another dead kubota starter

[tractorboys2]

my 95 l3600 straters dead. 500.00 for a new one at local dealer. no thanks.if there were was a good cross reference and i had patience theres probably a good used one in a old smashed up nissan at the junk yard. probably going to the rebuilt it shop and save 350.00

[npaden]

Not sure if it would work but there is a L4200 starter on ebay for $100.

eBay Motors: NEW STARTER Kubota L4200 TRACTOR 94-Up (item 130070637935 end time Feb-12-08 13:52:54 PST)

[machmeter62]

my 95 l3600 straters dead. 500.00 for a new one at local dealer. no thanks.if there were was a good cross reference and i had patience theres probably a good used one in a old smashed up nissan at the junk yard. probably going to the rebuilt it shop and save 350.00

It may just need a set of brushes? Or take it to an auto electric repair shop; they should repair it for a fraction of a replacement. The reason they are so expensive new, is they are a quality product like the rest of your Kubota.

[kmdigital]

It may just need a set of brushes? Or take it to an auto electric repair shop; they should repair it for a fraction of a replacement. The reason they are so expensive new, is they are a quality product like the rest of your Kubota.

Agreed, very, very seldom do starters actually burn up. I have fixed a number of starters for little or no money by disassembling, cleaning and adjusting, lubricatiing and reassembling. Any good strater or alternator shop can do the same thing, but if you are handy, buy the parts if needed from them and do it yourself. Usually it isn't even the brushes. Rather it is usually something to do with the solenoid contacts, which are generally easily replaceable.

[john_bud]

Yep, starter/alternator shop will get you started (pun intended), usually for pennies on the replacement dollar.

Also the high cost is due to the low number of replacement parts in the system. Overhead is probably 40-50% of the cost. As opposed to small block chevy starters that have literally 10's of millions of replacement units in the system. Overhead is probably under a buck a unit.

jb

[tractorboys2]

ive done the brushes and swithes in plenty of tools before but not any tractors before. the little cog wheel jumps out but doesnt spin. if anyone knows the answer here and its simple Ill try it. out of curoity i opened up a th 350 tranz once. oops. then took it to the tranz shop. anybody done any interesting back yard sawmills. its a mcgiver dream ive ben having. I love building things with welders and nail juns and such. thanks bill

[kmdigital]

Yep, my Kubota starter did the same thing on my L4150. The solenoid pulls in, which pops out the little starter gear, but the starter doesn't turn. For this, you shouldn't even half to remove the starter.

Just remove the solenoid, I think with 2 screws, and it should come off of the starter. (disconnect the batter cables first!) You should find a large copper disk on the end of the solenoid, that is supposed to close the circuit with two copper contacts down inside the solenoid body on the starter. The problem is that the contacts are burnt somewhat, and the disk is also burnt somewhat from repeated usage, so it doesn't make good enough contact anymore to turn the starter.

Remove the disk, and clean it up, or sometimes you can just flip it over, and use the back side as a new contact area, and clean and polish the contacts inside the body, and bend them up just a little so they make better contact. The starter is built in such a way that the when the solenoid engages, it only pulls it in so far, and with a little wear on the contact areas it won't work anymore because it bottoms out before electrical contact is made. If needed, a starter shop should be able to get parts, but with this fix, you don't even need parts, at least I didn't.

[tractorboys2]

I tried cleaning up the motor and solinoid contacts still no spin. couldnt figure out how to remove the coper disc on the soliniod to flip it. one more go over before i go to the repair shop. this poor carpenter wants to save his money for his new barn. bill

[kmdigital]

To verify the starter, leave the disk out and solenoid out and open, and use something heavy, like a short piece of steel to short across the two contacts where the copper disk would make contact, making sure that you don't hit something else and short it as well.

Obviously, you have to have 12 volts connected to the terminal and the starter grounded, but a good way to do this is with jumper cables if it is out the tractor. Put the black clamp on the negative terminal and somewhere on the case of the starter, and the red ternimal on the positive terminal and the the cable lug on the starter. When you short across the contacts the starter should spin. This will verify that the starter brushes, etc are in good condition and working. If nothing happens, then you have other issues, such as the brushes being bad, which will require disassembling the starter itself to check them. If you don't feel comfortable with this, take it to a starter shop.

[tractorboys2]

To verify the starter, leave the disk out and solenoid out and open, and use something heavy, like a short piece of steel to short across the two contacts where the copper disk would make contact, making sure that you don't hit something else and short it as well.

Obviously, you have to have 12 volts connected to the terminal and the starter grounded, but a good way to do this is with jumper cables if it is out the tractor. Put the black clamp on the negative terminal and somewhere on the case of the starter, and the red ternimal on the positive terminal and the the cable lug on the starter. When you short across the contacts the starter should spin. This will verify that the starter brushes, etc are in good condition and working. If nothing happens, then you have other issues, such as the brushes being bad, which will require disassembling the starter itself to check them. If you don't feel comfortable with this, take it to a starter shop.

I got it tuned up at the local rebuild it shop. new solinoid and paint job. it spins faster than it ever did before. musta ben the paint job.lol.bill