2030-starter or flywheel problem??

I have a 1972 JD 2030. We bought it a couple of months ago. The starter looked new (or rebuilt),but always made a little racket when starting. Suddenly (within about 2 days) it has gotten so bad, that it will not kick in at all. We had to pull it to start the tractor. Starter buzzes, but doesnot engage the flywheel. My husband pulled the starter off, and checked it. It will throw the gear back and turn it when laying on the ground and just hooked to the battery by way of jumper cables. We can see part of the flywheel, and although wore some, does not look bad enough to not engage at all. We even pushed the tractor a little in gear to move to a new position on the flywheel and no difference. The starter just buzzes. Anyone have some thoughts on this? Also, when looking for parts, it talks about tractors built in Spain. How do you tell where it was made? Thanks in advance.

Verify the ringgear is NOT loose on the flywheel.

Then, examine ALL the ringgear teeth for damage. You can turn the flywheel/ringgear by using a heavy screwdriver though the starter hole.

I would THINK the tractor serial # should be adequate to identify it for parts purposes.

if it just buzzes and does not make a loud grinding noise,I would bet the brushes and or bushings are worn out.it would freewheel outside the tractor since it doesnt have a load against it.

replace

I had a similar issue on my MF 1085 and the real problem was the flywheel.

Most engines stop at 3 or 4 places which means those small sections of the flywheel teeth will have most of the wear. My starter broke three times due to failure to properly engage the flywheel.

My solution so far was to dress the flywheel teeth down. They were kind of rounded off where the starter drive engages. I used a dremel tool with the cut off wheel and shaped the flywheel with that. Good luck on your situation.

Been there.On Delco 35MT starter on Farmall.But don't know if you have Delco on the Deere??
Now here is what we experience.New Reman starter this spring.Upon the machining of the 360 degree rotating (nose) or drive housing on flywheel end of starter.We notice a problem upon installing the starter.Very difficult to install the top bolt.(NO) room much for 9/16 wrench (box) end to get on bolt.
The other 2 bolts was fine.BIG ???????? mark!!!

Ok after install NO GO!! Starter motor just fly lot of steel noise.
We remove timing cover shine flash light in on top the flywheel to see what was going on.

Here is what we see. (top) part of starter drive gear riding on top of ring gear NOOOOOOOOO mesh at all.Rotating head on starter Machined off to one side.Other words mounting flange machined wrong.

Tell him to check tops of both gears see if the tops of the teeth are real shinny or fresh machining (LOOK)to them.If so rotating nose is machined wrong.Seen this one other time on a CASE 830.

That is what my husband thinks it is also. He has been talking about dressing the flywheel down with his dremel. It is puzzling since it was starting the tractor with only one or two buzzes before engaging. We started it last Thursday evening with only a couple of buzzes and hooked up our hay fork on the loader, then Friday morning, it started once, and the next time we killed it, we had to pull it to start. The starter has not engaged since. My husband turned the flywheel enough (3 or 4 times) to move the tractor forward 6 inches or more, trying to get to a new place in the flywheel, but no change at all. I think he will try dressing up the flywheel thru the starter opening tomorrow. We can't afford the down time of tearing this thing in half if there is any other way. Friday, I raked hay, unhooked the rake and hooked up to the rear bale spear, hauled 20 round bales to the barn, then my husband stacked them in the barn with the tractor before killing it. This afternoon, we hooked up the finish mower and mowed about an acre or more. Having to park on a hill and roll it off is a pain. Hopefully dressing the flywheel will help. Thanks for your suggestions, all of you. I'll try to let you know how it comes out.

I hope this tractor does not have a hi-lo..you will damage a hi-low pulling it to start...




MAY GOD BLESS THE USA

It has 4 forwards and a high range and a low range. We only pulled it once, and have since let it roll off a hill. It doesnot have a switch or lever for an instant hi-lo like the old MF multi-power, or like my brother's 199? MF with a button to shift on the fly to high range.

The ring gear is not loose. It is funny that when it quit, it just quit. It will not even attempt to catch and turn the motor, and when we roll the tractor a few inches in gear, it is absoutley no different. It is like the starter is just spinning in mid air. Not telling my age here, but over a lot of years, I, nor my husband for that matter, has never seen one stop so suddenly and won't attempt to engage the flywheel. It started after a few attempts, then 10 minutes later, nothing. He hasn't gotten to trying to dress the flywheel with the dremel yet. Maybe tomorrow unless something else comes up. If we could decide it was the starter, we would order one, but they are too high for guess work.

You are OK then, the range I II & R, that's OK it's the hi-lo by steering wheel...



MAY GOD BLESS THE USA

Thanks. The time we pulled it; the tractor caught us off guard. We had no ideal that the starter (or flywheel) would just quit. It was no choice but to pull it enough to start it.

I have found a starter on EBay at a bargain, and just waiting to see if dressing the flywheel will help. My husband keep thinking that the starter is doing what it should, but who knows. My luck with this tractor, it will be both. I like this tractor, but seems it has lots of problems. The tac shows 2300 hrs, and it is working. I had put
17 hrs on it since purchasing. Had to replace one front spindle, and hub already, plus rewire everything, and I painted it. Also, my husband ending up doing some of the work the dealer promised to do, but could never get to it (he furnished the parts-front hydraulic couplers and fuel guage, however that did not fix it, the sending unit is evidently bad). I think that the next tractor we buy will not be the same place.

My husband used the dremel to dress the flywheel, but to no avail. I have a new starter ordered. Hope that fixes it. Will let you guys know.
Thanks

The new starter came in today (at my office). My husband picked it up and put it on. He just called me and said that you could not ask for a new tractor to start any better. We have decided it was the wrong starter to begin with. The Delco part number on it showed to be a MF when I searched it on Google. The starter worked fine when bench tested, but had always made a harsh sound. I paid $156 for a new starter where John Deere's price was over $500, and I didn't even have to send in a core. Praise the Lord; I'm back in business again!