[x738]

You can download a pdf copy of the manual from Deere's site so you don't have to go to the shed.....

There is also a 'view only' option.
Of course, if downloaded, it isn't necessary to be internet connected to use it again.

 

[CJadamec]

You can download a pdf copy of the manual from Deere's site so you don't have to go to the shed.....

There is also a 'view only' option.
Of course, if downloaded, it isn't necessary to be internet connected to use it again.

Very true and I normally check the online manuals, sometimes I like to verify I'm looking at the right version of the manual that was printed and shipped with my tractor.

I'm old fashioned like that sometimes.

 

[X758er]

Start the tractor the way it starts and runs cold best.
I start my x758 cold at slow idle...starts right up and runs fine.
As for the seat cover...I have one on my air seat...plenty of pockets on it to loose everything😁

 

[x738]

Very true and I normally check the online manuals, sometimes I like to verify I'm looking at the right version of the manual that was printed and shipped with my tractor.

I'm old fashioned like that sometimes.

Downloads are usually available by serial number, but I understand.

 

[JJones04073]

I think one thing is clear....there are many opinions here. That's not a bad thing.

If you like a seat cover, great!

If you hate a seat cover, great!

Low throttle start, great!

High throttle start, great!

The most important thing is that we all love these machines, it's why we are all here. I very much appreciate hearing everybody's opinions, it helps me to see the whole picture and make a better decision on what my own opinions are. So thank you to all who have contributed here.

Last thing I'll say about opinions is this... You don't have to agree with my (or anyone else's) opinion, but you also have no need to crap all over it. Respect my opinions and I respect yours. It's a much nicer way to move through life.

As I move through my first season with this new machine I'll be sure to share many more thoughts on the machine. I'm sure I'll also be asking many more questions as well!!

 

[tj1]

One just has to remember there is a difference on starting between a gas and a diesel engine too.. My Backhoe for instance, turn the key to on and the glow plugs heat up and in less then 4 seconds turn to start at idle and it will fire right up,, do that with the X738 gas and if you're lucky it will fire up, may not run right unless you raise the throttle.. Mine was terrible at idle, fouled plugs, soot everywhere and the unheated garage would fill up with rotten smoke! I thought there was an issue until I called the dealer and he told me to start it up at almost full throttle like the manual says to do.. OK then,, so I do and it works.. I don't relish the fact a cold engine is running that fast because of the cold oil and I wouldn't do this on any other vehicle I own.. I have a lot of engine knowledge from years of building motors for hot cars and there is no way I would want to run something that fast without oil protection.. But I guess it has no effect on these engines????? Time will tell.
Good luck with your 738.. and enjoy it, I do, it's one heck of a machine for it's size.

 

[Mr x739]

I have a Ford back ground and when the Tempo was introduced in the cold weather we towed them in like crazy for being flooded , Fords answer hold the throttle down to start, did it work yes it did . We had a lot of customer push back but hey they started .This was early days of injection . This was done to compensate for a poor cold strategy in the computer which was corrected after about 2 winters and guess what the engines would run fine without the owner starting with lots of throttle . I miss those days as I made a lot of money fixing the flooded engines . Just because John Deere says start it at fast idle does not mean it will not have long term effects . Would you go out to your car or truck and start it at fast idle ?When I checked the valve lash on my engine I never saw any parts that looked special to deal with high rpm and low lube when cold . Basic engine and lubrication is the same from auto to mower engines , can they stand behind it for 700 hours ? For sure but will it have the long life most of us are used to seeing with our JD lawnmowers ? I am lucky that my X739 will start and run smooth with a low idle setting .Are the fast idle cold start instructions to keep customer satisfaction high by not having engines that are hard to start or worse yet warranty claims to repair a no start condition? Emission regulations continue to drive manufacturer decisions to get the engine hot faster to meet guidelines mandated by the Government and the manufacturer does not want to add the additional hardware and improved software which drives the cost up to allow for a off idle cold start . I am sure the engines have improved during this process but I for one do not buy into the fast idle cold starts not generating an issue with increased wear . Raw fuel in the oil from a poor cold start is also an issue leading to increased engine wear so take your pick . Do most of us care what happens after 700 hours ? Not likely ! Just traded mine with 260 hrs.

 

[etcallhome]

I've found one thing on using Harley x738 for the past 5 yrs. The very first summer , this tractor would just all but stop running , if you went from going forward to rev. At first seemed it would only do it when I was turning around with the front of the tractor going down a hill. Then didn't matter could be on level , going up a hill , down a hill.
So dealer took it and after I think close to 30 hrs they said they found a loose ground wire.
Fast forward 3 yrs started doing the same thing. I was able ready to send it back to the dealer , and I just put up with it till spring. I called my dealer, the mechanic-shop foreman talked he suggested using a can of Seafoam. So over 4 tanks of gas, I added seafoam. By the 3rd can I could tell a difference in the way it ran.
I go through 55-75 gallons of gas every summer. Usually buy 25-30 gals at a time, and usually use 5 gallons every week. I've tried Stabil , and another fuel additive and no additive , unless gas will set for possibly 2-3 monts. Only thing that seems to work is Seafoam as he suggested.

 

[JDGreen-n-Yellow]

...do that with the X738 gas and if you're lucky it will fire up, may not run right unless you raise the throttle.. Mine was terrible at idle, fouled plugs, soot everywhere and the unheated garage would fill up with rotten smoke! I thought there was an issue until I called the dealer and he told me to start it up at almost full throttle like the manual says to do.. OK then,, so I do and it works.. ...

Yup. Maybe it's just decades of being told (and I still believe) never cold-start equipment at WOT but my x738 absolutely does not like starting at low throttle settings. I don't have to be at WOT, maybe 80% or so. It fires up and I back it down to 50% and let it warm up until I see at least 2 temp segments on the display before I head out. I don't know what long term damage I'm doing starting it the way JD (and Kawasaki) tell me to do it, but doing it my way would definitely put more stress on the battery and I'm sure I'd go through a starter sooner rather than later. Come to think of it, when the dealer fired up the 2 or 3 on the lot when I was shopping for one, first thing he did was set the throttle way up on them. Thinking back to other equipment I've owned that had a single lever for throttle AND choke - the choke was always set when you put the throttle past WOT, right? So they too were starting at WOT. Hmmm, maybe this is not something new after all.

 

[etcallhome]

Yup. Maybe it's just decades of being told (and I still believe) never cold-start equipment at WOT but my x738 absolutely does not like starting at low throttle settings. I don't have to be at WOT, maybe 80% or so. It fires up and I back it down to 50% and let it warm up until I see at least 2 temp segments on the display before I head out. I don't know what long term damage I'm doing starting it the way JD (and Kawasaki) tell me to do it, but doing it my way would definitely put more stress on the battery and I'm sure I'd go through a starter sooner rather than later. Come to think of it, when the dealer fired up the 2 or 3 on the lot when I was shopping for one, first thing he did was set the throttle way up on them. Thinking back to other equipment I've owned that had a single lever for throttle AND choke - the choke was always set when you put the throttle past WOT, right? So they too were starting at WOT. Hmmm, maybe this is not something new after all.

Never thought of that , but very true. Push mowers , with a choke , yep full throttle. FIL MF 1655 air cooled Onan engine has a separate pull choke but still need to increase throttle to 1/2-wot.

I still start the 1025r at idle then increase to 1/4-1/2 throttle after it starts.

 

[My craftsman 917.27308]

I don't own a John Deere but enjoy reading about them thinking one day I may have to replace my Sears tractor with a John Deere. Its 21 years old I bought it new 21 years ago. I use regular gas with stabil mixed in. It has over 1200 hours on it. It gets tuned up every year with new blades. I always started it up at full throttle with the choke half way out. After two or three minutes, I push the choke in and wait another few minutes before I take off. Its kept in a shed without a battery tender on it. I never had a problem starting it up. I use it 10 months every year.

 

[Audible Nectar]

OK, so I've been reading along, as I am prone to do with any of the x700 series of recent vintage, to see what I can learn as an x739 owner. I took particular note of the "startup" subject as that is a subject that interests me, as I've noticed a bit of a rough ride on the start as well.

I am also one who lives by the "let it warm at modest RPM to smooth out before applying load" rule, I had been allowing it to warm up at too low of RPM, as I too noted the soot being a bit of an issue. I normally would during warm season times start it at about half throttle, with smooth running and soot free result. At zero, like it was over the last few weeks, and a bit of new territory for me as I had not run it much the first winter I had it (basically no real snow accumulations), it seemed to be a bit rough in the cold.

It is even more "needy" of additional throttle in the cold. Seems counterintuitive with the thicker oil needing a chance to flow, but it's rough in cold temperatures at startup. Give it some throttle, it's much smoother, and soot free.

I'm finding the 60-75% of full throttle provides for smooth, soot free running at start, the 75% "side" being in the cold, once to 40 deg 60% open at start seems to work really well, smoother running but not screaming WFO right at the start.

