I would take the Onan over almost anything available today.

 

I would take the Onan over almost anything available today.

I agree I have one with over 1000 hrs still runs strong but I like Onan engines

 

If you don't want to put up with tinkering with it, just turn the key and go, I suggest the Honda 20 or 24 hp repower kit. My experience with Honda has been flip the switch, choke, pull the rope, and go.

 

I agree with the others, not much better than a Onan, considering it's 30 years old might be time to have it rebuilt and enjoy it for another 30 years. Most new high horse power motors sold today, couldn't out work an old 12 hp from the 70's. :thumbs:

 

I can't argue with fixing the ONAN. My brother installed a 23HP Briggs Vanguard in his JD 420 last summer.

He says it runs fine and is a smooth engine, but does not have the torque the 20 hp Onan had.

He said if he had it to do over he would have rebuilt the Onan.

Much as I like my 318, if it came down to an engine swap I think I would go with a newer 400 Series with the Kawasaki engine. So I'm hoping the Onan runs forever!!

 

Welcome to the forum! We'd love to see a picture of your Deere if you have a way to post it.

If I had an engine to swap with you, I would straight swap the Onan with any modern engine there is. My suggestion would be to try to find someone who can rebuild it and fix the oil seals, electrical issues, and give it a good overhaul.

Ben W.

 

My 1970 Allis 620 has the original un-rebuilt Onan CCKB engine and is still running strong. Why in the world would you want to buy some CHEAP Chinese replacement piece of crap to replace a tried and true superior engine????

 

My 1970 Allis 620 has the original un-rebuilt Onan CCKB engine and is still running strong. Why in the world would you want to buy some CHEAP Chinese replacement piece of crap to replace a tried and true superior engine????

the CCKs were cast iron block very good engine.

 

well i went form the onan that blew up to a kseries kholer, but now im to a 4 banger out of a chevy luv, but im going a little past the extreme side, if it were me and the block was still good i would rebuild what you have so it would last 30 more years of good service

 

Common options with repower kits available for bolt-in swaps include:

• Briggs Vanguard
• Kohler Command
• Honda

All of the above are available in various HP ratings. My reading causes me to lean towards the Briggs Vanguard which are designed and built in Japan by Daihatsu. They know small engines.

Briggs & Stratton Commercial Power designs and manufactures robust, high performance engines. Premium-grade Vanguard™ engines are application-engineered to power equipment that works for a living. Our team promises to work as hard as our Briggs & Stratton engines to earn the respect of everyone with whom we do business. We deliver the best total solution.

• Commercial-Driven Team that's all about lending the kind of support that positively impacts your bottom line.
• Customer Focused to help you arrive at solutions that enable your customers to power through their day.
• World-Class Products manufactured through alliances with Daihatsu, a member of the Toyota Group.
• Application Expertise to assist in taking ideas from the drawing board to the job site.
• Comprehensive Service and Support that includes an extensive dealer network, exclusive parts programs, and online resources.

There are people over at WFM that have swapped other engines into the 300 series including an water-cooled Kawasaki v-twin in a 317. If I could get my hands on one I would also consider that option. Here is the thread:

http://www.weekendfreedommachines.com/discus/messages/335/84712.html

I would love one of these for my 120 :rocker2:

Kawasaki swap in a 318: http://www.weekendfreedommachines.com/discus/messages/335/196515.html

Here are a few threads over there that talk about repower options:

http://www.weekendfreedommachines.com/discus/messages/335/67872.html

http://www.weekendfreedommachines.com/discus/messages/335/45110.html

http://www.weekendfreedommachines.com/discus/messages/335/191106.html

The last thread talks about the Kohler Command repower options from a company in Omaha called Pruitt. They are great for support. http://www.pruittoutdoorpower.com

 

I am tired of replacing the starter every spring, and also the puddle of oil on the garage floor, so I want to replace the Onan antique engine with a higher horsepower, more effecient one. I Googled and Binged for replacement engines, and there are several options. I would like to get rid of some past problems with fuel pump, and ignition, so am looking for electronic ignition and fuel injection. I know the vast knowledge base at this site, so I am sure someone can direct this 3/4 of a century old curmuggen in the right direction

Hmmm, maybe its time to "upgrade" to say a low hour X530, X540, 425, 445, or X475, X485. Might find that option to be cost effective as long as you dont have tons of machine specific attachments for the 318 and pretty much plug and play. Just throwin it out there, I know many folks here like to get the wrenches out on the old tired iron but I find that less fun as the years go by and now I pretty much just want to run em and let the wrenches sit.

 

I replaced the engine on my 83 318 a few years ago . i got the engine form a truck repair garage that was a Onan distribruter , at that time it was closed to $1,400 and it still needed a bushing to make the OEM pto clutch to fit the new engine and had to cut a notch in the frame to fit the starter solonid . I thought it was worth it but everyone is different , my wife thought I was crazy spending that much for an engine at the time a 20 year old tractor, but I knew it would last a long time yet ( hope I didn't jink myself lol) Good luck with your project

 

3cyl Kubota Diesel.

 

3cyl Kubota Diesel.

2cyl would work too. Or Yanmar...

 

I've got 2 engines that are gonna end up in garden tractors. I have a 316 (onan) without the engine. Been stockpiling parts (twin brake pedals, 3 spool hydraulics, etc) to turn it into a 318 super-clone.

I had picked up a Briggs 18hp vanguard twin to put into it and had started doing the layout for that install. Read most of the threads about those conversions and it seems pretty straightforward...

But then I picked up a Kubota D600 (16 hp 3 cylinder liquid cooled diesel) in a golf course mower and I am tentatively switching to swap that one into the 316. The torque, water cooling and decreased fuel usage of the diesel win the comparison, but the install will be much more involved..... The donor has a power steering system as well, so that will be going into the 316.

A small liquid cooled diesel is, in my opinion, the "best" engine option, but may be overkill for most garden tractors unless you use it a LOT. With any kind of diesel engine, I suspect traction and (lack of) weight will be the liminting factors, not power..... In my case, I want the 316 diesel as a back up cutter (for the bigger tractor and the fields - we have a fair amount of land....) and portable power source to be able to run a generator or pump or ???.

The 18hp gas twin will most likely get relogated to either my 316 kohler or a ford LGT160 - both have single cylinder kohler shakers in them, and the smoothness, lower fuel consumption and added power (compared to the kohler k341) of the gas twin would be an improvement. The gas twin also weighs less, so adding it to a non-power steering tractor lightens the front end.....

Not sure what the twins fuel consumption is compared to the original onan, but unless you use the tractor a LOT, gas $$$ isnt that big of a deal...

The onan twins were good motors - meant to last and providing good power. If I had a rebuildable one, spending the money to get it up to specs and running good might be the easiest option. Unless you get the repower engines really cheap (which was my situation...), you are going to be spending serious money either way you go...

Thats my two cents worth...

 

Not sure what the twins fuel consumption is compared to the original onan, but unless you use the tractor a LOT, gas $$$ isnt that big of a deal...

I believe that the fuel consumption is about 1/3 less when using a bigger motor when compared to an Onan. Not sure how it works on the K3xx singles.

 

I installed a D722 in my 300 the fuel savings alone will pay for the engine I would say witin 3 years I cut about an acre and a half with one tank of diesel I get aproximately 8 cuts compared to the gas engine 2 cuts . It was a fair bit of work and if your not handy it might be to big of a project ,I would definintly build another but would make sure it has power steering.

 

Hello

Your Oil leaking issue is more than Likely a Loose Oil filter adopter housing which is common on these Onan's. To repair it you will have to pull the engine shield sheet metal on the Oil filter side of the engine. Remove the Oil filter adaptor it is held with Two bolts. Clean it's surface and Place a new Onan Oil filter adopter gasket. I would suggest that you use some Lock tight on the bolt thread's so that they can not loosen again. The starter issue is also another common Onan engine issue. if the starter is not set up right on the engine it will wear out and be non functional. It mist have it's starter gear drive Teeth lash set to the flywheel Teeth. To do so Onan say's to Enlarge one of the starter mount bolt hole's so that the starter can swing enough to provided the correct starter Gear to fly wheel gear lash needed. Most Guy's simply keep placing new starter's and do not take the time to set the correct lash. I will Include a Link to an Onan B-43-G engine as well as the P-218 engines as you did not say what engine your John Deere had.

