H Farmall Starter is Smoking

Crashfarmer · Jan 28, 2020

The starter on our H Farmall has started to smoke for the last couple of weeks. Since I cannot start the tractor and look at the starter at the same time I decided to video the starter while I start the Farmall.H. I'm afraid the starter is on it's way out and I use the H a lot so I fear how much this is going to cost me.

I wonder if the starter off of my M Farmall will work on the H since I'm not using the M until I do some work on it.
H Farmall Tractor Starter is Smoking

ih560 · Jan 28, 2020

The M starter will fit your H. That starter definitely needs attention.

DeltaRed · Jan 28, 2020

Take the starter to a starter/alternator repair place. They can fix it in 3-4 days at half the cost of a 'new' starter.

David G · Jan 28, 2020

Get it fixed before you make it worse or start a fire.

pinball · Jan 28, 2020

first thing you do is remove the battery cable and shine everything up and make sure the cable is fastened tight and then see if it still does it.

Phil Tibbetts · Jan 28, 2020

Look on flea bay. I bought one on there new for around $120 including shipping

47fivewindow · Jan 28, 2020

$121.00 here on yt

Bob · Jan 28, 2020

(quoted from post at 20:08:20 01/28/20) The starter on our H Farmall has started to smoke for the last couple of weeks. Since I cannot start the tractor and look at the starter at the same time I decided to video the starter while I start the Farmall.H. I'm afraid the starter is on it's way out and I use the H a lot so I fear how much this is going to cost me.

I wonder if the starter off of my M Farmall will work on the H since I'm not using the M until I do some work on it.
H Farmall Tractor Starter is Smoking

Loosen the screw holding the steel band around the starter brush area and remove the steel band.

There's supposed to be a gasket/strip of insulating paper inside the band band to keep moisture out and to insulate it from the braided copper brush leads just inside.

Once the band is removed, you can see if the paper insert is missing or damaged and look for burn marks from the brush leads contacting the band.

Please post back with your observations.

If that IS the problem, a new gasket/insulator can easily be cut with a scissors from a piece of gasket material.

FBH44 · Jan 28, 2020

Before you do anything else, look at that gas tank right above, and get a BIG fire extinguisher rated for gasoline fires. BIG!

Ken Hansen · Jan 29, 2020

Just on the chance you still need one more person to say yes it is bad!

[b:7637709685][size=18:7637709685]Fix it or replace it before we read about your obituary![/size:7637709685][/b:7637709685]

Remove ground wire first and then the wire to the starter and tape over both to prevent any shorts and remove the starter. If time is critical maybe use the one off the M but assuming you are going to want the M to run someday I would be thinking hard about which one you will be using the most and put a new or rebuilt starter on that one. Better to do it now and not have to do the job again in a few weeks.

caterpillar guy · Jan 29, 2020

If you don't want to fix it and don't want to burn it further eithe drag it or park it on a hill. Will save the starter and still start.

jhncp · Jan 29, 2020

One way to look at it is fixing or replacing the starter would be cheap compared to if you decided to just crank start it and broke your arm.

teddy52food · Jan 29, 2020

Why are you still using it????? That smoke is trying to tell you something!

ed will · Jan 29, 2020

Hi, I wouldn't fool around trying to start your tractor with it. Take it off put it on a bench and check for obvious problems. It looks like smoke from oil. Anyway if you can't see the problem take it to a starter shop. Fixing it, Would be cheaper than a fire. Ed Will

the tractor vet · Jan 29, 2020

Well it is OLD ENOUGH TO SMOKE . and if it is smoking then it needs fixen , this is a NO BRAINER it needs rebuilt completely so why are you waisting time asking .

Bob · Jan 29, 2020

It sure looks like the sparking is coming from the lower area of the "band" covering the brush area, and is sounds like the starter still cranks the engine OK.

It will only take a couple of minutes to remove the band and check the paper insulator, as I previously suggested.

If it IS just a brush lead contacting the band for lack of insulation, it's a simple fix.

Unless the lead has been badly arced away by continuing to operate it in this manner.

Crashfarmer · Jan 29, 2020

(quoted from post at 10:07:22 01/29/20)
It sure looks like the sparking is coming from the lower area of the "band" covering the brush area, and is sounds like the starter still cranks the engine OK.

It will only take a couple of minutes to remove the band and check the paper insulator, as I previously suggested.

If it IS just a brush lead contacting the band for lack of insulation, it's a simple fix.

Unless the lead has been badly arced away by continuing to operate it in this manner.

Took the starter out of the M today and put it in the H, it was dark by the time I got it all hooked up and it wouldn't crank so I'll have to check all the connections tomorrow. I tried unscrewing that bolt holding the band on the H starter but it's froze solid so I'll probably just cut the little bolt and get a new one to replace it. I use the H all the time so I need to get it up and running.

Bob · Jan 29, 2020

(quoted from post at 19:40:07 01/29/20)

(quoted from post at 10:07:22 01/29/20)
It sure looks like the sparking is coming from the lower area of the "band" covering the brush area, and is sounds like the starter still cranks the engine OK.

It will only take a couple of minutes to remove the band and check the paper insulator, as I previously suggested.

If it IS just a brush lead contacting the band for lack of insulation, it's a simple fix.

Unless the lead has been badly arced away by continuing to operate it in this manner.

Click to expand...

Took the starter out of the M today and put it in the H, it was dark by the time I got it all hooked up and it wouldn't crank so I'll have to check all the connections tomorrow. I tried unscrewing that bolt holding the band on the H starter but it's froze solid so I'll probably just cut the little bolt and get a new one to replace it. I use the H all the time so I need to get it up and running.

It will be interesting to hear what you find once the band is removed.

BarnyardEngineering · Jan 30, 2020

This video might help you with what to do and look for:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ00AG9d42c

Crashfarmer · Jan 30, 2020

They put out pretty good videos, I've watched her do Allis Chalmers brakes before. I still need to do the brakes o my WD45.

I took the band off today and the paper gasket is badly oil soaked. I powered the starter with jumper cables a few times and saw no sparks or smoke so I put it back on the H to see how it would work under a load but I didn't put the band back on it. I saw no smoke when I started the tractor so I wonder if that oily gasket is the problem? I'll put my video camera up and start it tomorrow so I can better see what is going on.

Janicholson · Jan 31, 2020

If oil soaked, look under the tractor for oil dripping out of covers and gaskets. if there is, remove the starter and look inside the opening. If it is
oily, you might be in for a split to fix a rear main leak, or Liftall leak, or transmission seal leak. If it seems pretty dry put the M starter on it
and get the H starter rebuilt. It is way more structurally sound than imported starters. Using it smoking will make it unable to be rebuilt!! Jim

Ken Hansen · Jan 31, 2020

(quoted from post at 12:39:42 01/29/20) Well it is OLD ENOUGH TO SMOKE . and if it is smoking then it needs fixen , this is a NO BRAINER it needs rebuilt completely so why are you waisting time asking .

And once all the smoke is out it will cost you lots more to get it put back in even if the tractor does not go up in flames.

I think I would have a cell phone handy with the phone number for local fire department punched in so all you need to do is hit the one button to make the call.

H Farmall Starter is Smoking

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Well-known Member

Member

Similar threads