Service Miscellaneous


c CAUTION: Avoid injury! Explosive separation of a tire and rim parts can cause serious injury or death: - Do not attempt to mount a tire without the proper equipment and experience to perform the job. - Always maintain the correct tire pressure. Do not inflate the tires above the recommended pressure. Never weld or heat a wheel and tire assembly. The heat can cause an increase in air pressure resulting in a tire explosion. Welding can structurally weaken or deform the wheel. - When inflating tires, use a clip-on chuck and extension hose long enough to allow you to stand to one side and NOT in front of or over the tire assembly. - Check tires for low pressure, cuts, bubbles, damaged rims or missing lug bolts and nuts.


Tire Size	Air Pressure
Model 1948GV/HV and 2148HV-Front: 16 x6.50	97 kPa (14 psi)
Model 2354HV and 2554HV-Front: 16 x 7.50	83 kPa (12 psi)
Model 1948GV/HV-Rear: 23 x 9.50	69 kPa (10 psi)
Model 2148HV-Rear: 23 x 10.50	69 kPa (10 psi)
Model 2354HV and 2554HV-Rear: 24 x 12.00	69 kPa (10 psi)

Fuel


c CAUTION: Avoid injury! Handle fuel with care, it is highly flammable and can cause serious injury or death: - DO NOT refuel machine while you smoke, when machine is near an open flame or sparks, or when engine is running. STOP engine. - Fill fuel tank outdoors. - Prevent fires: clean oil, grease and dirt from machine. Clean up spilled fuel immediately. - Do not store machine with fuel in tank in a building where fumes may reach an open flame or spark. - To prevent fire and explosion caused by static electric discharge, while you fill tank, use a non-metal fuel container. If you use a funnel, MAKE SURE IT IS PLASTIC. Avoid using a funnel which has a metal screen or filter. - Use only clean approved containers and funnels. - Store oil and fuel in an area protected from dust, moisture and other contamination. - DO NOT use METHANOL gasoline. METHANOL is harmful to the environment and to your health.


IMPORTANT: Avoid damage! Avoid spilling fuel. Fuel can damage plastic and painted surfaces. DO NOT mix oil with gasoline. Unleaded gasoline with an octane rating of 87 or higher is recommended.

Using Clean Fuels

Dirt in the fuel system is a major cause of performance problems. Be sure to clean any grass or trash from the top of the tank before removing lid. Use of a PLASTIC funnel with a plastic mesh strainer when filling the tank will prevent most foreign material from entering the tank.

Octane Rating

Regular grade 87 octane unleaded fuel is recommended for use in your tractor. Higher octane fuels will seldom make your tractor perform better. If your tractor develops a starting or performance problem immediately after use of new fuel, change supplier or fuel brand. If the problem still exists after switching fuel, see your John Deere dealer for service.

Fuel Blends

Fuels are blended to give peak performance during cold weather and warm weather. For cold weather, gasoline is specially blended to provide better starting capabilities. However, avoid prolonged storage of cold-weather blended fuel because it will evaporate more quickly. You may experience longer cranking times in cold weather with "old" fuel. Buy smaller amounts of cold-weather blended fuel in winter.

Fuels used during the summer are not required to provide improved starting properties so they are blended differently. As a result, you may experience hard starting or other performance problems during cold weather if you use fuel remaining from summer uses.

Oxygenated or Reformulated Fuels

Many areas are now required to add "oxygenates" (either alcohol or ether) which blend oxygen into the fuel to help reduce exhaust emissions. If you use oxygenated fuel be sure it is unleaded and meets the minimum octane rating requirement. DO NOT use fuel that contains methanol to avoid producing excess emissions.

Although fuels blended with alcohol or ether allow your engine to run cleaner, they may contribute to fuel system damage and performance problems by causing gum and varnish deposits, especially if fuel is stored for several weeks or more.

Using clean, fresh fuel will help to prevent damage to the fuel system and will help maintain peak engine performance. If engine performance problems occur, use fuel from another supplier before suspecting machine problems. Suppliers blend fuels differently and changing suppliers will generally solve any performance problems.

Using Fresh Fuel and Stabilizers

The best thing you can do to ensure peak performance of your engine is to use "fresh" fuel. Your tractor's engine will perform well with most good-quality fresh fuels regardless of additives. Any fuel will begin to deteriorate and evaporate over time and begin to form gum and varnish deposits in the fuel system. Help to avoid this by buying only enough fuel to last approximately 30 days or add fuel stabilizer immediately.

Adding a fuel stabilizer to the fuel system is recommended any time the tractor will not be operated for more than 60 days. Varnish deposits may build up in the carburetor in as little as a few weeks by using stale, oxygenated fuel.

No stabilizer will work with "stale" fuel, any fuel that is more than 30 days old. (See Preparing Your Engine For Storage in this section for information on adding stabilizer to the fuel.)

Filling Fuel Tank


IMPORTANT: Avoid damage! Dirt and water in fuel are major causes of engine performance problems. Prevent dirt and debris from entering the fuel tank when filling. Fill the tank at the end of each day's operation to help keep condensation out of the fuel tank.

1. STOP engine. If engine is hot let it cool several minutes before you add fuel.

Care for Plastic and Painted Surfaces

PLASTIC SURFACES

The plastic parts on your tractor are made of a blend of polycarbonate and polyester materials. These parts are extremely strong and durable. Unlike painted metal, the plastic parts will never dent or rust. If the plastic parts get scratched, the color will remain the same since the color goes through the entire part.


IMPORTANT: Avoid damage! "Dry wiping" or wiping the plastic surface when it is dry will result in minor surface scratches. Always wet the surface before cleaning. Follow correct cleaning and waxing procedures.

Correct Cleaning Care:

NOTE: Follow cleaning procedure every time plastic surfaces are cleaned. DO NOT wipe dry plastic surface with hand or towel.

1. Before washing, rinse hood and entire machine with clean water to remove dirt and dust that may scratch the surface.

2. Wash plastic surface with clean water and a mild liquid automotive washing soap. Use a SOFT, CLEAN cloth (bath towel or automotive mitt) when washing.

4. Wax the surface with a liquid automotive wax. Use products that specifically say "contains no abrasives".

Avoid Damage:

· "Dry wiping" or wiping the plastic surface when it is dry is a major source of minor surface scratches.

· DO NOT use abrasive materials, such as polishing compounds, to clean or to wax plastic surface.

· DO NOT wax plastic surfaces without drying first. Hard-to-remove water spots will be left.

· DO NOT spray insect repellent near machine. Insect repellent spray may damage plastic or painted surfaces.

· Be careful not to spill fuel on any plastic or painted surfaces. Wipe up fuel immediately.

Repair:

· Your John Deere dealer has the professional materials needed to properly remove surface scratches from any plastic surfaces.

PAINTED METAL SURFACES

Correct Cleaning Care:

Follow automotive practices to care for your tractor painted metal surfaces. Use a high-quality automotive wax regularly to maintain the factory look of your tractor's painted surfaces.

Repair:

2. Use paint stick with factory-matched colors available from your John Deere dealer to fill scratches. Follow directions for use and for drying.

· Apply sparingly to scratch without getting on surrounding painted surface. Fill in scratch to level of surrounding painted area.

· Allow to dry 48 hours in warm weather and up to 30 days in colder temperatures.

3. Use automotive polishing compound to smooth out surface. Do not use power buffer.

Introduction

Product Identification

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Operating

Replacement Parts

Service Interval Chart

Service Lubrication

Service Engine

Service Transmission

Service Mower

Service Electrical