D14 Starter issues

[Ohio D14]

I have a 1960 D14 with a 12 volt conversion. I installed a new battery, replaced the ignition switch because the key was missing, traced all the wires according to the wiring diagram, and still cant get the starter to turn from the key. I ended up jumping the solenoid to get the engine to turn, but could get no spark. I then cleaned and adjusted the points, and still no spark. Then after jumping the solenoid a couple times, this stopped working as well.

So, is the problem with the starter, solenoid, voltage regulator, cap, rotor, point’s, or the operator?

 

[Texas Denny]

It sounds very much like a ground issue to me. When trying to start a tractor that has been ignored for sometime, I spend considerable time looking at the grounds - connection at battery to the cable and the cable to the frame or engine or transmission. I check to make sure the distributor has a good clean ground. I check to make sure the starter is properly grounded. Your description suggests the starter is not grounded properly and that your battery and battery cable connections are not as good as they need to be. Your battery cables may be suspect as well. Remember that the starter is sort of a slip fit and the pin that holds the starter is where most of the ground current will flow. Once you get it to crank well, then concentrate on the ignition. Using a meter, check the voltage on the battery side of the coil using ground as the distributor. Should be 12 volt with the ignition on. Using the meter check the voltage on the distributor side using the distributor as ground. When the engine is cranking, this voltage should change from 12 volts to zero and back to 12 volts. If it does not change, the distributor is not grounded. If it does, you should be getting spark. After you get it running, you should add a ballast resistor between the ignition switch and the coil.

My guess is grounds though I can't rule out a bad coil or condenser.

 

[DavidKittle]

Hey;

I would check the ignition switch with an ohmeter across the two connections. I had a bad connection on mine ,and while it cranked, it would not run till I fixed the wire.

Hope this helps

 

[Ohio D14]

Great, I will get on it this weekend. From my manuals, it looks like there is a starter switch, and a starter button. I assume that the key switch is turned on to allow current to all the items that need power, and the push button is for engaging the starter. The push button is rusted badly, would this keep the tractor from starting? I am going to get a new push button either way, so hopefully it is not an issue.

Thanks for the help

 

[Texas Denny]

Yes. The push botton is a failure item. Some of them can be taken apart and cleaned and then reassembled. Recently, I had the starter relay fail and I have had bad ignition switches. And as I said originally, battery cables are often the culprit.

My email is open. Drop me an email with your progress. Or ask more questions.

 

[Texas Denny]

The push botton would certainly stop the starter from cranking but would not affect whether the engine would run if it were pull started. Also, depending on the way the points were cleaned, you must be careful to avoid any foreign material on the point surfaces. A single grain of sandpaper sand has been known to stop points from working.

You are correct that the ignition key will provide voltage to the pushbotton (and then to the starter relay) and it will provide power to the distributor. When the key is on, you should see battery voltage on one side of the battery side of the coil. If you don't, you have a wiring issue.

 

[Texas Denny]

As a side issue, I bought my D-14 from a gentleman near Columbus, Ohio.

 

[Ohio D14]

Thanks for all the help, I cleaned the battery terminals, ground out the cable conections with a reamer tool, cleaned the ground wires, and connections, and still couldnt get the key to turn the engine. Then I dissassembled, and reassembled, and same issue.

I now think there is an issue with the starter, so I removed it, and cleaned around the connection seat, cleaned the locator bolt, and surrounding threads, and then noticed that the bendix was not retracting. I disassembled the starter down to the rotor/stator, but could not get the bendix to retract. At this point I do not know if the issue is the starter, bendix, or solenoid. Any idea how to procede from here? I bench tested the solenoid with a battery charger, and it seemed to engage, then I put voltage across the motor power and ground, and get a click, but no movement.

Would the extended bendix keep the motor from turinng? I have a starter from a wd, will it fit in a D14?

Thanks for the help.

How did the Columbus tractor turn out? Lot of guys in these parts work their equiptment to death, and do little or no maintenance until something breaks.

 

[Ohio D14]

I did this, and you are right, the switch did not have power in the engaged position, there must be something wrong with the switch. I will try a new starter switch.

Thanks

 

[Texas Denny]

A simple test of the starter is to take a set of jumper cables and connect them to a battery and the other to the starter. It should spin up quickly. Connect the negative cable to the post and touch the positive to the starter case. Do not leave it connected. If the starter works, your next likely spot is the solenoid.

Solenoids can click and still not work. It is simply a electro-mechanical switch. The contacts could be corroded.

In an earlier post, did you say running jumper cables directly to the starter got it to turn over? If you had that experience, your starter is fine.

Have not looked at a D-14 starter so I can't say if the starter drive is an issue. Some starters require the engine to spin the starter after engine start to push back the gear. I don't know if the D-14 starter drive is like that. But whatever, the starter drive gear being out of position will not stop the starter from running.

Lastly, the D-14 starter mounting is similar to the mount for a WD but I do not know if they are the same. If you already have a WD starter, try it. You can't hurt it by trying.

My D-14 is an exceptional tractor. The gears are as quiet as a new tractor. The engine runs as perfect as I've ever seen. The sheet metal except for the right engine cover was straight. The right engine cover was banged up pretty bad, after a lot of work, looks presentable. Tires were 80%. Absolutely nothing to complain about. I was very, very lucky on this long distance purchase.

 

[DavidKittle]

Ohio...

Another thing is to use an ohmeter on the two contacts of the push button starter switch. If high this would mena it is shot. This also goes for the key switch in the start position.

HOpe this helps