Hard Starting D170

Hi All,

At the end of October last year I purchased a used John Deere D170 with ~ 140 hours and it seems to be quite cold blooded in that it is difficult to start. Shortly after purchasing it, I put a new battery in it so I have lots of power to turn the engine over but it just doesn't want to start. I put new plugs in it (gapped as per the owners manual) and that hasn't seemed to help.

This Spring, the machine just didn't want to start and I actually went and bought a small can of ether. I have never had to use ether for any of my small engines before, but with a very small shot of ether the tractor started up and ran fine. The engine runs well at idle, at mid throttle and at wide open throttle but it just doesn't like to start.

This tractor is for use at my cottage at a lake so it might be a touch damp up there and the can of ether said it is for damp situations. The tractor is stored in my garage and I don't think it is damp but this tractor doesn't want to start very easily. Even after running it for 15 minutes then shutting it off last weekend it wouldn't restart without the choke on last weekend.

The fuel is good ethanol free fuel that I run without issues in all of my small engines without any problems and I also put fuel stabilizer in it over the winter but this 26 hp Briggs just doesn't want to start.

Any thoughts???