shop before onanparts closed for the month so I ordered the parts Tues. and had them here Fri. :thThumbsU

While I was waiting for the machine work to get done I got back into the diff. linkage. I lined up the hole in the frame for the 2 speed rod by putting the pin in the rod where it mounts to the diff, saw it lined up right behind the cross member and used a ¾ hole saw to cut the hole and my cutoff wheel to elongate it, I don’t remember why I didn't use the hole saw, it probably would have come out neater, but it should work, it’s laying against the back of the hole because I haven’t put the spring in yet, when I pull it forward up against the detent it’s pretty centered.

Here it is all mounted up, I think when I mounted the locking linkage earlier I didn't tighten it completely because as soon as I did it bound and hit the deck lift linkage so I elongated 2 of the holes so I could pivot the brackets, they don’t look lined up in the pic but it seems to work, then bent the rod so it would clear.

Then I put on the fenderpan and lined everything up, I just have to bend the lock linkage up so I can get the knob on and elongate the hole for the 2 speed a bit to the left because it touches when I put it in low.

Hi all, I've been working on this when I had the chance to I just haven’t updated the post, so here goes, after I got the linkage installed so everything worked I set about stripping it down to do a full restore on it, here’s the transaxle ready to be stripped down seals replaced and painted,

and here it is after the dumb thing I did,

when I went to change the swash plate shaft seals I ended up pushing them into the case so I had to take it completely apart to get them out and ended up in my haste punching a hole in the aluminum case, I’d love to say lesson learned always check the manual before I get frustrated but it’s a mistake I make over and over again :bonk:, I checked eBay and there were none available separately at the time and I wasn't happy with the way the frame came out, the huge hole for the diff lock rod for no apparent reason and the elongated holes for the hanger bolts so I started looking for a rolling chassis and found one for $225 about an hour from my nieces house in Pa., so I got to visit with her and her husband for a while and then went and bought it, I got it home stripped it down and redid the linkage install, sorry no pictures, and sent it off to be powder coated. Then I set about rebuilding the engine here it is with the crank, new rods and pistons,

the valve train all reinstalled,
hey it’s starting to look like an engine again,
sorry folks I didn't take pictures of the rest of the parts going on, here it is all done.