John Deere X738 Signature Series Lawn Tractor

Engine is smooth-running and reliable V-twin air-cooled design

Hood opened to show engine

The 25.5-hp (19-kW) liquid-cooled V-twin engine has a large 45.5-cu in. (745-cc) displacement to provide plenty of power and torque for excellent performance in any operating condition. The one-piece hood is hinged to open for convenient engine service.

Key engine features include:

• Liquid cooling
  • Longer engine life
  • Quieter operation
  • Improved fuel economy
• V-twin cylinder design
  • Smoother running
  • Easier starting 
• Overhead valve (OHV) design to provide more efficient airflow for improved combustion
  • More horsepower and torque per cubic inch of displacement
  • Better cooling for longer engine life
  • Reduced oil consumption
  • Improved fuel economy
• Full-pressure lubrication with replaceable oil filter that provides plenty of clean oil for long engine life
• Horizontal crankshaft with a drive shaft connection to the transmission for positive power transfer 
• Aluminum block and cast-iron cylinder liners
  • Efficient heat dissipation
  • Strength and durability with less weight
• Low exhaust emissions to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) clean air standards
  • Liquid cooling for consistent operating temperatures
  • OHV for efficient lean burn combustion
  • Precise air-to-fuel ratio control with electronic fuel injection
  • Closed crankcase ventilation re-circulates and burns crankcase hydrocarbons
• Oil drain valve with hose and oil filter drip tray for easy, no-mess maintenance
• Electronic ignition for quick, sure starts
• Rubber engine mounts
  • Vibration-free operation
  • Lower noise
• Electric fuel pump ensures positive fuel delivery for fast starts and smooth running
• Solenoid-shift starter ensures that starter stays engaged until key switch is released for fast cold-weather starts

Air intake system

Engine intake air is drawn in through screened panels at the base of the pedestal and on the right and left sides of the tractor hood:

• Cleanest and coolest area of the tractor
• Pre-cleans the air to keep large chaff and debris from entering the radiator or air cleaner
• Easy to clean and service so engine operates at optimum temperature

An inertia-discharge canister with dry-type paper element surrounded by a foam precleaner cleans intake air for long engine life:

• Ejects large dirt particles before they make contact with the filter
• Provides dual protection against dirt entering the engine
• Easily removed for cleaning or replacement
• Recommend the air filter be replaced and the precleaner cleaned annually or every 200 hours, whichever comes first

Electronic fuel injection

Electronic fuel injection (EFI) offers many important performance advantages:

• Immediate starting in hot or cold ambient temperatures or after long periods of seasonal storage
• No choke linkage for the user to operate
• No engine warmup required, so the implement can be engaged immediately after the engine starts
• Greater horsepower and torque responsiveness
• Higher reliability with the elimination of vapor locking, misfiring, run-on, and after-bang
• Automatic altitude compensation
• Delivers fuel precisely
  • Reduces the potential for plug fouling

Fuel tank has a large 5.2-U.S. gal. (19.7-L) capacity

A large, 5.2-U.S. gal. (19.7-L) capacity fuel tank holds enough fuel for extended operation between refills:

• Fuel-fill location is on the left fender for easy access, increased safety, fewer spills, and convenience during filling.
• In-tank electric fuel pump supplies ample fuel flow to eliminate vapor lock and ensure quick engine starts, even after months of storage.

Battery and alternator are large capacity

• A high-capacity regulated alternator charging system provides plenty of power to quickly recharge the battery and run electrical equipment, such as lights or a sprayer:

• 20-amp alternator is provided as standard equipment on gasoline engines.
• An optional 20-amp auxiliary alternator kit operates in parallel with the standard 20-amp engine-equipped alternator to bring the total of 12-V electric power to 40 amps.

A large-capacity, 300 cold-cranking amp battery provides plenty of cranking power for quick, sure starts in cold weather:

• Mounted at the front of the tractor frame for easy accessibility

54-in. (137-cm) and 60-in. (152-cm) Edge™ High-Capacity (HC) Mower Decks are heavy duty

High-capacity mower decks are formed in a hydraulic press to minimize the number of welds and provide a smooth underside for reduced material buildup:

• Wider and higher discharge opening provides an even clipping dispersal for an excellent finished appearance in all conditions.
• Durable plastic deflector spreads grass clippings evenly across the lawn, is hinged, and can be raised to minimize the storage space required. 
• 1-in. (2.5-cm) cold-forged spindles are heat-treated for strength and supported by ball bearings.
• Front edge is raised above the blade plane to allow even cutting of tall grass.
• Blade overlap is greater than many conventional decks for a clean cut.
• Mower can side-discharge, mulch (optional), or use a Power Flow™ collection system (optional).

