JD X540 lawn tractor

[Tony in SD]

I just purchased a used JD X540 lawn mower tractor. The engine starts fine but revs up & down. It runs smoother but not perfect when I engage the mower deck. I have drained the gas & refilled it with none ethanol gas. The fuel seems to flow passed the fuel filter ok. 9th at is how I drained the tank. Raising the rear end/gas tank higher than the fuel filter.) I going to change the fuel anyway as soon as I get a new one. Im trying to do the easy stuff first, so does anyone have any ideas / experiences short of taking the carburetor apart? Which will be near last on my list of options.

It only has 146 hours on the meter and by the condition of the tractor, I believe it is correct. However preventive maintenance seems to have been lacking. The mower deck was locked up and the top of the deck looked like it has never been blow off with an air hose. The fan under the seat & above the rear differential is also froze. So that will need some attention too.

TIA

 

[buickanddeere]

I just purchased a used JD X540 lawn mower tractor. The engine starts fine but revs up & down. It runs smoother but not perfect when I engage the mower deck. I have drained the gas & refilled it with none ethanol gas. The fuel seems to flow passed the fuel filter ok. 9th at is how I drained the tank. Raising the rear end/gas tank higher than the fuel filter.) I going to change the fuel anyway as soon as I get a new one. Im trying to do the easy stuff first, so does anyone have any ideas / experiences short of taking the carburetor apart? Which will be near last on my list of options.

It only has 146 hours on the meter and by the condition of the tractor, I believe it is correct. However preventive maintenance seems to have been lacking. The mower deck was locked up and the top of the deck looked like it has never been blow off with an air hose. The fan under the seat & above the rear differential is also froze. So that will need some attention too.

TIA

Should be able to trace the great from the serial number .
K72 transaxle ,
Diff lock ,
Power steering

TractorData.com John Deere X540 tractor information

www.tractordata.com

 

[Rodney51Cub]

My own opinion. I would try some seafoam in the fuel system since it runs and sounds like it just surges with no load at wide open throttle.
Does the trans pulley spin and tractor move ? If yes then I think the fan hub is stripped. If no then other trans problems.

X540 trans

 

[buickanddeere]

The transmission cooling plastic fan on my LX188 strips the splines every couple of seasons .

 

[johnlobb]

Mechanic In A Bottle works better than Seafoam...

 

[kencombs]

My advice is go directly to cleaning the carb. IME, surging under low load is nearly always a plugged idle/lowspeed circuit.

 

[Mule Meat]

"fan on the transaxle is frozen"

If it will start and run but the transaxle pulley is not moving. The drive belt is either worn or not installed correctly. If the belt is good and the pulley won't turn. The engine wouldn't start. If it did you would see the belt smoking if the transaxle was locked up.

I would not wait until the last to give the carb a cleaning.

 

[Tony in SD]

UPDATE
Thank you for your help. All things considered, it is time to clean the carburetor. I have ordered the gaskets for it. Probably get to it next week when I get the parts..

 

[Geo-TH,In]

The mower deck was locked up and the top of the deck looked like it has never been blow off with an air hose. The fan under the seat & above the rear differential is also froze. So that will need some attention too.

My money is the mower wasn't put away. it was left outside.
A spindle on the mower deck is rusted or a pulley froze up.
My JD garden tractor has a place to drain the transaxle fluid and replace the filter.
Water in the transaxle might explain why the fan is locked up.
Time to start taking things apart. Keep us posted.