5 John Deere 317 Skid Steer Problems And Their Solutions

John Deere 317 Skid Steer is a reliable skid steer with good reviews. It is one of the best products of John Deere. But that doesn’t make it invincible. It also faces some common problems like any other heavy machinery. 

Problems like the engine won’t start, issues in hydraulic pressure, issues in revving up, boom arm being jammed, running out of fuel, etc. All these problems are solvable by yourself if you can detect them.

These are not the only problems that you can face. In case of severe issues, you will have to take help from experts. 

Quick Overview of john Deere 317 Skid Steer Starting Problems

Reasons	Solutions
Machine Won’t Start	Reconnect the wiring of the switch.
Issues with the Hydraulic Pressure	Change the hydraulic fuel.
Machine Won’t Rev Up	Change the throttle linkages.
Boom Arm Is Jammed	Repair the spring.
Fuel Runs Out	Take care of pipes and tanks.

John Deere 317 Skid Steer Problems: Reasons and  Solutions

Problem 1: The Machine Won’t Start

When it comes to heavy machinery, it is very common that they are having problems with starting up. You will find that there for very simple reasons. 

Switch Problem

In heavy working machinery, it is very common that the small parts will not sustain for a long period. The start switch on the John Deere is one of them.  

It is not very sophisticated but, due to heavy-duty jobs, the wirings can get loose. Even the switch can break physically. 

Symptom:

If the switch is broken, it will be loose. The key port won’t be holding the key properly.

In case, the wiring is loose in the switch, the engine will have a buffer to get ignition. It will have sound, periodically. 

If the wire of the switch has come off completely, then there will be no buffering. Rather the switch will not make any sound.

Solution:

The best solution for a broken switch is to change the switch of the vehicle completely.

If you are in a situation, where it is a bit difficult to change the switch immediately then, you can use scotch tape as a temporary solution. But change the switch as soon as possible. 

Lack of Fuel

One of the major reasons why often the engine won’t take a start is lack of fuel. After coming back from work, the owner doesn’t check the level of fuel.

If the machine is running, it tends to work on emergency fuel.

But when you shut off the engine it will not get started in the emergency fuel. In that case, you will have to have 80% of the total fuel capacity of the John Deere 317 Skid Steer.

Symptom:

Take a look at the fuel meter of the machine. It will tell you when the fuel level is at an emergency level.

You can use a clean steel stick to take a look at the fuel level.

In the deficit of fuel, the engine will try to get started, but won’t be able to form ignition.

Solution:

Always keep extra fuel in a fuel jar. This will help you in an emergency or if you are working in a remote area away from a gas station.

Before starting your day with the machine, check the level of fuel.

Blockage in the Carburetor

The carburetor is the part of the engine which balances the air and fuel ratio in the engine. This ratio is very important in ignition. Otherwise, the engine won’t even get on. 

Whenever there will be any blockage, the airflow from the outside will get blocked. There is also a chance that the oil pipes are also blocked.

In that case, also the oil won’t come to the ignition part. As a result, the engine will fail to get started.

Symptom:

Blockage in both fuel and air pipe will be the reason the engine won’t get started. In this case, every time you try to start the engine, it will make an air-buffing sound. 

In case the blockage is in the fuel pipe, it will make a vacuum sound.

Solution:

The only solution to get rid of the blockage is if the blockage is near the open end, it can be removed by clumps. Otherwise, you will have to open up the parts and then take care of it.

It is important to clear the blockages, as it can contaminate the engine fuel. If the blockage is from something hard it will end up hurting the engine.

Problem 2. Issues with the Hydraulic Pressure

In John Deere 317 Skid Steer the functions like brake, boom arm, acceleration, and other heavy-duty jobs are dependent on the hydraulic pressures.

Therefore any issues with hydraulic pressure can cause disruption in the machine.

In severe cases, you might not even have enough power to accelerate the engine. As a result, the machine won’t move a single inch.

Reason:

When it comes to problems in hydraulic pressure, then it is often due to wrong hydraulic fuel. Also, hydraulic fuel can get contaminated due to the workplace environment. 

Using the wrong hydraulic fuel is worse than using contaminated fuel. Due to the concentration of the fuel, the parts related to the hydraulic fuel get affected. As a result, they can have permanent damage. 

The hydraulic pressure needs adjustments from time to time. These adjustments help to reduce pressure in the hydraulic parts. The valves need the perfect pressure to work on boom, acceleration, and brakes.

Symptom:

The symptom of contamination in hydraulic fuel is the pressure in the valve won’t be lower. Also, after a while, every time you try to function with hydraulic pressure, it will make a mechanical sound.

When it comes to breakage of the valve, there will be a cracking sound. Similar sounds will happen in case of any broken parts. Issues in the parking brakes are a major indication of the problem in hydraulic pressure.

Solution:

The valves in the hydraulic parts need to be contamination free for the best performance. Otherwise, the concentration of the fuel will change. As a result, the pressure won’t work properly.

The hydraulic fuel for John Deere 317 Skid Steer is Rego2Oil by Castor. Its concentration works perfectly in creating pressure for the performance. 

