Where to start with the starter?

[quicksandfarmer]

Last summer I did something dumb and messed up my starter. I was using a 12V sprayer and I clipped the positive lead onto the power wire at the starter. The clip fell over and energized the solenoid while the engine was running. It made a racket. Since then I've had two problems with the starter:

1. The starter "spins" -- the gear doesn't engage with the flywheel. This happens about 50% of the time I use the starter. So far I have always been able to get it to catch within a few tries.

2. The starter keeps running even after I have released the key. This happens maybe one time in 20.


I think these symptoms are consistent with the solenoid sticking -- as if it has trouble engaging or disengaging. I've got it off the tractor now (a Jinma 354). What should I be looking at?

 

[Leejohn]

Might have a bad bearing in the front starter housing and maybe a bent shaft. Hook power to it now that you have it out and kick the solenoid in and out to see if it goes in all the way. Solenoid might also be bad.

 

[Affordable]

Sounds like a bad solenoid to me, we have them in stock if you need one

Tommy
Affordable Tractor Sales
"Your Jinma Parts Superstore"
Home of compact Jinma, Foton, and Koyker Tractors and Parts, Wood Chippers, Backhoes - Affordable Tractor Sales Company

 

[Wa11banger]

+ another one for the starter soleniod. I have replaced just the solenoid on far more than just tractors to fix those exact symptoms

 

[buickanddeere]

Pull the starter and inspect everything including the flywheel ring gear , starter pinion, starter drive linkage, over running clutch and solenoid.

 

[greg_g]

You'll likely find chewed up teeth on the pinion gear. It's replaceable on some models, but actually finding a replacement gear may be challenging. Probably less frustrating to just replace the whole solenoid.

//greg//

 

[RonMar]

These things also come lubed with "yak-fat" grease from the factory(very sticky). It could be that that inadvertent extended run moved some of that crap where it dosn't belong, causing your described sticky operation. A good teardown, cleaning and inspection, along with lubing with a little better grease might free-up a sticky linkage and solenoid... At any rate you need to pull it and inspect it before it damages the ring gear on the flywheel...

 

[SPIKER]

Mine was worse that what you had, while away the Hyd Hose wire tie broke, it fell down and wedged between the SOL post and the HOT Battery Post. It cranked till the battery was dead, some time after it fired right up of course. It ran nearly a full tank of fuel out while idling so at least 16hrs by my guess. I ran it and parked it in the barn around 2 PM and was gone till next day when I found it running key was out and off. (good thing) the Alternator does not charge with key off and starter spun the battery till it died meter read about 1 volt after I found it running & stopped it.

Here is what starter looked like (click pic for full size and see series and it's rebuild, there are pics both left and right of the one below.)




I had a replacement starter on hand so i stuck it in and tore the old one down for these photos and got some new brushes from Tommy at Affordable (he had a starter with band windings and sold me the brushes out of it.)

It (worked great) when I bench tested it so not too much worse for wear. It is waiting now for use if ever I need it...

Mark

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I took the solenoid off. It doesn't seem to be able to be disassembled without desoldering. Is it serviceable? Or do I just replace it? Everything else seems reasonably clean and moves freely.

 

[erj]

Yes, it is serviceable. Get me your Email address and I'll send you a PDF file with pictures for disassembly.
RonJ