2N starter issues

[Jagalonia]

Just want to make sure I'm not missing something before I pull the starter out of my 2N. Saturday, I ran it for about 2 hours digging holes with the auger I threw on the back, it's not a fan of running it, probably because of all the rocks in the ground, but it does it.

Yesterday, I fired it up to dig more holes (Wife wants that fence in by last June.) it ran at lower RPMs than normal for about 5 minutes, then quit. (I let it run in neutral hoping it would figure itself out, so engine was running with no additional load). After that, I tried to fire it back up, and the starter turned, but the engine (Crank shaft?) wouldn't.

I'm not looking forward to pulling the starter out, because I've heard it's not difficult to bungle up, and I'd rather not spend the >$200 on a new one if I don't have to. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[R Geiger]

If the starter is turning and the engine is not turning over, either the bendix is broke or the ring gear is spinning on the flywheel. Or maybe missing teeth on the flywheel, but I would be the bendix is broke. Time to remove the starter. possible that the benix hung up and the starter was being turned by the engine.

 

[Copperhead don't play]

$30 in parts either way, if you do it yourself.

 

[Eman85]

It's easy to bungle up anything! It sounds like you need a bendix for the starter but that wouldn't explain why it quit running. On my 8N I remove the bolts for the oil filter to get a little more room. The 2 bolts that bolt the starter to the engine are also the bolts that hold the starter together. When I get the starter loose I put a nut on the bolt to hold the starter together while I move it around to get it out. If it does come apart on you it's just another learning experience as they aren't complicated, just heavy. A good independent parts store in a rural area should stock the bendix, or a strater alternator rebuilder.

 

[soaked]

You should have one or the other starter drive. Top is the new locking design, bottom the original non locker. Arrow points the direction to spin it on the bench grinder, if fingers turn it by mistake and lock it up extended. (can still fit it the engine extended)

The cow magnet is helping center the drive-- the puck is on the teeth, and not much space, but can see a sliver of light.
This is a sidemount 8n, but should be the same job as on your 2n.

May have pull the dipstick also.
You can see the barrel is a bit smaller than the end damper puck (or spring) trick is getting em up over the ring gear teeth.
Your engine running issue sounds like fuel starvation. Less fuel coming into the carb, than the engine was burning.

 

[Jagalonia]

Starter came out easier than I thought, didn't have to pull anything else off, getting it back on is going to be a later problem.

My current problem, as it's occurred to me, is that I don't know what the hell I'm looking at, other than the problem is *probably* in the business end.

Fuel starvation is probably the culprit, after doing some reading I realised I was running lean, at 2-2.5 turns on the screw on the carb instead of 1-1.5. I had also made the mistake mentioned in another thread of thinking in was leaner.

 

[R Geiger]

Starter came out easier than I thought, didn't have to pull anything else off, getting it back on is going to be a later problem.

My current problem, as it's occurred to me, is that I don't know what the hell I'm looking at, other than the problem is *probably* in the business end.

Fuel starvation is probably the culprit, after doing some reading I realised I was running lean, at 2-2.5 turns on the screw on the carb instead of 1-1.5. I had also made the mistake mentioned in another thread of thinking in was leaner.

On the main jet, out is richer. Most run it at or about 2 -2.5 turns out. I start at about 2.5 turns out on the main jet and turn it in until the engines starts to die and them back it out 1/4 turn and adjust from there as required .

 

[soaked]

Your starter drive shows oil and needs cleaning, but looks to be all there. Does it extend smoothly if turn the spring, while holding the barell( or vice versa)
Does the flywheel turn if you pry on the ring gear teeth, or only the ring gear, as R Geiger posted above in post #2?

If it ran good with the main adjusting needle 1.5 turns out, then its something else. ( in is leaner on the main.) Idle mix is in to enrichen, mine is usually 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn out. It doesnt affect high rpms.
Good flow out the drain in the bottom of the carb?

 

[Jagalonia]

So the shaft and gear on the starter turn freely, I'll clean it up before I put it back in, if I want to make sure the big gear in the tractor is turning (I'm assuming that leads to the drive shaft somewhere down the line), should I be able to do it by hand, or will I need something with a little more leverage to move it? If I turn it by hand, will it cause more problems than it solves?

I'm not quite in on the terms I'm assuming the bendix is the spring assembly on the end, and the gear in the tractor is just a big ole fly wheel?

 

[R Geiger]

You will need a large screw driver or pry bar to move the big ole fly wheel. the whole flywheel should turn, not just the portion the teeth are on.
good flow of fuel out of the drain plug in the bottom of the carb means a pint in two or three minutes.

 

[soaked]

Agree, two minutes.
Could put the transmission in 1st gear, to "hold" the flywheel from moving. Then the tractor either moves, or the ring gear slips.
The ring gear is a sepatate piece thats heated, then put on the flywheel. As it cools, it shrinks and grips. If it looses its grip, the ring can be welded to the flywheel in short staggers through the starter opening to fix.

Some call a starter drive a bendix.

Clutch bolts to flywheel, transmission is turned by clutch.

 

[HarryVanderpool]

Inspect the entire ring gear for divots of missing teeth.
Engines will usually stop at a point when one of the cylinders are on the compression stroke.
Those spots after 70 years can wear faster than the rest.
The Junk Pile, (52 8N) has such spots. They are so bad that once in a while I will go to start and the starter just barely grinds.
!!! WITH THE KEY OFF !!!, and in my hand for safety, I must place the tractor in 4th and grasp a rear wheel and rock the tractor a tad bit, in order to rotate the flywheel out of that spot. Then it starts normally.
Gotta split that tractor this winter, for sure. Along with 50 other problems yet to repair...