I do lower the throttle on the "cool down", which is to say that I'll get off the machine when the job is done, do some cursory clean up, like snow or clippings while the engine cools down at about 40% open. This as opposed to running wide open and then just shutting it off. I've seen and known some who opine that allowing such an engine to "cool down" as practice over it's lifetime can extend the number of "cycles" (number of "jobs"/powering up of that engine from cold, then fully cooling down) it will deliver over it's lifetime, this ranging from little 2 cycle guys to these bigger workhorses.. So if one does all the maintenance, including oil changes, and treats the engine with some extra TLC as practice it can and will extend the life. Although many small engines I've had don't afford the warm up idea (like a mower as an example, I'll give it 60 secs) but vehicles and expensive/pricey engines and associated vehicles I have always done these things (especially warm up before applying load) and have usually had engines that lasted longer than the actual remainder of the device itself. When I "part" with a gasoline powered machine of any kind, it's always to a recycler, or sold as "with a number of well maintained components as well as engine" I will get above typical value on selloffs because I'm super-anal about proper fluids and maintenance on any engine, and especially one of such expense.

I am really impressed with the power plant on the x738/9/associated series, it's "torque" is meant in the high end of it's range and is not so much a disadvantage as it's "just the way it is" - it is plenty powerful and a mini-beast as an overall tractor. These have been around for a number of years, and the refinements over time are very much evident on mine, and the more it's in my garage, the more I appreciate owning it. Unlike many who buy and the buzz wears off, I have really come to appreciate these machines - they are a real feat in lawn care and dare I say a value albeit their price.

It very much helps if I read the manual in totality, LOL.. I missed that throttle startup detail, and on an EFI assumed a baseline lower throttle was appropriate, but this thread and this recent winter experience confirms that the manual basically has it right - it wants the higher range of the throttle at start, and after running a few "startup" trials as a result of this thread seems to prove/bear this out.

 

[tj1]

And I gave the worst advice ever! Seems it isn't.. I hope the responses have outweighed the negativity along with the manufacturers recommendations.
Even my Husqvarna has to start between 1/2 and full throttle. When the dealer delivered my JD the delivery guy told me to start it pretty high or it will soot up, I didn't believe him,, until.......
If you have one of these gas jobs with the EFI controlled engine and you can start it at idle when it's cold and I mean northeast cold.. you are lucky. Summer 1/2 throttle for a minute then 1/4 and no problems.

My wife had one of those Tempo's, biggest piece of junk she ever owned. She kept it 2 years and I can't count how many rear axles she went thru and if she blew the horn smoke came from the steering wheel! It would overheat constantly too,, she vowed to never buy another ford and told the owner of the dealership she would never buy another ford.. Outside of the steel rotting away pretty fast I've bought many ford trucks and I just bought a brand new one.. I haven't been screwed, knock on wood.
And that was her first Ford that I convinced her to buy.. She's a Chevy girl..

 

[cccoltsicehockey]

Congrats on the new X738. They are great machines. I picked up one 7 months ago and absolutely love it. Already have 35hrs on it.

 

[SulleyBear]

Holy crap, am I the only one that has a seat cover!!! I guess I'm in a league of my own.. Oh well, wouldn't be the first time. If I didn't have a cab I would not have a seat cover.... does that make sense?
Ugly? I don't think so, kind of flashy with the black and yellow borders!, (I'm partial to black and yellow having JD construction equipment), The wrinkles are the padding underneath.. and it's also going on 7 years old. I also like the storage it provides that the machine does not. I now say UNCLE..
View attachment 776082

Jeff,
You are NOT alone. I have the same seat cover on my 1025r inside the cab, have since new. When working outside and getting sweaty and wet and then sitting on the seat, I have gotten the blue dye from my jeans on the seat cover and not the seat. Plus the storage compartments on the back of the seat cover are very handy. You can take the cover off and throw it in the wash and it does get dirty when digging, etc.

With the new seats at about $220 for the seat back and about the same for the seat base, I don't want it marred up and I can throw away the seat cover and buy another cover for $50. Seat covers do keep the seats cleaner, longer. Maybe those who don't get dirty when using their machines don't notice it as often......

I guarantee you no one else carries in their seat cover pouches what I carry......empty plastic grocery bags. An older couple that we help and get their mail, take out their trash, etc. I get the mail and put it in one of the plastic bags and then hang the bag on their garage house door, inside the garage. That way I can put the mail and small packages in the bags and this couple doesn't have to bend over to pick them up.

Every Thursday night, when I stop over to take their trash cart out to the street, they have put all of my prior weeks plastic bags inside of one bag and hang it under the lid of the trash cart. I take the bags and put them back in the seat cover for next week. Over and Over......now that's recycling......Since I drive my tractor around the neighborhood as a means of transportation, having the storage is handy and keeps from having clutter.

So Jeff, you aren't alone.................but close, it appears...........