[theFarmerGeek]

Hey all, I'm new to the board, and new to my j.d. but I have a couple questions.

I picked up a 240 from a garage sale, and now it seems like this is the lost model. I can't find much information about it online. Oh, I can find info on the 240 skidsteer, but that isn't what I have.

First off, I got it home and my wife was riding it around getting the feel for it, and trying the blades, etc. Well, the blades would just stop for no reason we could see. Flip the PTO switch off and back on, and it would work again for some random amount of time. Then after about 30-45 minutes of this, she shut it off to talk to me for a minute and it won't start again. Turn the key and get a buzzing and the battery discharge light comes on. I replaced both the ignition switch and the PTO switch, but that didn't seem to help. Seems to be an open or a short somewhere. Any ideas on where to find a wiring diagram?

Secondly, I found on craigslist a tiller that a guy had on a 140. There is a picture of it and a picture of the manual. It seems to be a 33 Integral rotary tiller, but again, I can't find anything about the 240 and if this would fit.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Sergeant]

I bought a 240 new in 1988. One of the Best GT's I ever owned. Sold it to my Cousin in 2000. He use's it now strickly for tilling and Garden work. The 240 was built between 1988 to 1992. The tiller for the 140 will not work on your tractor the #33 or #31 tiller will not work on your machine But a the current 30inch tiller will work on your 240 with this Kit BM20325 which costs $68.00 for mounting it to your 240 and here is the Machine code for the 30inch tiller that work on your 240 (3264M) $1,529 new But any tiller from a 240,245,260,265,285,320,325,335,345,355,GT242,GT262,GT275,GT225,GT235,GT245,GX325 thru GX355 or even a GX255 will work on your tractor even for the New X500,X520 & X540 will work on your tractor with the kit I mentioned. For more Info on this tractor you can check this link out http://weekendfreedommachines.org/ Here is a link to the Late model forum link as well http://www.weekendfreedommachines.com/discus/messages/60944/60944.html?1241534047 Your problem sounds like a bad Solenoid. Which the same sypmtoms happend to a friend of mine's tractor and it turn out to be the Solenoid. Here is a link to John Deeres parts catalog http://jdpc.deere.com/jdpc/servlet/com.deere.u90490.partscatalog.view.servlets.HomePageServlet_Alt The JD 320,325-355 & GX325-GX355 where built on the same frame as the 240 thru 285. They called the 240-285 the tree catcher models because the spring assist lift handle has a habit of catching low hanging Branches. Another thing about the spring assist on these model it almost like having Hydraulic lift how easy it lift's implements. The Integral Hitch(sleeve Hitch) for this tractor is no longer avaliable from Deere but there are two aftermaket Sleeve hitch avaliable for it form here http://hayes-ent.com/hitch/SleeveHitch.htm or Here http://www.johnnyproducts.com/J_Bucket_HTMs/UNI_Sleeve_Hitch.htm From the second link you can also get a slip bucket called the Johnny Bucket for your 240 as well http://www.johnnyproducts.com/J_Bucket_HTMs/JBpage_Jr_John-Deere-GX_Type.htm Hope this helps on your 240 :thThumbsU

 

[theFarmerGeek]

Wow, thanks for all of that info. That really helps me out!!!

I will test out the solenoid later today and see if that is the problem.

Thank you again!

 

[attorney_barnabas_collins]

Connections & safety switches are my best guess. 240's are odd. The lift lever on the fender is just wierd and forgets to duck when going under low branches.

Seem well made though. 5 lug wheels bump them up a notch in my book. If I were wanting a verticle shaft Deere they would be at the top of my list.

 

[attorney_barnabas_collins]

I think I have had them all.

 

[Sergeant]

I miss my 240 It traveled through 5 state's with me from Army post to post. I try to get my cousin to sell it back to me. He won't budge.
Here are some manuals to get
Operators OMM79648
Part's PC2150
http://www.deere.com/en_US/ProductC...view.servlets.PublicationsSearchServlet?tM=HO you can get most of the mnaual for it either printed or on CD. If you get it printed be prepared to pay through the Nose. The CD's with cut the price in Half. Good luck with the 240 Once you get it rumming right I think you will be very happy with it. :thThumbsU

 

[theFarmerGeek]

Alright, well, I checked out my solenoid and my starter. The solenoid pops when jumped to the battery and the starter spins. I even picked up a new solenoid and tested that, but no dice. If I take off the purple/white wire that is going to the solenoid, and jump that pin from the battery, I can get the engine to crank. So I am assuming that there is a short somewhere.

I looked at the seat safety and I jumped it so I can try to start it without sitting down, and I reached under and found a connector hanging loose. I guess it must be the transmission neutral switch. I jumped that too. Still nothing. I did find that when I jumped the tranny neutral switch, if I bumped my jumper against the frame, the 20A fuse pops. So there is power there.

I guess my next step is to test out the three relays under the battery and then take off some body panels to trace the wiring harness and see.


On a side note, and please forgive me my ignorance, what is a sleeve hitch for? This is the first time I am looking into these types of attachments for a mower/tractor and I am not very sure what it all means.

That Johnny Bucket looks awesome, the plow and the bucket attachments. Its just so much more expensive than the tractor itself was... maybe some day!

 

[Sergeant]

a Sleeve hitch is a Hitch that enables you took hook up a Garden plower,disks,Cultivator box scrape ect which you hook to the hitch using one pin that goes thru the implement and though a hole in the hitch and here what it looks like in this link from above http://www.johnnyproducts.com/J_Bucket_HTMs/UNI_Sleeve_Hitch.htm. :thThumbsU

 

[theFarmerGeek]

a Sleeve hitch is a Hitch that enables you took hook up a Garden plower,disks,Cultivator box scrape ect which you hook to the hitch using one pin that goes thru the implement and though a hole in the hitch and here what it looks like in this link from above http://www.johnnyproducts.com/J_Bucket_HTMs/UNI_Sleeve_Hitch.htm. :thThumbsU

Ok, this is going to sound really stupid, but why can't I just hook it into the little black frame that covers the transmission with the triangular bottom piece? It has a hole in it that looks like I could just attach there?

Sorry for the inane questions.

 

[attorney_barnabas_collins]

You can pull anything you want like wagons & yard sweepers there, but a sleeve hitch LIFTS the implements likr disks, cultivators and box blades you want to transport up.

 

[theFarmerGeek]

Thank you for the info...

BTW, I have dug into this even more and have even taken off all of the body panels. I am still trying to figure out where the short is that is stopping it from starting. I can still get it to crank if I jumper to the extra post on the solenoid from the positive of the battery, but not with the key.

I did find that there is a diode soldered in on one of the wires going in to the first relay. Does anyone know if that is supposed to be there? It seems that something is powering my negative and that is to stop it from backfeeding up the system. It is on a purple/white wire if that helps.

I have jumpered my seat switch to be closed (the way the switch itself is) I have jumpered the transmission neutral switch to be closed, and the PTO switch on the dash is set to off...

any ideas?

Thanks!!

 

[theFarmerGeek]

Thank you everyone for all of the information. I ended up tracking down the problem and it was in one of the grounding wires. I have it bolted back together and it is running like a champ. I will need to rebuild the carb but this is working great for now!

I really appreciate the help and info.

 

[Sergeant]

Glad it running now. No more walking to mow. Glad we could help :thThumbsU