John Deere LX277 auction purchase

[cjet69]

Picked this 277 up at the local auction last weekend. This was sold as a non-operable tractor. Figured I would take a chance on it since it had compression when I turned it over by hand. I have another 277 without an engine so if the engine is OK maybe I can make a runner out of the 2 tractors. This tractor in the auction had a Craftsman hood set on it and was listed as a Craftsman LT1000. Spent a few hours yesterday diagnosing the engine. Looked in the cylinders with my borescope and they look good. Checked compression and I got 150 on one side and 100 on the other. Shot oil in and got 200 and 175. Checked for spark and had really weak spark on one coil and nothing on the other. The spark was so weak in wouldn't just across the plug gap. Pulled the shroud and found the coils were rubbing on the magnet as you turned it over. Reset the coil gaps and now have one working coil. I ordered a new pair that should be here tomorrow. Got my fingers crossed that this will run when I get the new coils on it.

 

[MFDAC]

Hope you can build one tractor out of 2 of them, Gary. Hood ok on your other one?

DAC

 

[cjet69]

Hope you can build one tractor out of 2 of them, Gary. Hood ok on your other one?

DAC

The top is broke off of it but the lower part is useable. Might buy a new top for our LX255 and repair the top from it to go on the 277. It just has one crack in the middle so it shouldn't be to hard to fix.

 

[4getgto]

Wonder if JD ever owned up about their hoods being junk.
Little embarrassing on their part..

 

[cjet69]

This is the hood off of my other 277 along with the 48" mower deck w/powerflow.

 

[olcowhand]

Wonder if JD ever owned up about their hoods being junk.
Little embarrassing on their part..

JD has THE worst plastics of all makes, bar none!! You can look at it hard and it cracks!!

 

[MFDAC]

This is the hood off of my other 277 along with the 48" mower deck w/powerflow.

That mowing deck looks almost brand new, CJet!

DAC

 

[cjet69]

Got the new coils today and installed them. It fired right up on starting fluid but wouldn't run unless you had full choke. Removed the carb and ran it through the sonic cleaner and now it will run but is surging. I'll try cleaning again when I get a chance. I also found the fan was installed incorrectly so it was bent upward and hitting the fan housing. In the pics you can see the 2 tabs that were on top of the flywheel when they were supposed to go in the flat where the magnets are mounted. I was wondering what I heard rubbing when I was first turning it over. Its now much quieter.

 

[cjet69]

Got a manual for the Kawasaki FH500V engine today. I've driven the tractor some and the Hydro seems to be in good shape. Has some fuel line leaks so I have been using a remote tank. The pics show both 277's together. Now that the rains have started I need to put them under cover, maybe in the hay barn.

 

[olcowhand]

Kawa carbs tend to surge more than other makes. I have hated it ever since EPA said no more jet adjustment screws. Usually all it takes to stop the surging is to ever so slightly use a torch cleaner to open the jet orifice just a tick.