# John Deere 111 issues



## Keleman7592 (9 mo ago)

Hi guys! This may seem long but hear me out and please give me some ideas on what could be wrong...

I got a JD 111 for $100. The guy said all it needed was a new starter and battery. He was right. It fired up even with old gas in it. So I got it running and let it idle for a while to get it going and burn some old fuel. I also left the gas cap off by accident...I mention this because it might be the reason for the problem I'm gonna tell you about.
I then decided to take it out for a little drive in the yard to see how it does through each gear. First, second and reverse went fine. (I will admit that I forgot it's not like a 212 where you have to come to a complete stop to shift up or down, only in reverse) so I came to a complete stop, shifted into 3rd, let off the clutch and brake and the tractor completely died. I did this a couple times and it always died out. After I remembered I don't need to come from a stop, I went from 2nd to 3rd fine but after a few seconds the tractor started to surge and eventually shut off. It did it again until it wouldn't fire up at all. So I brought it back to the garage, let it sit for a few minutes, tried to fire it up again and this time it did start but then there was a small amount of smoke coming from the exhaust area (if I had to guess).
Have you ever experienced anything like this or heard anything like this? Is the carb flooding itself? Is the carb plugged somewhere and not getting enough fuel to make the tractor go in higher gears? Is the gas cap no good and causing vapor lock? It shifts, so it can't be the transmission itself. The belt wasn't falling off. I check it out and it did have maybe some slack to it but it was on the pulleys and when manually turning the pulley, it tightened back up and was revolving. I know this is a long message but I'm just trying to get some ideas. I believe it's fuel related but I could be wrong. Thank you in advance for any helpful knowledge or advice!!

Regards,

James K


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

You didn't mention the part where you put new fuel in the tank?!? try that and a little SeaFoam. fire it up and let it run some of the sea foam through it and then let it sit, overnight, maybe. See if that clears it up.


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## Keleman7592 (9 mo ago)

pogobill said:


> You didn't mention the part where you put new fuel in the tank?!? try that and a little SeaFoam. fire it up and let it run some of the sea foam through it and then let it sit, overnight, maybe. See if that clears it up.


Sorry I should have mentioned that. I put new fuel into the tank after it started surging and died out the last time


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## Keleman7592 (9 mo ago)

Could this be anymore than a fuel/carb issue?


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Keleman7592 said:


> Could this be anymore than a fuel/carb issue?


Try running it with a little choke. If you can get it to smooth out with the choke, your carb may need a cleaning. Seafoam will do a decent job of that if you want to give it a try.


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## Keleman7592 (9 mo ago)

Should I pour the seafoam directly into the carb?


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

Put it in the fuel


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Should be a Briggs Choke-A-Matic carb(Briggs #491026). There's a knurled/slotted needle valve on the bottom of the float bowl. That's your high-speed mixture screw. Give it a 1/2-1 turn out and see it runs better. If it does, you've got a couple of orifices plugged in the mixing nozzles. Sea Foam might clear them up, if not you'll need to clean the mixing nozzles.

If that's not something you want to do, they are cheap and easy to replace...

Briggs 491026 Choke-A-Matic $14


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## Keleman7592 (9 mo ago)

Bob Driver said:


> Should be a Briggs Choke-A-Matic carb(Briggs #491026). There's a knurled/slotted needle valve on the bottom of the float bowl. That's your high-speed mixture screw. Give it a 1/2-1 turn out and see it runs better. If it does, you've got a couple of orifices plugged in the mixing nozzles. Sea Foam might clear them up, if not you'll need to clean the mixing nozzles.
> 
> If that's not something you want to do, they are cheap and easy to replace...
> 
> Briggs 491026 Choke-A-Matic $14


Yes I know they are cheap and easy to attain but I've read bad reviews of them not running the best and or the air filter box not screwing into the screw hole on the carb. I'll take it apart and slowly go through it to make sure all the ports are free


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Keleman7592 said:


> Yes I know they are cheap and easy to attain but I've read bad reviews of them not running the best and or the air filter box not screwing into the screw hole on the carb. I'll take it apart and slowly go through it to make sure all the ports are free


Well... That's the thing about the internet. There are way more idiots out there than are professional mechanics. The same DIY idiots are bashing the replacement carb they bought because they didn't have a clue about how to take their old one apart and clean it, much less how to tune it. 

