John Deere ZTrak runs, then dies

[AaronM1234]

I swear this thing has me so mad, I'm going to just get a case of dynamite and blow this thing up... After years of having wal-mart **** mowers, i the fall of 2017 (16 months ago) I finally broke down and decided to buy a John Deere ZTrack M535 zero-turn mower. Bought it directly from John Deere - not a retail outlet.

Paid a boatload of money for it.

... and now, with only 62 hours on it (16 months later), it runs like a piece of ****.

About every other time I go out, it will start run for 3 hours or so. But after a while, it will start sputtering and then die - acting like it's not getting any gas. I check and the gas tank is still 1/2 full. But I dutifully fill it up the rest of the way - the mower will eventually start, run for a few minutes (cycling between running then dying), then die again after just 1 or 2 minutes.

I have drained the gas tank, thinking maybe some water got in the tank.
I have replaced the fuel filter.
I have replaced the air filter.
I buy premium gas 93-octane... and that's when I can't find ethanol free gas.

If I leave it sitting for a week, we can repeat the process - including it running for 2-3 hours. Which tells me it is NOT simply "bad gas".
I have had the mower into a repair shop 3 times this spring. He drains the tank - fills it up, and it runs for 10 minutes and he calls and says it's fixed.
What in the @$&BO*(&)*@#@ is wrong with this thing?


The longer this goes on, the more I am convinced this is a design defect in this mower. I am quickly becoming one of the worst PR spokesmen for John Deere they have had in this area.

I'm having the same problem with my Z740 right now. I also experienced this problem with another John Deere and spent a considerable amount of time and money, but it was never resolved. I need to know if your problem was ever resolved, and if so, what was the solution?

 

[Red Pepper]

This is my go to guy when it comes time for issues or just to watch and learn some good fixes, hope it is helpful

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

I'd be upset with Kawasaki not Deere.
My troubleshooting ways are unorthodox probably because of 43 years of that I had to be creative.
It's either fuel or spark problems. I'd start with fuel.
On ebay you can order these universal 12V fuel pumps for $10. I'd get one and several feet of 5/16" fuel hose. Add a few feet of wire to the two pump leads with clips on end.
Get a 1 or 2 gallon gas can (new or 100% clean). Zip tie or mount (away from heat ), fuel hose in...to pump in...hose out run directly to carburetor. Plug & clamp removed hose line.
Connect pump leads directly to battery (red+, black--).
See how it runs now.
If it still cuts off you've eliminated fuel, so reconnect original fuel line.
Now spark. Two cylinder engine has two magneto coils each with a 1/4" kill tab. Unplug both tab leads.
Get two 1/4" female wire connectors and an SPST switch. Make a "Y"...connector each end to plug in kill tabs...then to switch...other switch connector a wire to ground. Switch open (off) you have spark. On kills engine.
See how it runs now.

If it runs fine with subbed-in fuel system then troubleshoot what's on mower (hoses, vapor-lock, etc). If it runs fine subbed-in ignition troubleshoot that...rubbed wire insulation, safety switches, ignition switch.

If it still acts up I'd be thinking carburetor. Maybe carb should have a heat shield.
If it runs fine for a few hours then starts sputtering & dying I'd have starting fluid (od safer...WD-40) with me and spray around carb checking for air vacuum leak.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

Ebay pump...

 

[mjonesnh]

Ebay pump...View attachment 4117517

Have 1 of those on my ztr, Original vacuum pump seems seemed be struggling keeping fuel to carb. Replaced with another vacuum pump, not much change. Put this 12 volt pump on and problem went away. Tied hot to wire to carb solenoid cutoff so when key shutoff fuel flow stopped. Been using this for 6 years with 100% reliability