Bolens ts1910 starting weirdness

[terraformer]

I have had my Bolens for more than 6 years now.

It has been very reliable.

One thing that I would like to ask of other Bolens owners is about the way it starts.

I turn key on, hold glow plug switch down for 20-40 seconds making sure that the ballast is glowing good. Then start it. The starter turns over pretty slowly. On the 8th revolution the engine is running. I have thought that perhaps one of my glows isn't running or getting hot enough. Tried starting it without running the glows first and on about the 14th-16th compression stroke it starts running.

Assuming that there is one compression per revolution with a two cylinder engine. I would estimate that the starter is turning over the engine about 80-90 rpm.

A couple of years ago it wouldn't turn over in the spring so I put in a new battery (fully charged). I figured it would really increase the starter speed, but no, exactly the same starter speed as the year before. In two years the battery has never failed to start and is not slower than before. It is staying charged.

As long as it starts I don't want to spend any money on it. Is the starter motor on your tractor just as slow?
Thanks

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

I have a G244 and it seems to crank slowly also. Here's a youtube video of a guy who eventually starts a G194 (skip to 5:00) :

My "new" old Bolens Iseki G194 Tractor - Initial Review - YouTube

- seems faster than mine, but as you mentioned, as long as it starts I'll consider it acceptable. Could be failing starter, connections, or battery. I'd guess mine is the starter.

Incidentally, two cylinder diesels are usually "odd firing" which means they don't fire every 360 degrees of crankshaft rotation (although from a practical perspective one firing per 360 degrees can be considered.) One cylinder actually fires 180 degrees after the other. For a four stroke engine, this allows the pistons to travel in opposite directions as opposed to them traveling in unison (if they were to actually fire 360 degrees apart). I am guessing this is done for balance purposes, but I always wondered how an "even firing" two cylinder diesel would run - I would think a little more smoothly. Seems like all the balancing should be able to be handled by the crankshaft, but I suppose there are issues associated with the manufacturing of a crankshaft with all the balance weights on one side.

 

[terraformer]

Good to know that slow cranking is the norm, I had a TU205 that cranked fast and started fast. Maybe the starter is getting slow.

You are right about the 180 degree crank. I was thinking of my old triumph 650 vertical twin. I should have looked in my book.

 

[Ilikeurtractor]

I'm not sure if slow cranking is the norm. In the video the tractor seems to be cranking what I'd consider to be fairly quickly, probably about 50% faster than mine does. It may be the norm that the starter slowly begins to fail over time. None of my two cylinder tractors crank the speed of the three cylinder versions. I'm not sure why this is, maybe they are fitted with higher power starters. I suppose the firing order causes odd loading of the starter - two back-to-back compression strokes then a 540 degree lag period probably has some effect on the cranking sound and apparent speed. Last I checked the amp draw on my starter it appeared to be pulling the correct amount despite the slow cranking, but this doesn't necessary mean the starter is operating correctly.

 

[Rod in Forfar]

When my G174 was cranking slowly and killing batteries I hauled it to the local Massey Ferguson guy. First thing he did was grab the starter and wiggle it up and down. It was loose. "Rebuild the starter and it will be fine. I have a local guy who can do it."

Two days later I had it back with no more starter issues.

 

[amanda11270]

I replaced my battery in my H1502 recently, the last battery was over ten years old, since I replaced the battery the motor turns incredibly faster with the starter. Previously it was real slow for as long as I owned the tractor and for about the last year the starter solenoid was clicking often and not engaging the starter at times, I just assumed the slow starter was the way it was. Now it is dead on when I turn that ignition switch believe me its turning that motor fast. I think my battery was weak for sometime.