Wilamayb JD 55 and 303

Wilamayb, I saw your comment on a picture of a John Deere 55 combine. You said: "Looks like a 67 or newer with the 303..."
How (especially from that picture) could you tell it had the 303 engine? I have an older (I think, because it does not have the deflector at the top end of the unloading auger) 55, and I don't know which engine it has. How can I tell? Thanks, kelly in TX

The presence or absence of the deflector/flap has nothing to with age.Do you have a round back,hi/lo, or square back?The 217 should have a tag(at least mine does)The early square backs had the 217.66 or 67 is when the 303 apeared.Post the sn. We also need a pic or two. William could tell the engine simply by the left side view that was pictured.Also,I think the oil filter is in a different place.I am not familiar with the 303 to tell for sure.My 55rb and 1965 95sb have the 217.

(quoted from post at 20:18:23 04/22/15) Wilamayb, I saw your comment on a picture of a John Deere 55 combine. You said: "Looks like a 67 or newer with the 303..."
How (especially from that picture) could you tell it had the 303 engine? I have an older (I think, because it does not have the deflector at the top end of the unloading auger) 55, and I don't know which engine it has. How can I tell? Thanks, kelly in TX

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The 303 has the hydraulic pump on the left side right behind the ground drive belt. The 217 has it mounted at the front of the engine.

Thanks Chester 5731 and Delta Red! Now I know that I have a 217, cuz my hydraulic pump is on the fan/radiator end of the engine. Delta Red, after giving me the info on the belts source, you're one of my favorite people! I've received the belts, put 'em on (kind of a job, isn't it???) and am about ready for harvest. Oats is beginning to turn that beautiful tan/golden color. Now, I'm just hoping for no heavy rains or hail.
FYI, I cut a square hole in my grain bin, removed the carburetor that way, took it to a mechanic who cleaned it for me, and I'm about ready to reinstall it. The reason for doing that was because the engine wouldn't idle down, and had to be run about half-choke last year. Of course I made a square metal plate to cover to cover the hole in the grain bin. I still don't have much of an idea of what year my combine is, but it is a square back. It is a 4 speed. Posting pictures on here is beyond my simple abilities, so I can't do that. I'd also be embarassed about my combine because it has mostly sat outside all its life and is not very green anymore. It is interesting to drive because it has no brakes at all. It has the concave adjuster lever, but that has probably been frozen in place for many, many years. It also has one lever on the left of the steering column and two to the right. One of these still raises and lowers the cutting platform. I have no idea about the purpose of the other two levers, but they do nothing. One might be to raise and lower the reel, but the cylinders for that certainly do not work. My guess is that my "dinosaur" is somewhere between a 1965 and 1970 model. Thanks again to BOTH of you for your replies. kelly in TX

Kelly the lever to the left of the steering wheel is the reel lift.The right side lever closest to the wheel is the variable speed control.The one furthest is the header lift. your combine was built from 64 to 66.The 217 tells me that.My 95 has a 24000 sn.It is a 1965 year model.

The hydraulic reservoir and air filter tells the engine story. Hydraulic reservoir is on the right and air cleaner on the left for the 217. Reverse the locations for the 303.

Same holds true for the 145/165 vs the 180 gas in the 45 combine.