317 john deere mower

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   so i have this john deere 317 and i am not getting any spark at all. i figured the coil was bad so i got a used coil. put it on and still the same thing. so i start checking different things. 

i have 12 volts going to the positive side of the coil. i have 12 volts on and off on the negative side. so that would tell me the points are opening and closing. i also checked the terminal on the points where the condensor wires hook to. that also had the 12 volts that turned on and off. 

i also turned the lights off and watched the spark when the points would break. sometimes it would be a real dull blue spark, sometimes it was a good healthy blue spark, and other times the spark would jump from the points to surrounding metal.

so my question is could my points and condesor be bad? could i have a second bad coil? how can i test my coil with a multimeter? is there something else i could look at that may be causing my trouble?

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bobkyllo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Location: minnesota Points: 1506	Post Options Post Reply Quote bobkyllo Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: 317 john deere mower Posted: 15 May 2014 at 6:54am
	so i have this john deere 317 and i am not getting any spark at all. i figured the coil was bad so i got a used coil. put it on and still the same thing. so i start checking different things. i have 12 volts going to the positive side of the coil. i have 12 volts on and off on the negative side. so that would tell me the points are opening and closing. i also checked the terminal on the points where the condensor wires hook to. that also had the 12 volts that turned on and off. i also turned the lights off and watched the spark when the points would break. sometimes it would be a real dull blue spark, sometimes it was a good healthy blue spark, and other times the spark would jump from the points to surrounding metal. so my question is could my points and condesor be bad? could i have a second bad coil? how can i test my coil with a multimeter? is there something else i could look at that may be causing my trouble?

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Cen IA John Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 04 Dec 2011 Location: Prairie City Points: 226	Post Options Post Reply Quote Cen IA John Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 May 2014 at 4:45pm
	So sorry, the JD 317 had nothing but trouble with the engine. Years ago a friend bought a new 317 and a year later the local JD dealer traded for $100 difference for a 318. Just to get that 317 out of circulation. This was about 25 yrs ago. Just remember the reputation that the 317s had.

Toscani NE SD Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 21 Jan 2011 Location: Milbank S.D. Points: 369	Post Options Post Reply Quote Toscani NE SD Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 May 2014 at 6:37pm
	I have had a 317 since the early 80's,kt 17 early,and have never had any trouble,i love the 317's,and I mow a lot of steep ditches even though it doesn't have a pressurized oil system,i used Valvoline 30 wt all its life,as for spark replace condenser,might be a cheap fix,ive had this happen on many tractors

bobkyllo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Location: minnesota Points: 1506	Post Options Post Reply Quote bobkyllo Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 May 2014 at 7:44pm
	i really liked using this mower. it run great never used oil. i had heard these motors were bad but so far its been good except for this. any way i took my used coil to a guy in town and he tested it and told me it was junk. he gave me a known good coil that he had. put it in and nothing. no spark so he also had points and condensor. hit the key bingo i have spark but wont keep running. alright i dribble a little more gas in thinking carb is dry and again i have no spark. get my light out and now the points do not turn the power off on the negative side of the coil. i even manually opened the points. i slipped with the screw driver and now the points work again. back to the gas dribbling idea. that works for awhile untill it acts up again. can i have bad points? what would keep the power on the negative side of the coil from turning on and off?

fixer1958 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 13 Feb 2010 Location: kansas Points: 2435	Post Options Post Reply Quote fixer1958 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 May 2014 at 8:21pm
	What do the plugs look like? Gas fouled? I would say a condenser or shorting in the insulator going through the distributor housing. Don't know. I don't know much about the 317. I know more about the 318 than I ever wanted to and I hate that SOB. Supposed to be one of the best they made. I think I would rather have venereal disease. Be easier to deal with.

bobkyllo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Location: minnesota Points: 1506	Post Options Post Reply Quote bobkyllo Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 15 May 2014 at 8:52pm
	plugs look good. they do not look fouled at all. there is no distributor at all here. it has a coil that has two plug towers. the spark comes out to both plugs at the same time.

Toscani NE SD Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 21 Jan 2011 Location: Milbank S.D. Points: 369	Post Options Post Reply Quote Toscani NE SD Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 16 May 2014 at 6:44pm
	I thought about this a while,i had a similar problem ,try a new key switch and circuit breaker,that item is under the battery tray with 2 wires going to it,i almost guarantee that will solve the problem

bobkyllo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Orange Level Joined: 14 Sep 2009 Location: minnesota Points: 1506	Post Options Post Reply Quote bobkyllo Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 19 May 2014 at 12:08pm
	but what would that circut breaker do for me? i have power in to the coil. i have power out of the coil. i put points and condensor in and now the power is not interupted but the opening of the points. but i snaped the points that one time and i had functioning points for a little bit now we are back to the points not interupting the power. can the points be screwed up? like i say i do have power to the coil.