Hard Starting D170

3304 Views 7 Replies 6 Participants Last post by TWIN86GNS, May 30, 2019

TWIN86GNS

Discussion Starter · May 15, 2019

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???

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TWIN86GNS

Discussion Starter · #5 · May 16, 2019

Hi All,

I will look at this over the upcoming weekend and let you all know what I find.

ryanpf,

On my D170 the choke is part of the actual throttle not a seperate lever. I wish that it was seperate, but again, I will check to see that the choke plate is closing all of the way.

Thanks for all of the advice so far.

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TWIN86GNS

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 30, 2019

Hi All,

Sorry for the slow response.

I went up to the cottage and then tried to start my D170 and not a sign of life while cranking over. I took the air filter off, and asked my wife to hold her hand across the opening. The machine fired right up and then my wife screemed that the machine was trying to swallow her hand.

I guess she didn't realize there would be vacuum there.

I have the machine starting much better now, but I think I still need to do as TobyU says and adjust the carb linkage a little more. I think the carb linkage was a little "gummed" up and not moving properly into the choke mode and now it is but I don't think it is 100% adjusted properly. I will get this fixed 100% and then I will be happy.

Also last week I replaced a spindle that was bad. Only one spindle was bad and the other two were nice and tight. On my 26 hp 54" deck Craftsman I had a similar situation that 1 deck spindle needed to be replaced while the other 2 were fine and many years later they are all acting fine.

Thanks for all of your help.

Take care,

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