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John Deere S170 Troubleshooting
The
John Deere S170 lawn tractor from S100 Series was manufactured between 2021 and
2025. The John Deere S170 tractor is powered by Briggs and Stratton 44U877
4-cycle V-twin cylinder OHV vertical shaft air-cooled gasoline engine. A 44.2
cubic inches (0.7 L) engine has a cylinder bore of 3.12" (79 mm), piston stroke
of 2.89" (73 mm), and rated power of 24 Hp (17.9 kW).
This model is fitted with Tuff Torq K46 hydrostatic transmission with
infinite forward and reverse gears. The John Deere S170 is equipped with
a manual steering, electric PTO clutch, disc brakes, 15x6.00-6 front
tyres, and 22x9.50-12 rear tyres. The operating weight is 505 lbs (228
kg). Compatible attachments for the tractor: 48" mid-mount 3-blade mower
deck with cutting height of 1.0-4.0" (25-102 mm), 44" front-mount
1-stage snow blower, and 46" front blade.
| Engine Troubleshooting |
| Engine will not start or difficult to start |
| Gas tank is empty - Fill it up |
| Improper fuel grade - Change fuel |
| Water or air in fuel system - Remove air or water from system |
| Spark plug wire is loose or disconnected - Check spark plug wiring connection, repair or change |
| Spark plug is damaged - Spark plug need to be replaced |
| Clogged fuel filter - Install new filter |
| Brake pedal not depressed - Press the brake pedal |
| Carburetor settings incorrect - Adjusting as required |
| Low compression - Check and replace worn parts |
| Throttle cable is worn or adjusted improperly - Adjust properly or replace the cable |
| Cooling fins are clogged - Clean and wash as required |
| Defective ignition - Test ignition and replace failed parts |
| Throttle cable is faulty or stuck - Service or change the cable |
| Plugged air filter - Clean or change air filter |
| Fuel pump is damaged or dirty - Test fuel pump and change if necessary |
| Engine starts but stalls suddenly |
| Faulty spark plug - Change spark plug as required |
| Carburetor is faulty or dirty - Carburetor needs to be replaced or cleaned |
| Defective ignition coil - Ignition coil must be replaced |
| Valve springs are worn or loose - Install new valve springs |
| Valves sticking - Service the valves |
| Engine oil insufficient - Fill the crankcase with engine oil |
| Engine is under excessive load - Load reducing required |
| Air intake screen is plugged - Wash or clean as required |
| Carburetor fuel mixture is too lean - Adjust carburetor correctly |
| Wrong ignition timing - Ignition timing needs to be set properly |
| Wrong valve setting - Valves needs to be set correctly |
| Abnormal engine knocking or noise |
| Low octane gasoline - Use proper gasoline |
| Engine overloaded - Reduce engine load |
| Engine oil level low - Fill up the engine oil |
| Incorrectly adjusted low idle speed - Correct the settings |
| Fuel pump is damaged or dirty - Test fuel pump and replace if necessary |
| Crankshaft or main bearings failure - Install new parts as as required |
| Valve clearance is wrong - Adjust to proper valve clearance |
| Worn piston rings or cylinder bore - Replace faulty components |
| Carburetor is improperly adjusted or clogged - Clean or correctly adjust carburetor |
| Air filter element is clogged - Change or clean air filter |
| Fuel pump is damaged or dirty - Check fuel pump and replace if necessary |
| Ignition system is defective - Check ignition and replace faulty components |
| Damaged cylinder-head gasket - Install new head gasket |
| Valves are stuck or burned - Replace or service valves |
| Worn or damaged push rod - Push rod needs to be changed |
| Cylinder block components are worn - Replace defective parts |
| Excessive fuel consumption |
| Throttle not fully open - Check throttle cable and adjust as required |
| Carburetor main jet is incorrectly adjusted - Adjust it correctly |
| Spark plug is faulty or loose - Replace or tighten spark plug |
| Burned, worn, or stuck valves - Clean or change valves |
| Rings, sleeve, or piston are damaged - Replace faulty components as required |
| Valve clearance is not correct - Need to adjust valve clearance |
