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fredb38
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 18 Omega, Ga
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2011-04-15          177975

My old Gator has a Kawasaki Model FE290D BS08.
Does anybody know where you might go to buy a replacement motor. I have tried dealing with two different John Deere dealers in my area and they really have no support for my Gator. All they want to do is sell me a new one.
I am afraid that if I tear down my motor and need parts that could be a problem finding them in my area. Also being a John Deere you would probably pay twice what the part is worth.


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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2011-04-15          177978

A question for your question, wonder if a small motor shop that sells Kawasaki equipment might not be a better choice? It would surprise me that engine is only used by JD. Kawasaki is also used in some ZTR mowers but those are probably much larger than what is in the Gator.

Got you, find a true lawn mower shop that sells JD line and here they also handle the Gator. ....

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psshd1
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 5 Southeast Pa.
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2011-04-15          177980

What model and year is your Gator. I can look up the replacement engine in the parts Catalog. ....

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fredb38
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 18 Omega, Ga
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2011-04-15          177984

Hard to say what model it is as John Deere can't even tell me.
Pretty sure it is a 1999 The ID tag say it is a WOOTURF006539 and is called a Gator Turf. ....

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psshd1
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 5 Southeast Pa.
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2011-04-16          177989

Appearently the engine was made to JD specs for the Gator application. Something is special made, maybe the crankshaft length or type of exposed end.
Here is an internet provider that may have the parts you want.
....


Link:   

Click Here


 
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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2011-04-16          177996

Certainly it is made to JD specs. But what is different about their specs? It might still be a common engine. ....

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kthompson
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 5275 South Carolina
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2011-04-16          177998

So I do a search using your full info on that engine and the link below might solve your needs or make them worst.

Per it that engine is only used by JD and they are the only ones who can get it. Back to, find a JD small engine shop that sells their lawn mowers and you probably will find they sell the gators also. The one here did. They JD ticked them cause they wanted them only to sell JD so told them goodbye and find someone else for your warranty. Not sure JD found anyone else. Know no one else picked up the JD line. ....


Link:   

Click Here


 
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twhitley
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7 Alabama
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2011-05-09          178380

Small engine warehouse has a FE 250 that is a replacement for $425.00 Greendealer has the FE290 for $1100.00. I went with the FE250 less horsepower 8 versus 9.5 and saved enough for new drive clutch plus change.

Tim
....

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Wheatland
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 7 Wellington, Kansas
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2011-07-17          179433

How did the FE250 work out for you? I am considering the same swap. Did you do the regulator kit too? To convert the AC output to DC?
Thanks ....

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twhitley
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 7 Alabama
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2011-07-28          179585

Swap went well did not need regulator kit. May have to adjust carb a small amount sometimes needs just a little choke to run full power. Overall very pleased with engine

Tim ....

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Wheatland
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 7 Wellington, Kansas
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2011-07-29          179602

Mine runs like crap. Seems very rich or getting oil in the system somehow. Is the clear tube on the carb suppose to be just hanging? like a vent tube? I guess I will try adjusting the carb and see if that helps. ....

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Wheatland
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 7 Wellington, Kansas
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2011-07-30          179609

OK so I have verified the engine is getting too much fuel. If I pinch off the fuel line going to the carb the engine will speed up to full RPM. If I do not pinch it, the engine gets to about 30% throttle and then starts to sputter badly. The only "adjustment I can find on top of the carb is the idle adustment screw and another that is setup to only turn about 180 degrees. Adjusting this screw makes no difference in how the engine runs. It idles beautifully. Just will not speed up enough to make the Gator move at more than a crawl. Could this be the vacuum fuel pump? I have read a few places that say these can fail in various ways.
Thanks ....

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spyder
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 78 East of Taihape, New Zealand
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2011-07-30          179610

Quote:
Originally Posted by Wheatland | view 179609
OK so I have verified the engine is getting too much fuel. If I pinch off the fuel line going to the carb the engine will speed up to full RPM. If I do not pinch it, the engine gets to about 30% throttle and then starts to sputter badly. The only "adjustment I can find on top of the carb is the idle adustment screw and another that is setup to only turn about 180 degrees. Adjusting this screw makes no difference in how the engine runs. It idles beautifully. Just will not speed up enough to make the Gator move at more than a crawl. Could this be the vacuum fuel pump? I have read a few places that say these can fail in various ways.Thanks

Sounds like the needle valve in the float bowl isn't working properly. Could be worn, or maybe has a bit of crud holding it open.That being the case though, yoy should have fuel coming out the overflow pipe. ....

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Wheatland
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 7 Wellington, Kansas
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2011-07-30          179611

This is a brand new engine from small engine warehouse. So I would not normally suspect any crud. No fuel out of the overflow pipe. I did notice that if I remove the air cleaner pipe from the carb it runs just a bit better, probably from removing what little restriction that comes from the filter assembly which is also new. Having the pipe off I also notice a bit of fuel spitting out of the carb when trying to run the engine rpm up. All of this in my opinion just keeps pointing toward an engine which is set too rich. Trouble is that the only adjusting screw only turns 180 degrees. The old engine I pulled has the type I am used too whuch you can unscrew completely. ....

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gatoraider
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 544 Maryland
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2011-07-31          179613

At wide open throttle your adjusting screws aren't going to have much to do with the way it runs. When you open the throttle butterfly the carb is going to suck as much gas as it can out of the bowl, plain and simple. Flow is restricted by the main jet, if there wasn't a main jet in it you could drain the bowl in a couple of seconds. I think you have the wrong main jet in it. The only thing that bothers me is you can get it to run by pinching off the gas line. That part kinda points to the needle and seat. I can see you not having crud in it, but you may have a metal shaving or something from the machining process hung up in there. But,like previously stated, if that was the case you should be getting fuel out the overflow. I think you should see what main jet is in it and drop it 2 or 3 sizes and try it. Or call SEW and see what jet is supposed to be in there. ....

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Wheatland
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 7 Wellington, Kansas
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2011-07-31          179614

I pulled the main jet yesterday and as I recall it had "40" stamped on it. The engine dies as soon as I loosen the main. I would pull the needle valve and clean it but I can not remove it. As stated before it is of a type I have not seen before. It only rotates 180 degrees. The casting around the needle valve comes up around the valve and the needle itself has a metal cap on it with a tab that hits the casting when rotated for one side to the other. It also just seems a little loose to me. I just cant figure how the needle was even installed from the factory this way and you can not just screw it in and out. I have even tried pulling the cap off. I have never seen even a drop of fuel coming from the overflow tube. ....

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Wheatland
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 7 Wellington, Kansas
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2011-07-31          179615

Problem Solved!!! Many thanks to Ron aka GatorRaider. We discussed the issues on the phone and to make a long story short the main jet was about twice the size it should be. It says 80 but I pulled the jet out of the old motor and it was an 82. The 80 jet hole size in the new motor was at least twice the size of the hole in the old motors 82 jet. So I installed the 82 in the new motor and she purs like a kitten.
Again many thanks to Ron. Send me a bill LOL! ....

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