Grandpa always said "You got to be smarter than whatever it is you're workin' on"..... Unfortunately today there are a whole bunch of inter-net knuckleheads that get out smarted by the $20 replacement carburetor they bought because the don't know how to adjust the low-speed mixture, what size main jet they should be running, or how to change it out if their replacement carb came with the wrong size because it was set up to meet California emissions. Then they go out on-line again to bash the replacement carburetor as junk rather than admit they are a half-ass hack mechanic.


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## Keleman7592 (9 mo ago)

This is also true! Lol I've never once had a problem with a clone carburetor


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Keleman7592 said:


> This is also true! Lol I've never once had a problem with a clone carburetor


Literally put on 100's in my shop over the years and never had a single problem with the tuning I couldn't solve in a few minutes. It helps to have discovered a Gunson tuner 45 years ago when I was working in a Honda shop. The thing basically printed $$$ for me jetting/tuning motorcycle carburetors to run correctly at 6,000' ASL in Colorado Springs CO and I've used it ever since....

Gunson Colortune


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## Keleman7592 (9 mo ago)

I don't think I'm as worried to the tuning of a clone carburetor, more so worried of how to secure the air filter box if the screw hole is too small for the bolt


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## John W Baron (Dec 16, 2020)

Keleman7592 said:


> Hi guys! This may seem long but hear me out and please give me some ideas on what could be wrong...
> 
> I got a JD 111 for $100. The guy said all it needed was a new starter and battery. He was right. It fired up even with old gas in it. So I got it running and let it idle for a while to get it going and burn some old fuel. I also left the gas cap off by accident...I mention this because it might be the reason for the problem I'm gonna tell you about.
> I then decided to take it out for a little drive in the yard to see how it does through each gear. First, second and reverse went fine. (I will admit that I forgot it's not like a 212 where you have to come to a complete stop to shift up or down, only in reverse) so I came to a complete stop, shifted into 3rd, let off the clutch and brake and the tractor completely died. I did this a couple times and it always died out. After I remembered I don't need to come from a stop, I went from 2nd to 3rd fine but after a few seconds the tractor started to surge and eventually shut off. It did it again until it wouldn't fire up at all. So I brought it back to the garage, let it sit for a few minutes, tried to fire it up again and this time it did start but then there was a small amount of smoke coming from the exhaust area (if I had to guess).
> ...


If it does start and idles or rev it up a bit and spray some Deep Creep into the carburetor till it stalls. Let it sit for and hour then use the Sea Foam with fresh gas. It worked wonders on my outboard when it sat for a couple years. And that sea foam will keep cleaning every time you use it. I hope this is your problem and is an easy fix, Good luck.


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## Stewart57 (Dec 6, 2018)

Bob Driver said:


> Literally put on 100's in my shop over the years and never had a single problem with the tuning I couldn't solve in a few minutes. It helps to have discovered a Gunson tuner 45 years ago when I was working in a Honda shop. The thing basically printed $$$ for me jetting/tuning motorcycle carburetors to run correctly at 6,000' ASL in Colorado Springs CO and I've used it ever since....
> 
> Gunson Colortune


What a great idea. Thanks for sharing this!


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## Bob Driver (Nov 1, 2017)

Stewart57 said:


> What a great idea. Thanks for sharing this!


I think when I bought mine it was around $25..... That was when I was working in a Honda shop on 30% flat rate and the shop rate was $20 an hour. Now they are around $75. They are handy as hell if you're searching for the best jetting set up at higher altitudes, or for setting the low-speed mixture adjustment. Quick search and this is the cheapest I could find...

Gunson Colortune


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