Starter issues
 

Ok my KT17 series II, the starter is having problems. It will lock up sometimes, and i noticed some sparkes from the ring. Is there some sort of adjustment when installing the starter. It makes a heck of a noise when engaging. I just dont want to replace something that just needs adjusting. :bigthink:

BTDT before...........Bite the bullet and replace it. There is NO adjustments.

It was new then I restored the tractor, rebuilt the engine installed the starter and this problem started, Did i screw something up. I can't imagine it went bad sitting on my shelf.

You made no mention of this in your first post.

Perhaps seeing if there is a warranty on it, so you can get it replaced.

No its been almost 2 years since i bought it. Used it around 6 months then it sat until this past month
It works and starts, just make a lot more noise than it use to and looking in undrt the shield you can see sparks when you engage it.

It is a DC Motor. Inside that motor, there are a set of brushes. Those brushes come in contact with the armature. When revolving, there is sparking. This is normal.

I know that, i have rebuilt many starters, as I said it's sparking from the flywheel starter wheel.

Loosen the starter, reseat it and tighten.

Short of that working, you might have to do a visual inspection while the starter drive is engaging.

Maybe lower mounting ear broke off and it's not holding the starter tight enough to the flywheel and is causing grinding gears and sparks? Broken tab happened to Todd (zippy). He took it to a fabricator/machinist to have it repaired, perhaps you know of a good one? :biggrin2: :biggrin2:

http://www.onlycubcadets.net/forum/s...arter+mounting

Bill

Tab is good, so ill loosen it up and re-install it see if that works.

Did you purchase either of these Kohler starters: 52-098-03---->52-098-12 :Huh:

Can you explain what exactly happens in more detail. I have a starter that the shaft is bent and it just makes noise and noise and noise. Take it off the tractor and use a charger to make it spin. Is it still doing it? If its sparking check the O ring type thing that makes it so the positive post doesn't ground out on the body of the starter. But take it out and try with a charger.

Starter gear not meshing with flywheel right I'm assuming which is causing sparks. Misaligned somehow, or something loose. There aren't any locating dowels or anything on this motor for starter to block alignment are there? I don't have one so not familiar. If not, I'm on board with loosening starter then retighten if there's any wiggle room. Sounds like a gm starter that needed shims back in the day

Or............not the right starter.

I'd probably do something extreme like pull the engine and see if the bendix is properly engaging the ring gear and if not find out why. Like I said extreme but that's just me. I do tend to go a bit overboard. :biggrin2: :beerchug:

I'd do that same thing Sam.

I wouldn't call that over board Sam. Good idea to see exactly what it's doing.

Could be a ground issue too. If you have nice tools you can take the ducting off the LH side and see everything real good. PITA, but saves pulling the motor.

I don't see how the gear mesh would make it spark. The starter gear is made out of pretty soft metal.

The way I see it, either you have "sparks" as in metal grinding between the gear and flywheel teeth or the "sparks" are caused from an electrical source as John mentioned, like it is getting it's ground through the teeth/flywheel path.
That idea has me wondering as normally the ground is through the mounting bolts on those.
Definitely further inspection is in order.:bigthink:

I had some of the same issues with my KT 17 several years ago.. The front bushing in the starter was worn...Like these guys have said... I pulled the engine out and engaged the starter on the bench with the covers off so I could see what was happening.. The loose bushing was letting the bendix gear ride up on the flywheel teeth... sometimes it would lock up, sometimes it would grind and make noise... The bushing wasn't very loose but it sure was causing issues..

DB electrical had a very affordable starter that has worked great for 5 or 6 years.. I think it was about $65.. Kohler wanted BIG bucks for it..

Either way if you don't get the issue fixed it will cause bigger issues soon

Just my thoughts, hope it helps

He said the starter was Brand New.

Sorry, I missed that part....

I just had to replace a "6 month old" starter because the mounting was off and the holes got wallered which let the starter shift out of alignment when engaged and as Jay said the nose bushing prematurely wore out too because of all being made of mexinesium. It started making an awful noise and if I didn't address it soon it was going to ruin my flywheel. Gotta love aftermarket sometimes.

No worries.............I have done that myself.:biggrin2:

The OP is silent for some reason.:bigthink:

Sparks as in electrical? You see them in the daylight?
Or sparks in shadows, not real light? And a noise, like tinny, grinding sound?
What I was thinking, like the bendix rubbing on a engine tin that wasn't installed properly.
Or if it was a constant sound, this would not apply. Only when the starter is engaged.:bigthink: