Starter Issue

[64frd4000ind]

Ok, 64 4000 Gas SOS.

I have had it for 8 years, no issues with starter.
Recently did the Repair/Repaint.

Got it to the point I'm ready to start using it, and now I have starter trouble.

Key on, in Park, Push Button, click - smoke from starter....

What the heck did I screw up, or is it just bad luck/timing on the starter?

Its frustrating, I had thought a bit of smoke I had before was coming from some paint setting around the exhaust, but now I'm wondering if it wasn't from the starter the whole time?

Engine has less than 3 tenths on the proofmeter since we put it all back together.

I had thought I might have an alternator problem, but now I"m just wondering if something isn't wrong with starter or solenoid that's causing a constant drain... or possibly turning all of the time...

Or it could just be worn out.

 

[old]

Starter may well be on it way out of it is not grounding well due to the new paint where it mounts

 

[Dean]

Remove the inspection cover and inspect the brushes.

Dean

 

[MarkB_MI]

Feel the terminal post (carefully) after you hit the starter switch and see if it's hot. It could be something as simple as a bad connection.

 

[souNdguy]

if you just went thru a repaint, pull starter and make sure it has a clean connection to the block. next, make sur ethe battery ground is good and solid, not thru rusty painted sheet metal or stampings. Mkae sure solenoid connections are good.

make sure cables and terminal ends are good, clean, tight.

post back

 

[64frd4000ind]

I forgot to mention, its a 12v Negative Ground system.

Polished the ground cable, Polished the point on the steering box where it mounts, brand new bolt/washers. Ground 'should' be good, unless I have a bad cable, and I'm not going to rule that out. I had intended to replace all of the old battery cables, but decided to go with the old 6v Cables that were on the tractor as they were heavier than the newer replacements.

I will pull the starter, I didn't buff the mounting surface, I can hope that's the issue, although I'm not sure, I have a couple of symptoms, trying to trace it down, my fear is a pinched wire somewhere I can't see.

When I first hooked up the 3-Wire setup on the alternator, I had a bright gen light when I turned the key on, and it extinguished immediately when the tractor started running, now I have a dim light when the key is on, and it doesn't go out when running, when it starts. They are probably separate issues, but I can't rule out that something is in common with the two atm.

It keeps acting like I have a weak battery, even though the battery tests out good, have taken it in and had it load tested.

And then there is the smoke from the starter.

I will post back after I take it loose and polish up the mating surfaces to get a better ground, maybe that's all it is. I'm hoping I don't have a starter that isn't disengaging and keeping spinning.

The solenoid isn't brand new, but was replaced about 2 years ago with one from Napa, and I haven't had any trouble with it prior to the R/R.

Kind of Stumped, but the mating surface is definitely a good spot to start.

 

[souNdguy]

Dim light on a lo watt bulb tell me bad connection somewhere. See what a jumper cable from bat neg to solid frame, even alternator housing ear does for light, heck, see what bat neg to starter housing does

 

[64frd4000ind]

When I did the wiring, I sent a wire from the batt neg to the alt housing, where it is marked GND on the 10SI.

Will be off work shortly, and will try several of those, can't hurt to double check.

 

[Ecnerwal]

Repeat warning for anyone that's been on the list a while: My 4500 had what I thought was a starter problem. As I was removing the cables to remove the starter, the end of one cable came off in my hand.

One trip to the welding store and $5 later it had a new end crimped on and the starter worked fine.

When checking connections, check and suspect all of them, including the crimps or clamps.

 

[64frd4000ind]

Ran a jumper from the batt neg to the starter mounting bolt, got it to crank, weakly but it cranked and started.

When I shut it off, I checked and the neg batt cable was warm, not burning hot, but warmer than it should have been.

I am going to replace the neg cable, and the two pos cables(bat to sol, sol to starter) I had intended on doing it anyway, just got anxious to see it run.

 

[Sean in PA]

Make sure that the mating surfaces between the starter and the engine block are clean and free of paint.

 

[sotxbill]

10si are finicky about a the size of bulb... Bright to dim is not unusual with too small of a bulb. i don't know the number of the correct bulb, but its not unusual to see the alternator warning bulb a different size than all the other bulbs in the panel. also a weak diode in the regulator circuit will do this as well. I know the common "ge53" bulb is a bit small and will do just as you say.

 

[souNdguy]

Yup, don't want too low of wattage...