I have had a first year 1983 John Deere 318 for about Four Years now. It had a dealer replaced B-43-E Onan engine in it which was the sixteen Horse Power version Onan twin that was tired. I decided to restore the Tractor last winter, so I placed a fresh Onan P-218 engine in it. The total cost was $1475.00 but you get what you pay for and this engine in a remanufactured engine with a Fresh Bore, New Pistons, rings, rod's, camshaft and main bearings and it has had it's governor rebuilt with the metal spacer. New Valve seat's, guide's, seals's and the valves have been ground. All New Gasket's were used so the Only original part of the engine was the block, cam and crankshaft. I weighed out everything and it would have cost me more to Place a Cheap Inferior Made Lower China engine in my Tractor, When Re-powering most guy's don't think about all of the changes that have to be made such as PTO shaft Bushing, Crankshaft drive shaft coupler, engine mounting plate holes, Exhaust, wiring, choke and throttle cables and the list Goes on. These Re-Power's are Not a simple Plug & Play and when you are done you have a tractor of Much less value as well as power. Onan meant for their engine's to be re-built Multiple time's, and thats More than I can say about these Re-power's as when they are wore out you often either can not get Part's to rebuild them or if they let loose they destroy the entire engine.

To me, The John Deere 318 Lawn & Garden Tractor was the best Tractor that John Deere ever made & That's why there are so many of them still out there going strong 21 Year's after they quit making them. Make No mistake John Deere got it right when they Placed the Onan engine's in them they are as tough as Nail's and outlast any other gas engine out there then or since. I would suggest that you rebuild that Onan that is in your Tractor as it is a Long Term Investment, Not a Lower powered China engine.That is why I sunk $1475.00 of my Hard Earned money right back into an Onan as they simply are the best. Here are some picture's of mine now restored I hope my suggestion's helps. Regards, Hammerdown

http://www.cumminsonan.com/www/pdf/manuals/965-0757.pdf

http://www.cumminsonan.com/www/pdf/manuals/965-0762.pdf

 

Having redone a 318 with a 23HP Vangaurd repower two years ago I would reccomend rebuilding the Onan and letting it live another 30 years like has been said allready. The Vanguard has given more problems in 2 years of service than the Onan gave us in 24 years of service. I do like the idea if a diesel repower though. Put a Yanmar 3 cylinder in it and make it a 332.

 

HI, I had a 318 with 54" deck 519 cart, Hyd. drive tiller, snowblower I wish i would have not traded up to a 425 AWS none of the attachments would fit So had to find a snowblower now i use a walk behind tiller (what a pain) Now i have rings around all of the trees. The 425 dose not have the same power as the 318. I had a belly blade on the 318 with wheel, Full set sutecase weights on it moveing sand i had 14 Loads to level. everone said it would not have power to do that when i was pushing sand I would KILL the engine on it. The 425 would not do it yes the foot controls are nice but over all the 318 with a Onan is better i think.

I worker for a John Deere dealer ship for 25 years. On the Onan you had to blow out the starter and check the oil sender for a oil leak and the oil filter. The only engine i switch was on the 317 when moweing a road ditch or side hill. I dont think i did change a engine on 318. I pick up all the Onan parts i find

Thanks Thats my 2 cents

Rod

 

From a professional JD dealership technician view, I would also recommend having the Onan professionaly rebuilt. If you were closer, I would suggest Dave May, he rebuilds them and either swaps one of the fresh engines on the shelf for yours, or if you want, rebuilds your original engine. Last time I heard a price, it was less than any of the repower kits out there. Onans make thier rated horse power at a lower rpm, and maintain it thru the top end of the RPM band. These newer V-twins loose HP fast once you pull them just a few RPM off 3600. Most guys have no clue how to get the life from an Onan, the valve adjustments every 200 hours, decarboning the heads, keeping the belly screen on the tractor clean and if its missing replace it and keeping the flywheel side of the cylinder jugs clean and free of debris. Updating to a newer P series over your B series does mean notching the motor mounting plate to clear the solonoid shift style starter used on those series engines. But you gain electronic ignition over the points on the B series so better starting. Setting the gear lash on the starter will solve the constant starter replacement. And if you update to a P series, make sure you do the factory relay kit on the starter, also important for consistent starts. Onan built one heck of an engine, if you have an RV, most likely the genset is Onan and many of the larger ones had B and P series twins for the engine. Seen over 5000 hours on one without any major overhaul. Key is upkeep, keeping it clean, and doing the adjustments by the book. There is my 2 cents. Mike

 

"I would suggest Dave May, he rebuilds them and either swaps one of the fresh engines on the shelf for yours, or if you want, rebuilds your original engine."

Hi Mtoney. How would one get a hold of Dave May.

 

He used to advertise in Lawn and Garden Collector magazine. You might shoot them an message, I dont have his number handy. Mike