318 starter gear sticking in normal position

Roger in Iowa

Well-known Member
Early 318 with the starter gear sticking in the normal position and does not want to engage flywheel gear. Tapping on starter will sometimes loosen it, but do not want to break magnets in starter. Have lubed but did not help or makes it worse. Can I add one of those split washers that you can hammer/punch closed to keep starter gear from fully retracting work? Still has to clear flywheel.

Really do not want to pull engine to get to starter.

Thanks, Roger
 
(quoted from post at 20:22:58 03/10/14) Early 318 with the starter gear sticking in the normal position and does not want to engage flywheel gear. Tapping on starter will sometimes loosen it, but do not want to break magnets in starter. Have lubed but did not help or makes it worse. Can I add one of those split washers that you can hammer/punch closed to keep starter gear from fully retracting work? Still has to clear flywheel.

Really do not want to pull engine to get to starter.

Thanks, Roger
I found that the only way to lube the starter, is to pull the engine and remove the starter. At that time I also check the starter drive for excessive wear. I have the solenoid attached starter and the solenoid under the battery, on the body of the tractor, type starter. When I purchased the tractors, both of these starters would spin without engaging the flywheel. I have logged over 1000 hours on both of these tractors since the time that I spent cleaning the connections and lube of the starters. No problems!!! I also sprayed the flywheel teeth with a dry graphite lube before I reassembled [reinstalling the motor]. Both of the starter drives showed little to no wear but the flywheels both had teeth that had been chewed part way [ 1/8 to 1/4 of tooth] from the starter not engaging properly. Tapping on starter will sometimes damage the starter, to the point of possible need to replace the whole starter. I followed the advice of a old starter rebuilder here in town.
 
roger
please do as lee suggested.
remove the engine and starter.
it may be as simple as the dust cover
on the end has cracked/broken.
once the dirt gets on the armature shaft
the drive will hang up.
i can e/mail you a page from the parts manual
if you need one.
[email protected] 651 437 2826
thank you. boomer ( the used onan engine parts guy )
 
The armature shaft and drive is all exposed. I can take some of the shielding off the engine and see it easily. I really do not want to pull engine as previous owner did it twice.

I can access parts, no problem, thanks.
 
Mine is Bendix type, not solenoid shift kind. Bendix is sticking in normal or retracted position. Either the screw threads are dirty or jamming in the gear.
 
roger
i know what starter you have.
SO, if the end of the armature shaft
is exposed, we both know what the problem is.
you are missing the starter end kit shield.
BITE the bullet and GETER, done.
thank you. boomer
 
Do you think that if you pull the tin air shields out enough to remove the starter that you will be able to remove the bolts that hold the starter in place? it is a very tight fit and it is far easier to pull the motor [unless the previous owner cross threaded the motor mount bolts, four bolts, into the nuts or pan assembly or maybe the four bolts that hold the drive-shaft, the plug that feeds the ignition is in the open, the gas line to the fuel pump is easy. The pto wire plug and you are ready to move the engine out of the tractor] If you were closer to west michigan I would try to purchase the tractor from you or at least help you out.
 
I am capable of removing the engine/starter. The PO had it out twice to a starter repair shop without results. The starter itself is okay, just the bendix sticks. I really do not see the need to remove the engine/starter to clean the "threads" of the bendix. I have three other tractors with similar starters and none have ever stuck! It is not apparent that any shield is missing that Robert is concerned about.

The tractor is not for sale.
Thanks Jeff.
Roger
 
Did you check the cables and switch wire on the solenoid under the battery tray? You may want to check that you are allowing true battery voltage to the starter. I dought that this is your problem but if the previous owner has had a reputable starter repair shop check the starter I would look at the total tractor to see if there is corrosive connections at other points of electrical wires or cables, the only other thing you could have would be a starter that needs real close inspection and cleaning. Some of the small starters that I have seen had a real light duty spring in front of the starter drive. This caused the drive to move out of the flywheel after the motor started and all the way back on the starter armature spline. The starter rebuider that helped me was very knowledgable about small starters.
 
I almost forgot to mention the fact that one of my tractors had a broken starter bolt that the previous owner missed and I couldn't see until I pulled the motor out. This was also causing a miss-aligned starter problem.
 

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