Neat starter design

   / Neat starter design #1  

Chuck52

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2001
Messages
2,340
Location
Mid-Missouri
Tractor
Kubota L210
My old L210 began to be hard to start at the end of last season's mowing adventures. I checked all the cable connections and replaced the cables because they looked pretty corroded, and determined that the battery was OK by swapping the batteries with my truck. It just didn't want to crank as strongly as it should. So, that pretty much left the starter as the problem, unless I was getting more serious engine problems.

Not too hard to pull the starter....just had to disconnect one hydraulic line, remove the cables, and take out two bolts. I figured maybe the brushes were shot, or perhaps the contacts were suffering from corrosion. It's a 30 year old tractor, after all. Turns out my starter doesn't match up with the diagram in the shop manual I have, but I figured it out. I was surprised to find that the solenoid acts as a relay for the motor in addition to kicking the starter gear into the flywheel gear. Is this common with diesel starters? In most auto starters I've worked on, the solenoid just moves the gear, so that it is possible for the starter to spin without engaging with the flywheel. With this starter, if the solenoid doesn't kick in, no juice goes to the starter motor.

There were at least two or three possible problems that might have caused the poor cranking. The brushes were OK, though two were shorter than the other two, so I swapped the positions. The short ones still have plenty of life in them, which is good, because replacements might be hard to find. The contacts on the shaft were somewhat dirty, and I cleaned them up and blew and brushed the crud out. Because of the design, the contacts for the starter power, which feed through the solenoid body, are electrically isolated from the solenoid body, and at least one of the insulating washers needed replacing. I think the main problem was that the power line from the starter motor to the contact on the solenoid was badly corroded. This is a thin copper strap about 0.5x3", which is connected through but isolated from the starter body. I cleaned it up and soldered on a piece of copper to replace what was missing. I'll find out this afternoon if I've fixed it all, but I thought I'd see if this solenoid as relay design is common.

Chuck
 
   / Neat starter design #2  
Hi
GM uses that style starter, it use to be you could turn the washer like contact plate over when it got burned and have a like new set of contacts. before you put the starter back in place try running it, if the solenoid kicks in but the motor don't run check to see that the contacts are making contact and supplying voltage to the motor.

Charlie.
 
   / Neat starter design
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Probably a good plan to check it first, but I already put it back on. Cranks like a champ. I think it cranks better than when I bought it four years ago. I'll bet the connection I repaired had just enough copper making contact to draw enough amps to crank it on a warm day.

Chuck
 
   / Neat starter design #4  
That starter is common in Lucas english design and caused me no end of trouble on my sailing ship engine, a Ford 100 hp normally aspirated. I had to replce the solenioid often as cranking power was reduced . The first stage of the contact only sends power to one field winding which gives a moderate thrust to the pinion and then as the engagment proceeds then the othwer 2 brushes are activated and full power is then delivered to the starter. In their wisdom, Lucas decided that was a good idea. But! that 1st part of the solenoid was ok and the 2nd stage would burn and so far les power was delivered!. I gave up on these starters and put a japanese full bearing, geared starter in and for 3 yrs now i haven't touched it. It draws half the current and of course the solenoid is less at risk from burn out. You can imagine how important good reliable cranking is to me at sea. It is a shock after sailing for days and then going to start up and finding the starter isn't working!! Russ
 
   / Neat starter design #6  
Being and Land Rover owner, I know a thing or 2 about Lucas parts.


RUN!!!!!!!!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif
 
   / Neat starter design #7  
I also have a L210, that I am going to part out. Do not try to start your tractor if the battery is not up to par. It will burn up the starter and it is $600 if you can find them. I had mine rebuilt by a starter company. They rebuild starters that almnost as big as your engine. They were able to get a brand new sylinoid for mine, so they are still around.

If you or anyone else need L210 parts, just email me at orderstuff@sbcglobal.net


Ron
 
 
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