My starter blew up

More/less literally.... see something missing in this picture?



That gear is gone, I found a few metal fragments that look about right for it on the flywheel and still stuck in the starter mechanism but not enough to account for all of it.

So what happened..? I tried starting it and the engine caught, ran for about a second and died. Happens sometimes on a cold start the first time so I thought nothing of it and tried again- this time there was a *clunk* and nothing from the starter. Pushed in the clutch to take some more load off and the starter motor just spun free.

Took the starter off and found what you see in the picture.

Is there anything I might have done wrong to cause that? I can't see what... the engine isn't seized or anything it still turns free.

Second... I bought this starter from this site back in the fall, does this look like a manufacturer defect maybe? Should I be asking for a replacement?

Third.... I've got an old starter with an iffy bendix that will probably work welll enough to start the tractor a couple of times. Is that wise? I'm worried about all the little metal fragments that might be kicking around under the flywheel still. I had plans to try to split it for a new clutch and transmission seal over the summer but I wasn't sure I'd have time or that I wanted to start said project.

In the meantime I have some chores I'd like to get done with this beast...

oh, forgot to add, this is a TO-30

Chores can be donme with a truck to pull start the tractor. Tape the batery cables up and insulated away from shorting out.
Chances are the starter gear to flywheel clearance was insufficient. You might want to check that when you put the next starter in.

(quoted from post at 12:52:22 03/25/12) Chores can be donme with a truck to pull start the tractor. Tape the batery cables up and insulated away from shorting out.
Chances are the starter gear to flywheel clearance was insufficient. You might want to check that when you put the next starter in.

Click to expand...

What is the procedure for checking and what do I do about it if it is insufficient?

Looks like just the starter drive failed. If it"s under warranty, try to get a replacement. There is a sheet metal "shield" covering the face of the bell housing at the bottom. Remove that and see if there are any pieces that drop out. if the engine turns freely there is probably nothing very big in the bell housing. What"s iffy about the drive? You can replace the starter drive pretty easyily. I wouldn"t be afraid of putting the old starter on til you can get a replacment drive.

Look and see how much free space you have below the ring gear and bell housing on the bottom.
If enough room for the missing teeth to bounce around down there and not catch on the flywheel you should be OK . I know on some early TO20 flywheels if the ring gear gets moved back towards the transmission the ring gear will start sawing the tractor in half.

I would bring the old starter to a rebuild shop and have it fixed. Many times aftermarket parts are not build with the same quality as the originals.

I recently bought the same starter off ebay it's
after market & i'm having problems with the bendix
drive keeps failing, doesn't want to spin out to
catch the flywheel #*%@ china made parts!

Hi,

I come to think. I know that Sparex offer a for the TEA 20 with a Standard engine. A Lucas look alike.
They say it can be used on a Continental engine, and I guess they mean the Z120 used in the TE 20, but you have to make a 1/16" shim between the starter and block surface to get the right distance.

I don"t know the Z129 engine in the TO 30, but thought I should mention this. If it is the same kind of starter.


Bill

Well I replaced the old one because the drive wasn't engaging, just spinning or gear grinding. Replaced the whole starter figuring the old one looked old and the motor probably was worn if the drive was.

Two drives going bad one after another... maybe just coincidence but I don't like it. Could it be related to it being a 6volt starter in a 12 volt system.. maybe it spins too fast and messes up the drive?

I dunno, just thinking.

I"ve had a OEM 6V starter on my TO-30 since I bought it in 1996 with no problems. The PO installed an alternator before I bought it.Could be the drives are coming from the "Land of Almost Right".

Take the starter to a shop that specializes in rebuilding starters. I had mine rebuilt for my TO's, Bobcat skidsteer, and F350 truck. All worked very well, and all were original,(which means very old, and well worn). They used parts that they wouldn't come back to haunt them.

Thinking about your problem. . .
I would paint the starter drive with "Prussian Blue" (auto parts store) this is a transfer paint that will show you far down onto the flywheel the starter drive is going. The trick there is to get the starter drive to pop out and not spin the engine.

We always use the 6volt Starter on the 12 volt conversions and usually we get no trouble at all, but occasionally we do get one like yours for no apparent reason. Using two old starters and it could be just a coincidence and the extra voltage and inertia involved was enough to see the Starter off. Get the Starter repaired, and it will be unlikely that you will have any more trouble.Just make sure that the Engine is tuned properly so that it will start easily, if it doesn't the starter will be have to be used a lot more.If you want the info on tuning the Engine, email me and ask.John (UK)[email protected]