Go BottomJD 425 AWS Heat Problem- Grill Melting
 | fredrocksr
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 14 Oklahoma 
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2003-08-26 62724
I have just performed the 200 hour maintenance task on my gas 1999 425 AWS with 54 inch mower deck. During that job, you inspect the battery. When I removed the grill to get to the battery, I noticed the back side of the grill was melting and distorted badly. It is in direct line with the exhaust header pipe and muffler. At this rate, it will melt apart before long. Dealer service manager knew of no cases similiar to mine or does not know of a fix for the problem. John Deere factory claims ignorance to the problem as well. The grill is too close to the heat from the exhaust pipe. Any idea's from you guys? I may have to fabricate a heat shield of some kind and clamp it to the pipe or muffler. What do you think?
Thanx in advance for your reply.
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 | Chief
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 4297 Southwest MiddleTennessee 
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2003-08-26 62727
You could wrap the muffler with fire proof insulation like you said. Just a thought........by chance did you pull the spark plugs and check them for color to determine how the engine is burning? If burning too lean (plug appears very light brown to almost whiteish) this can cause elevated exhaust temps. and possibly the melting problem you are encountering. I would think this scenario would be pretty unlikely but worth considering. You could also fabricate a piece of sheetmetal shielding between the muffler and grill to block the heat transfer. In any case, this should NOT be happening and the dealer should step up to the plate and fix this issue. Is the tractor still under warranty? Even if not under warranty and you have not modified the tractor in such a way to possibly cause this; the should fix this problem. Try pushing this issue with the dealer and see what their response is. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2003-08-27 62757
I had the same thing happen on our used riding mower. Somebody hadn't bolted the heat shield back on. The shield is kind of a box. It eventually fell completely out of the mower and got really chewed up by the mower blade. The plastic grill was melting a little while the shield was loose but melted a lot during few times I mowed when the shield was completely off. I couldn't get a new shield easily and eventually banged the old one back in shape as best as I could.
I repaired the grill with fiberglass. I used a Drimmel tool to grove the plastic across the weakened area of plastic and provided a margin of several inches around the area. I also roughened the entire area with a wood rasp and cleaned it with lacquer thinner. I applied 3 ply of fiberglass cloth across the area and an extra two ply where the plastic was reinforced.
The patch isn't pretty but it's on the inside. It has also held up OK for several years.
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| fredrocksr
Join Date: Jul 2003 Posts: 14 Oklahoma
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2003-08-27 62761
I did pull the plugs and they were dark and appeared to be fine. I did replace them. I will fabricate a piece of sheet metal to close in the box and deflect the heat away. The dealer was "amused" when he said he would have to charge me for looking at it since it was out of warranty. I have not modified anything. I did push the dealer, and for a price, they will tell me there is nothing that John Deere can do for this. He did allow that the new models are different.
Fred ....
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