Every time you do maintenance work on the machine, try to check the hydraulic pressure. This will help to avoid accidents like break failure. 

Problem 3: The Machine Won’t Rev Up

In heavy-duty machines, acceleration needs sudden action. When John Deere 317 Skid Steer does jobs in an adverse work environment, it needs to have high accelerating power to process. 

Reason:

There are two basic reasons behind the machine not revving up. One is hydraulic pressure failure and the other is issues with the throttle linkage.

It is a system that connects machines with the Electronic Computer Module (ECM).

It has a thin wire. Therefore due to heavy wire and spring wire issues, there is a probability that it will get disconnected. Whenever that happens, the acceleration of the machine will fail to work properly.

Symptom:

The symptoms of issues with throttle are vivid when you will see that there is no problem in the hydraulic pressure but acceleration won’t work. It will also have effects on cruise control.

Sometimes you will have to open up the machine and take a closer look to detect any breakage or tearing in throttle linkage.

Solution:

To solve the problem, first reconnect the spring and the Boom pin. In case any of the parts are broken, it is best to change the whole thing at a time.

Sometimes just taking off the pin and replugging it, will solve the issue. It is a very delicate part, which might need some attention from expert owners. If you are totally new to this, then best to consult with a mechanic.

Problem 4: The Boom Arm Is Jammed

It is often reported that the Boom arm of the machine gets jammed in such a way that you cannot pick anything or can’t drop anything from the bucket.

Reason:

There is a spring working in the boom arm. This spring controls the movement of the whole arm. If the spring gets damaged or loses responsiveness, then it will get jammed.

Due to issues in Hydraulic pressure, the boom arm can get stuck. Also, try to look at the boom arm controller. Any faulty wiring in the controller will have a similar effect.

Symptom:

If the spring of the boom arm is broken, it will make a crackling sound while trying to move the arm. The same sound will happen if the spring loses its elasticity. 

In case of issues with hydraulic pressure, it will be reflected in the other parts of the machine too. In the post you will find specific solutions to the hydraulic pressure problem. 

Solution:

When it comes to issues with the spring, the solution is to change the spring for good.

But sometimes the weather tempers with the elasticity of the spring. In that case, changing the temperature might help.

Problem 5: The Fuel Runs Out

It is not unusual that the machine runs out of fuel. But it is a problem when the machine doesn’t complete its mileage.

Reason:

Due to the leakage in the fuel pipe, the oil consumption of the machine increases. Depending on the severity of the leakage, the fuel capacity will vary.

It is also possible that the leakage is in the tank. Then the desperation of fuel will be extreme. 

Also when the machine gets old, it starts consuming more fuel than it used to. As a result you will fail to predict the fuel needed. Thus, the fuel tank will get empty at an unfortunate time.

Symptom:

When it comes to the leakage of the pipe, the fuel level can drop suddenly for the pipe is broken. Also, the same scenario happens if the pipe gets detached from the line. 

Due to accidents or similar incidents, it is also possible that the fuel pipe and tank will break. In such cases you will find the oil is draining faster and the level indicator is changing rapidly.

On the other hand, if fuel consumption increases slowly, then you can be assured that it is due to aging. The mechanical parts decay with time. As a result, the consumption of fuel increases. 

Solution:

If the pipe or tank gets leaked or broken the best way to go is to change them. Try to have the best quality product possible. Otherwise, the problem will come back.

On the other hand, if the pipe is detached from the tank, then you can resolve it just by tightening the screw joints. For this, you will find the wrench in the toolbox. 

In case of increased oil consumption due to old age of the machine, the solution is well maintained. If the engine parts are decaying, then it is wise to replace them with original products from customer service. 

Also, this maintenance process should be done from the beginning. That way, you won’t have to worry about excess fuel costs in the short run. It is also helpful for other problems in the machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are John Deere skid steers any good?

John Deere is generally trusted and considered solid. It has slip directs that are worked for heavier connections and have a lot of torque. John Deere offers enormous and minimal machines in haggled models like minimized track loaders.

What is John Deere Hydrau?

Hydrau has explicitly intended for use in the water-powered and hydrostatic frameworks of development and ranger service gear. Hydrau premium pressure-driven oil was as of late acquainted with the tough execution necessities of John Deere development and ranger service hardware water-powered frameworks.

What engine is in a John Deere skid steer?

John Deere slip steer loaders use motors that are the finished paperwork for the rough, intense use to which slide steer loaders are oppressed. The 125 is accessible with a fluid-cooled gas or diesel motor. The two motors are minimal and smooth in activity. The 125-gas motor creates 37 strengths at 2800 rpm.

Final Words

Some of the John Deere 317 Skid Steer problems are solvable by using just the toolbox and some general idea about how machinery works.

Remember to preserve the toolbox and the manual guide of the machine. These are very helpful to work on any issues.

If you have the bare minimum knowledge about the machine and don’t know how things work, then don’t get discouraged.

Whenever experts are working, try to follow their work. Especially in severe cases, always take help from experts.