| Gaskets or seals may be damaged - Replace worn parts to avoid leaks |
| Worn valve stems and valve guides - Valves need to be changed |
| Piston rings are stuck or broken - Install new piston rings |
| Piston or cylinder liner is scuffed - Inspect liner and piston, fit new parts as necessary |
| Plugged breather hose or pipe - Clean or change |
| Hydrostatic Transmission Troubleshooting |
| Hydrostatic transmission makes noise |
| Speed control linkage is worn or unadjusted - Adjust or replace linkage |
| Excessive loading - The load should be reduced |
| Low transmission oil level or contaminated oil - Change transmission oil or top up to proper level |
| Defective or worn transmission parts - Check internal transmission parts for damage or wear and replace if required |
| Shift linkage is stuck or damaged - Clean or change linkage |
| Worn or seized hydrostatic pump - Replace or repair pump |
| Misadjusted or faulty transmission shift control components - Adjust correctly or replace |
| Insufficient transmission oil - Check and refill the transmission oil |
| Drive pulley is damaged or worn - Install a new pulley |
| Shifter linkage is not adjusted or faulty - Adjust properly or replace linkage |
| Worn or unadjusted speed control linkage - Adjust or repair linkage |
| Transmission gaskets or seals are damaged - Replace gaskets or seals |
| Leaking final drive shaft - Change shaft seals |
| Transmission case is cracked - Replace defective case or transmission assembly |
| Mower Deck Troubleshooting |
| Mower vibrates excessively |
| Drive sheave of mower deck is dirty or worn - Clean or change sheave |
| Defective or loose drive belt - Adjust belt tension or change the belt |
| Unbalanced or warped cutting blades - Balance or change blades |
| Loose blade bolts tightening - Bolts need to be tightened |
| Constant clogging of discharge chute |
| Mowing speed is too high - Select a lower speed |
| Grass is too high - Use a lower cutting height |
| Reduced engine speeds - Adjust carburetor to higher rpm |
| Low cutting height - Change cutting height adjustment |
| Drive belt installed improperly - Reinstall drive belt properly |
| Deck is plugged with grass - Inspect and clean cutting deck |
| Excessive blade dullness - Need to sharpen the blades |
| Blades are worn or damaged - Install new blades |
| Fast mowing speed - Operate at slower speed |
| Low cutting height - Use a higher cutting height |
| Bagger is full - Bagger must be empty |
| Bumpy or unleveled lawn - Roll or level the lawn |
| Cutting height is too low - Use correct cutting height |
| High ground speed - Operate at slower speed |
| Deck is not leveled correctly - Deck should be adjusted correctly |
| Bent or worn blades - Change the blades |
| Tires are not correctly inflated - Check and inflate the tires |
| Low tire inflation - Correct tire pressure |
| Mower deck is not leveled properly - Deck needs to be adjusted properly |
| Not sharp blades - Sharpen the blades |
| Worn or bent blades - Blades must be changed |
| Deck clogged with grass clippings - Inspect and clean cutting deck |
| Damaged mower deck shell - Rebuild or replace mower deck |
| Mower spindle is loose or defective - Repair or replace the spindle |
| Electrical Troubleshooting |
| Battery will not charge |
| Electrical wire connections are corroded or loose Clean or tighten wiring connections |
| Electrical terminal connectors are faulty - Change terminal connectors |
| Battery failing - Battery replacement required |
| Low battery power - Battery is drained, charge it |
| Battery won’t hold charge - Service or replace the battery |
| Battery terminals are corroded or wires are disconnected - Check cable connections and change or clean terminals |
| Battery is drained or worn - Recharge or replace battery |
| Wiring is improperly connected or disconnected - Check wiring and connect properly |
| Low battery power - Low battery charging, charge as required |
| Improperly gapped or dirty spark plug - Clean, gap or change spark plug |
| Damaged starter motor or solenoid - Change solenoid or repair starter |
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| Lawn and Garden Tractors Technical Specs |