Ramps are provided to permit driving over the mower deck for installing and removing it from the tractor:

• Constructed of 30 percent glass-filled polypropylene for strength to carry the weight of the tractor
• Polypropylene material will not rust or corrode for lasting good appearance
• Shark tooth shaped grips designed into the ramp inclines for added wheel traction when driving onto the mower deck
• Tire grab at the rear of the ramp gives extra wheel traction
• Ramps removed and replaced without tools to permit convenient servicing of the mower spindles

A wash port is provided to make cleaning the underside of the mower deck easy.

• Hose connector is included with the mower deck.

Optional high-performance mulching attachment

The high-performance mulching attachment provides excellent mulching performance:

• This is a high-performance mulching attachment that includes formed steel baffles to control the material and special mulching blades for superior performance.
  • The special mulching blades that are included can also be used for side discharging and collecting, though overall performance may be slightly less than with the standard blades.
• Order: BM23977, 54 HC mulching attachment  or BM23978 60 HC mulching attachment

Optional MulchControl™ attachment

The MulchControl attachment makes mulching more practical for many mowing situations because it not only does an excellent job of mulching but it also allows the mower to be easily converted for times when it is more desirable to side discharge or collect the lawn material. Advantages of mulching grass clippings include:

• A beautiful looking lawn
• Grass clippings not blown onto the operator, driveways, or flower beds
• Less fertilizer use
• Elimination of the effort needed to dispose of clippings

MulchControl is an innovative, simple design that is easy to use and maintain:

• The MulchControl attachment includes baffles to control the flow of material under the deck.
• The left mower blade area is completely enclosed and optimized for mulching, thus will mulch even when the mower is in the side-discharge mode.
• Baffles around the center and right blades are optimized for mulching when the discharge baffle is closed.

MulchControl operation

The optional MulchControl attachment comes with a handle on top of the mower deck that is used to open and close the discharge baffle:

• The operator is required to get off of the machine in order to engage or disengage mulch mode.

An optional hydraulic MulchControl actuator attachment is available to replace the standard control lever and allow the operator to control MulchControl from the seat using the tractor’s hydraulic control lever.

NOTE: To have hydraulic control of the MulchControl baffle, both MulchControl and hydraulic MulchControl actuator attachments must be ordered. The hydraulic MulchControl actuator is an extra-cost option for the MulchControl attachment.

Changing from mulching to side discharge or vice versa with the hand lever or hydraulic MulchControl actuator option takes only a few seconds.

MulchControl is well-suited to the following mowing situations:

• Usually mulch, but side discharge when grass gets too long
• Usually side discharge, but would like to be able to close the chute to control clippings
• Always mulch a main lawn, but often side discharge secondary lawns
• Bag clippings, but want to go farther before emptying bags

MulchControl puts the operator in control of the clippings. Now the operator can have all the benefits of mulching with the ability to easily change to side-discharge or bagging when needed.

MulchControl limitations

While in the side-discharge mode, MulchControl will still mulch about one-third of the material. Therefore, the side-discharge mode is essentially a partial-mulch mode. This can be an advantage when side discharging or bagging, as it helps to reduce the amount of material being discharged. Other times this could work as a disadvantage:

• When cutting strong southern grasses, such as Zoysia and Bermuda
• When cutting in wet, high-growth conditions, such as those found in the Pacific Northwest United States
• When optimum bagging and lawn clean-up is desired

MulchControl compatibility

MulchControl is a field-installed attachment. Mulching blades are included:

• MulchControl is for 2015 and newer X700 Signature Series Tractor and:
  • 9074M 54-in. (137-cm) HC Mower Deck (serial number 030,001-070,000)
  • 9078M 54-in. (137-cm) HC Mower Deck (serial number 070,001-)
  • 9075M 60-in. (152-cm) HC Mower Deck (serial number 030,001-070,000)
  • 9079M 60-in. (152-cm) HC Mower Deck (serial number 070,001-)
• Optional hydraulic MulchControl actuator (BUC10536) is available for model year 2019 and newer mower decks (9078M and 9079M) only. In addition, mower must be equipped with the basic MulchControl attachment.

NOTE: The hydraulic MulchControl actuator is not available for the 48-in. (122-cm) Accel Deep™ Mower Deck.

Order:

BM26300 MulchControl attachment (54 HC)

BM25258 MulchControl attachment (60 HC)

BUC10536 Hydraulic MulchControl actuator

Mower deck attachability

High-capacity mower decks have ramps positioned on top of the deck for easy installation:

• On a four-wheel drive (4WD) tractor, the operator can simply drive onto and over the deck.
• On a two-wheel drive (2WD) tractor, the operator must back onto and over the deck.

To remove the mower deck:

• Disconnect the drive shaft.
• Unlock the draft arm locks.
• Back or drive the tractor onto and off the mower deck.
  • On a 4WD tractor, the operator can simply back onto and off the deck.
  • On a 2WD tractor, the operator can simply drive forward onto and off the deck.