Carpe diem, Carpe C?

cheers,

Creek

You got me thinking about how hard the engine turns over.  I don't have the crank and I was going to make one up in the shop yesterday, but instead I took a pry bar and went in the starter hole.  The engine barred over easily (still no plugs in it).  I am thorougly embarassed - I assumed the engine was froze up or bound up because I could not turn it over by pushing in 1st gear.  The mech advantage doesn't work out - I can turn in over in 3rd, but first is trying to turn it too fast.  Embarassed, but relieved.

I went to work on the starter then - I have a battery charger that has a "booster" setting on it, starter turns over like mad (note that the tractor was converted to 12 volt at some point, so the 6 volt starter always spun the engine over pretty fast).

I put the starter back in - won't turn.  Cleaned the battery terminals, cables, wire brushed where the ground wire bolts to the steering support.  Still won't turn.  I can hear the battery pop and sizzle a bit though - sounds like it is taking a helms of a draw.  If I put the booster on the starter directly, it pegs the meter at 10+ amps, but won't turn - won't even run the bendix out.

Could the starter just be weak, will only turn under no load?  The ring gear teeth have a some burrs, but it sounds like it doesn't even run the bendix out to engage when in the tractor.  The starter has two holes in the side for the keeper bolt, one slightly ahead and below the other.

Tonite I will try to clean up the starter - maybe it is not making a good ground to the housing - although it looks good, bare metal and no rust.  And if it isn't making good contact why is it burying the needle on the booster / charger gage?  If that doesn't work I guess I will have to try a new starter - I can't think of what else it could be.

cheers,

Creek

 Sometimes the problem is easy to find and other times it is the easy one that is overlooked to think the worst has happined.

Dick brought up a good point too, I'll look for hot spots.  I was able to turn the engine over easily with a pry bar in the starter hole, I turned at least one full turn with plugs out with very little effort.  I will try it again tonite just to make sure.  I did just mount a Sunmastr mower, but no bolts went in the torque tube - it is a hyd lift so the lift mechanism is on the RH step thingy. 

And the switch on the starter, I might pull that off and have a look inside.  Lots of things to try tonite - I'll let you know what I find out.  If nothing works I might have to get a starter on order - dang grass is still growing.

cheers,

Creek

Anyway, I pulled off the starter switch - the contacts were slightly arc melted, but not bad. I checked the starter out again - the gear is fairly loose on the spiral when it is in the unengaged position, but run it out and it tightens up fairly well.  I put the starter back on, and put power to it - you can hear it run the bendix out, but as soon as it contacts the ring gear, it stops and the ammeter pegs.  Starter just hums, doesn't turn.  Take power off and the bendix does not run back it, it stays (I assume) engaged on the ring gear.  I pulled the starter and to be sure the engine wasn't the problem, I put a bar on the ring gear - the engine turns over very easily (plugs are out). 

The ring gear has some burrs on the teeth, but up until a couple of weeks ago, the starter engaged fine, in fact the 12 volts engaged it with vengance and the motor turned over pretty fast.

So I am thinking that the starter is just weak, it will only turn over under no load, although the bendix not disengaging is puzzling.  If it was the bendix being shot or worn out, I wouldn't think it would stall the starter, it just wouldn't engage......?

If it was the ring gear somehow jamming the bendix, you would think I would be able to find a spot where it would engage. 

I thinking I should pick up a new starter, or have this one overhauled.

cheers,

Creek

 

 

 

                              GOD BLESS !!!

 

I had the starter rebuilt - the guy said it had a bad brush and the bushing in the nose was worn.  He said it was prob allowing the gear to cock a bit and jam up.  Only cost me $30, so I figured that wasn't too bad.  Took it home, put it on and ................no difference.  Hmmmm.  That was disappointing.  So I figured in spite of using my booster battery charger, the brand new battery was probably getting a bit low.  Might as well throw the charger on overnight.  Came out the next morning - charger was still showing about 8 amps.  Crikey!  My 3 week old battery is dead as my grandfathers cat!  Took it back to the store, they replaced it.  Came home, hooked it up it spins over like you cannot believe.  Put in some new plugs and she runs pretty slick. Every 3rd or 4th time the starter is engaged it doesn't quite catch and grinds a bit, but I think if I move the starter to the other, farther in position, that may be taken care of.  I assumed the new battery was okay.  Big mistake.

Cheers,

Sheepish in WhoVille