Grounding starter

[Jim Wieringa]

I have a WD45 that apparently when you put the starter in the hole does not ground itself. I attached a wire with a clip to one of the bolts on the starter and the other end to the negative post on the battery, only when I did this did the starter engage and turn the tractor over. Must be the starter fits to loose in the hole to ground it. My question is; Can I attach a wire permanently from a bolt on the starter to a ground on the frame without any problems???
 

[old]

Sounds like your not using the correct tapper bolt to lock the starter down. That bolt and where it fits in the starter and the treads it screws into and the lock nut area ALL need to be clean bright and tight or yes you will have that problem. I have never had a problem but I also make sure the tapper end of the bolt is clean and the hole it fits in the starter is also
 

[JMS/.MN]

The tapered bolt that old talks about is used on 3 places on the WC/WF/WD/WD45....starter, belt pulley, and crankshaft pulley. No need to use an extra wire if the housing and starter hole is clean and shiny, and the proper bolt is in place.
 

[mo-ac hillbilly]

To answer your question, yes you can. On a wc puller with high compression, I ran the ground cable straight from battery to starter. This with 2 solenoids in tandem, and an 1100 c.a. battery, really helped starting.
 

[Ted in NE-OH]

Since you are bypassing the grounding system, also look at the ground battery terminal and connector. The bolt that grounds the ground cable and its connection to chassis could be suspect. Also shine up the inside of the hole where the starter goes in and the outside of the starter that goes in the hole. Good Luck.
 

[McBride]

Sure. Starter ground from a cable will work fine.
It get's the correct police all upset but we never pay much attention to them anyway.
 

[MisterT]

It is common practice on a Farmall H or M to run the battery ground cable directly to one of the starter mounting bolts. Very unusual anymore to find one with the original style, short, braided ground strap. More often than not, the correct police don't even notice.
 

[old]

Ah but on the A/C tractors you can not do that since the single mounting bolt is a bolt with a tapper end to it that fits in a V sort of socket in the starter. Ya you might be able to hook it up under the lock nut but still would not work like it does on the Farmall's
 

[Dennis Ludwig]

I best check my starter ground. A couple of times the starter failed. I roll started it. Thereafter it started each time. I now have new battery box and I made my ground dressed original as possible. The lights are on my agenda soon. I need a new switch and bulbs.
 

[Jim Wieringa]

Thank you gentelmen for all the comments. This gives me more things to check for.
 

[kly]

I have an Sc case. The starter on a case is also held with a large set screw like an Allis.

I have found it helps to take a small drum sander and clean the rust out of the start hole so The starter gets a good clean ground. The ground cable needs a good clean connection also. The worst place to ground a battery is on the box.