flywheel problem

[rickyb01]

Ok my starter is dragging when I start my tractor. Sometimes it start right up and sometimes I have to start it three or four times before it catches. I thought it was the startor drive and had it repaired but it still doing this. So it look like I may have to replace the ring gear on flywheel. First am I on the right track and second I don't want to do this to it get cooler :laughing:. Am I hurting anything by starting it like this.

 

[Just Bill]

Is it dragging or grinding?
If its dragging its probably not your flywheel.
If its grinding you may have some bad teeth on the ring gear.

 

[rickyb01]

It sounds like a car does when you start it when its already running. I guess that will be grinding. Lucky for me they make a ring gear seperate for the flywheel but will have to take tractor apart

 

[TraderMark]

Ricky,
If you continue to start it like it is, you'll wind up buying a lot of starter drives and it will eventually get to the point that the teeth on the flywheel ring gear are so bad the starter drive won't engage at all.

There IS something you can do for the short term though.

Most people don't realize than an engine has a "natural stopping point". They stop in the same place 98% of the time. If you turn the flywheel a bit before you try and start it, you should be able to get past this "natural stopping point". It should get the flywheel to a point where the ring gear teeth aren't so damaged.

Make certain the engine stop is engaged (whether mechanical or electric) so the engine can't accidentally start and use a pry bar against the flywheel if you can, or a socket on the front crank pulley nut, or any other method you can use to turn the flywheel just a few degrees before trying to start it with the starter.

Hope this helps,

Mark

 

[rhandwor]

I would pull out the starter use a flashlight and look at the flywheel ring. Have some else roll the engine by hand,use a socket on the bolt to the crankshaft. If in neutral with the tires blocked a 1/2 drive long ratchet should work. Find the problem before tear down.

 

[koko3052]

A very late answer here;
Many times you can remove the ring gear & turn it around & also reposition the "bad teeth" & get many more happy years of starting.
Many times tho your labor to get to the ring gear would prohibit re-using the ring gear.