Need Drive Shaft for JD 317 with 17hp Kohler engine, 1981 year bought

3/4 Keyed Shaft ' eBay

www.ebay.com/bhp/3-4-keyed-shaft
eBay3/4" Dia. Steel Shaft / Rod 18" Long. ( Keyed 3/16 "both ends ). $34.21 .... 3/4" to 1" inch w/Step Key Gas Engine pulley Crank Shaft Sleeve adapter Predator.

Vertical shaft Kohler Engines - Engine4Less.com

engine4less.com/ALL-Vertical-shaft-Kohler-Engines/
This engine has same mounting and shaft as all KOHLER Single cylinder ... 1"diameter x 3-5/32" length keyed VERTICAL (UP and DOWN ' ) crankshaft. Please ...

JD 400 Garden tractors were made from 1975 - 1983.
Serial Numbers
1975: 30001
1976: 55001
1977: 70001
1978: 80001
1979: 95001
1980: 120001
1981: 155001
1982: 190001

Go to this site and you may be able to track it down.
John Deere 400 attachments
http://www.tractordata.com/lawn-tractors/000/0/4/41-john-deere-400-attachments.html

Be sure to read this discussion on serial numbers.

Tractor serial numbers

"Find the REAL serial number
There are usually a lot of different numbers on a tractor. The engine, front axle, and cab may all have their own serial numbers. Various components may have parts or casting numbers. Make sure you have actually found the tractor serial number, and not one of these other numbers."

Drain is on the bottom of the drive shaft. Fill is on the side of the drive shaft. Fill the shaft drive assembly to the bottom of the threads of the fill hole. Takes about 200-300ml.

technically it is possible to do a heart trnasplant
all you need to check are the mounting flange holes or be able to drill new holes in the mower frame
and next the method of attaching the drive pulley or pto to the crank shaft has to be considered

Hi!

The Toyota Starlet is a fuel efficient compact car that replaced Toyota's Publica model in 1973 and was manufactured through the 1999 model year. The Starlet was sold new in the United States for only four years, from 1981 through the 1984 model year. Originally a rear-wheel drive car, the Starlet transitioned to front-wheel drive in 1984.

The 1981 to 1984 versions of the Starlet that were sold in the U.S. were powered by a 1.3 liter OHV engine with four cylinders and electronic fuel injection. The engine has a 2.95-inch bore and 2.87-inch stroke and produces 58 horsepower at 4,200 rpm. The 1981 and 1982 versions of the engine produced 67 ft-lbs of torque, and the 1983 and 1984 versions produced 74 ft-lbs of torque. The compression ratio is 9.5:1.
Hope that helps!!
EJ Kudelka

Check the governor linkages and springs. There could be too much slack therein, or a spring may have stretched or broken.

Check eBay and Craigs list also any JD dealer for used parts

Use a thread locking compound on the bolts - and torque them to the correct spec.
This will prevent them shaking out.

the only thing you could possibly do is change out your swing arm off the 650 and put it on the 550 but you may also have to change out the wiring harness as well to get the 650 running properly