Starter needed for Case 300/valve seals

[benfrogg]

Hey all-
I've got a gas Case 300 tractor and I'm in need of a starter. I'd consider a rebuild kit, however I've already replaced the brushes which didn't cure the intermittent no turn over from my existing starter. Worse, the spring loaded gearset (starter drive) has a pair of washers that retain the spring and slide up and down. Both have failed at the weakest point. I've gotten creative with the welder more than a few times to get it rolling again, so realistically it's time to get a new/rebuilt/used unit.
I've done the normal googling for it. However, all I can find are very pricy ($350-800) replacements.

The existing one is an Autolite MZ 4176. I've found several cross numbers in the archives, most notably the following:
USA 5453
MZ4180


Does anyone have a used unit? I could probably make one good one out of two, so even if yours is not 100%, I'd consider it.

Also, going over the available parts through this site, I can't seem to find any valve guides/seals listed. I've diagnosed the tractor to needing seals. I don't want to do a complete tear down/rebuilt right now and would rather get it's oil consumption down from a quart every few hours of use. Although the bugs don't seem to bother me, the blue smoke in my eyes prevents me from seeing the bucket at times.....
Anyone have any leads on these? Do they come in the head gasket kit?

Thanks

 

[chuck machinist]

Your local starter rebuild facility can be a great resource. How many teeth does your Bendix gear have,and what direction does it rotate as it engages?

 

[Duner Wi]

My old Wilson book says MZ4176 uses a A2173 drive (Wilson # D307).

 

[oldproudvet]

If that much oil is being pulled around the valve stems, you've severely worn valve guides, which no seal will repair. My parts book shows a gasket
VT3379 on the intake valve, usually an o ring, to keep oil from running down the valve stem, with intake vacuum. Not a real bucket type seal. These are
not needed, nor desired, as they are more of an emissions thing. Guides have to be lubricated or rapid wear occurs, evidenced by automotive/pu engines
of the late 70s early 80s era. I would doubt valve guides are your source of oil consumption. If you could find someone with old cylinder leak down
tester, that would help pinpoint your issue. This uses compressed air into the cylinder, stopped at TDC, and can show you with a gauge calibrated in %
of leakage. You can hear the leakage, around the pistons for example, as blowby thru the breather, or out either manifold as valve leakage. An engine
up to temp, should leak down under 10%, and like a compression test be somewhat uniform. Most older tractor engines, particularrly smaller ones, have
top ring groves totally carboned in, prevented the rings from sealing. This is due to the rather crude updraft carb which has to run rich to to it's job
and oils used (usually inexpensive ones) with a high ash content which tends to deposit rather than burn. + these engines are seldom worked hard enough,
or long enough to stay "clean" as they did back in their day on a small farm, "working"..............

 

[benfrogg]

Hey-
The oil consumption is primarily in one cylinder, as evidenced by the plugs. The plug closest to the driver gets badly oil fouled and the others appear normal. The smoking doesn't occur when the engine is working, it mostly occurs when the sitting at idle. I've had to idle it more than I want to, since the starter doesn't reliably start it... I don't want it to be stranded in the middle of the driveway. This tends to lean towards valves because vacuum is highest at idle, thus crankcase pressure is also highest.
I do have a compression tester, as well as access to a leakdown tester. I'll do some testing with it.

As to the rich carb, yes, this thing does run pretty rich. It's fuel consumption is high, at least in my opinion. It burns somewhere on the order of 2-3 gallons an hour when working hard moving earth in the bucket. The power is at times less than impressive... most likely related to it's oil consumption.

Can carboned up rings be "fixed" or burned out without a complete tear down of the machine? I hearsay that seafoam is considered by most to be snake oil these days.



As to the starter:
I'll give the local rebuild shop a try. This thing has been abused so badly internally that it seems like the least expensive option is still going to be used, however. It basically needs a complete rebuild, in my mind. The only thing good left is the outer casing.

Thanks all
B

 

[RJKeith]

I am with you, find a good starter shop and have them rebuild it. They can find new armatures, windings, bearings, brushes, whatever it needs.

 

[jean claude marleau]

I do have a good used MZ 4176 for sale . my e mail is [email protected]

 

[benfrogg]

(quoted from post at 10:11:11 05/10/16) I do have a good used MZ 4176 for sale . my e mail is [email protected]

I'll PM you. Thanks all on the starter rebuild points-
I may have this one rebuilt after I get it running again.


Can anyone chime in on a source for valve guides?

Thanks