# JD 318 - Engaging blades kills motor



## lilwing500 (Jun 17, 2012)

Hey folks, brand new to the forum and new owner of a used JD 318. I'm not well versed at small engine repair but can manage my own basic maintenance.

My problem is this: the engine runs great until I engage the blades and then it dies. I have checked the pulleys on the deck and the adjustment pulleys and they seem fine. The PTO light comes on when the blades are engaged as well. The local JD dealer is out of business and the only other local shop tells me it will be at least a month before they can even look at it. Any advice is welcome at this point.


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Welcome to our forum. To me, it sounds like the safety switch in your seat is gone. It's an older machine. Try bypassing that to see if it works.


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## ErnieS (Jun 1, 2011)

first thing I'd try is pulling the belt from the PTO to the mower. Does it still stall? Can you rotate the blades by hand?


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## lilwing500 (Jun 17, 2012)

ErnieS - I did pull the belt from the PTO (from the front of the tractor) and when I engaged the blades it did not stall, it only does it when everything is hooked up. I can rotate the blades by hand with no issues. I have tried adjusting the belt as well with no luck. tractor beam, with that being said, do you still think it could be a safety switch? Thanks for the replies folks.


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## ErnieS (Jun 1, 2011)

Seems to me that the problem is either the motor is running poorly, or there is something binding up in the drive line to the deck. Safety switches don't know if a belt is on or off, only that certain conditions are met.


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## lilwing500 (Jun 17, 2012)

Thanks ErnieS, my next step is to check the carb jets and float...


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## Hoodoo Valley (Nov 14, 2006)

Armed with this new info, I'm going to go with your Mule drive idler pulleys are seized. This is the set of pulleys that turn your belts 90 degrees after wrapping around your PTO pulley. There is a zirk grease fitting on the pivot point accessible from the front, that almost never gets greased because they are near impossible to get to. I'm guessing with confidence, that if the mower runs without the belt, but not with it, and yet the blades turn freely, then I'll bet this is the problem.


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## lilwing500 (Jun 17, 2012)

Tractor Beam, you were correct. After really tearing into the situation and having another set of eyes helping I discovered that the previous owner used a thick piece of wire on the left side mule drive idler pulley. When I had the belt off it spun free but with the belt back on and tension on the pulley, it would seize. My buddy happen to have a bearing on the shelf that fit and it works now but it's a bandaid until I can replace the pulley. Now I have to find a decent online dealer and order one. My other issue (turn key and nothing happens) is an intermittent issue and appears to be pointing at the solenoid...Thanks everyone for all your advice and help!


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