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Rob, it, like the rest of the tractor, is John Deere (V4 gas high RPM, electric start) and not an outside vendor supplied unit. Their main selling point was that they could do a far betetr job than any electric start unit in starting that hard to crank heavy high compression diesel in exterme cold climates. Part of how that was achieved, was that the heat from the v4 pony engine circualted around the diesels engine to warm it and the incoming air into it, which greatly helps start a cold diesel. The diesel works by superheating the incoming air by high compression to a sufficient temperaure and pressure that when the fuel is injected, it burns. However, if the incoming air and head and cylinder is extremely cold and due to all its mass, its difficult to achieve sufficient temperature and combustion in extreme cold ambient conditions. Thus, the heat off that v4 pony was used to warm the diesel. NOW, one of their major problems, and why you see so many not runnign or wore out or a ton of blue (oil) pourign out of them, was that they were abused and not well maintained. For one, they were usually not allowed to warm up properly to a sufficient temperature to rid themselves of moisture, and being used only briefly never warmed up, serious carbon deposits and builups and related problems like sticky rings, varnish and gum deposits, etc etc were common. The oil wasnt often changed as required and the gas in their tiny tanks was often stale and varnish and gum in the fuel system and carburetor were other problems. The design concept and the engines themselves were not so bad and they will start a cold engine, because if allowed to run a sufficient time, the diesel warms up and then that pony can continually crank the diesel and free her up (when compression relief is used) and will eventually start her unless the diesel is totally shot. They are very expensive to overhaul, but if done and then maintained properly and allowed to warm up before shut down, they will serve you well for years. Ol John T in Indiana
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