new john deere S240 is whining

[t0matojuice]

my dad just snagged a new John Deere S240 from Lowe’s, and it's his first lawn tractor. I'm helping him check it out.
it makes this loud whine when he accelerates. to me (I used to wrench a bit), it sounds exactly like a power steering pump that's low on fluid. It's got basically zero hours on it

I wonder if these hydrostatic transmissions are supposed to whine like that, or did we get one that's low on fluid/has a bum pump? Do we need to call JD?

 

[Greenwrench]

Hydrostatic drives usually whine a bit, mostly when they're working hard. Still, it's worth checking the fluid level and making sure the filter is in place. If the noise is super loud or gets worse, might not be a bad idea to have a JD mechanic take a look.

 

[field&furrow]

Okay, so if you hear a whine, first see if the drive belt is too tight or the pulleys aren't lined up right. Also, make sure the fan on your transaxle isn't busted or blocked, if it's not getting enough air, things can get too hot and noisy.

 

[DirtDozer]

my dad just snagged a new John Deere S240 from Lowe’s, and it's his first lawn tractor. I'm helping him check it out.
it makes this loud whine when he accelerates. to me (I used to wrench a bit), it sounds exactly like a power steering pump that's low on fluid. It's got basically zero hours on it

I wonder if these hydrostatic transmissions are supposed to whine like that, or did we get one that's low on fluid/has a bum pump? Do we need to call JD?

Those hydrostatics in the S240 are definitely known to be on the loud side, especially when accelerating or going uphill. They do whine, and it often sounds exactly like a failing power steering pump. It's the nature of that particular transmission series. Since it's brand new with zero hours, I'd bet money that's just the normal sound. But if it were a real problem, you'd likely also be noticing sluggish speed or jerking. Give it a few hours of use, and if the sound doesn't change or if performance drops off, then call the dealer. For now, it's almost certainly normal.