1538 starter filled with sand

[JeremyP51]

Hi,

I bought a used 1538 a few months ago. It worked well all winter until a couple of weeks ago it had trouble starting. I took the starter out and it wasn't moving smoothly as it was filled with sand and small nuts/seeds. I ripped it apart and cleaned it up and it's working well now. I vacuumed out the spot where the starter sits next to the flywheel as it was obviously full of the same stuff. I've attached a picture of the hole where the starter sits and of the starter itself.

My questions are:

1. Is there anything else I should be ripping apart and checking in the compartment by the flywheel?

2. Has anyone been able to cross reference the starter to one used in another vehicle? My local dealer wants 1000+tax for a new starter. I'd like to pick up a new starter or a rebuild kit/parts for this one but it's tough finding anything that cross references the numbers on the starter. If not I'll bring it to my local mom and pop rebuild shop (the drive gear is a little bit rounded, but otherwise in good shape) but I'd rather do it myself as I like showing my daughters how to do small projects like this.

Thanks,

 

[LouNY]

A little bit better pricing;
STARTER MOTOR FOR MAHINDRA TRACTOR E006005017D1 | eBay

 

[JeremyP51]

Ah sorry I should have mentioned I'm in Canada. Even with exchange and shipping the $600 is better than $1000. Though that does depend on what the border hits me with additional customs charges that is.

Thanks

 

[ruffdog]

I wonder how much more sand/seeds are down in the bottom of the bell housing? That can't be good for the clutch or throw out bearing etc. Then the question of how that cavity got filled with the debris remains.

 

[JeremyP51]

I wonder how much more sand/seeds are down in the bottom of the bell housing? That can't be good for the clutch or throw out bearing etc. Then the question of how that cavity got filled with the debris remains.

My thoughts exactly on sand getting everywhere else. I have an endoscope camera I'd like to put down there to check but I couldn't find it the other day when I had the starter out.

I'm new to this so I don't really know if there's much else in there that could be affected by the sand or if it's mainly just the flywheel in there.

 

[thclimer]

I wonder how much more sand/seeds are down in the bottom of the bell housing? That can't be good for the clutch or throw out bearing etc. Then the question of how that cavity got filled with the debris remains.

My first guess would be that "our friends" mice filled the cavities!

 

[ruffdog]

My first guess would be that "our friends" mice filled the cavities!

.....with sand? That seems odd. I was wondering if the tractor had been in a flood because floods will pack cavities with sand.

 

[JeremyP51]

I attached a couple of pictures of some of the stuff I pulled out of the starter.
Looking closer now, it's possible that it's all just nuts that have been ground extremely fine by the gears. I didn't go through it too closely at the time and by the time I was done rebuilding the starter my dog had eaten the evidence. I wouldn't put it past him to eat sand along with any nuts haha.

It does make more sense to be only nuts. Plus I'd feel a lot better if it wasn't sand. Hopefully I can do some more exploring soon once I find my camera.

 

[ruffdog]

Only nuts would be way better than sand. A hole big enough for a critter to haul nuts in should be easy to cover up. Maybe blow air in one hole while you vacuum out the other?

 

[xrjohndeere]

Pack rat or a mouse. Check your air filters. I bet they have been in there too.