YM1500D starter not always engaging

[chuckyp-HT]

Still working on the list of discrepancies with the new tractor. <E></E>
One of my other problems is the starter engagement. Sometime it engages and turns over perfectly, but more often I go through a few tries where the starter just sort of "grinds" like it isn't engaging the flywheel teeth properly.
I pulled the starter off and all the teeth look good. I turned the engine through a revolution and examined all the flywheel teeth and they look good too.
The starter gear seems to move fairly freely back and forth but I'm not sure if it should move even more freely than it does.
Sound like the solenoid perhaps? Not sure why it would be intermittent, but it is. Thought I'd see if it sounded like a familiar problem and get other input before adding a solenoid to my growing shopping list.

 

[Norm-HT]

Is the battery supplying sufficient voltage, (at least 12.6v), and all connections good?

 

[Aaron-HT]

There is a cheap Chinese starter floating around through many of the tractor parts distributors that says it fits the YM1500 (among about a dozen other models). We tried that starter and it only caught an 1/8" of the flywheel at best and some were only around 1/16" to even less. It does exactly what you described- it grinds a lot because it is not engaging enough all the time.

Check to be sure your starter has 11 teeth. If it has only 9 it is the Chinese one and you will never be able to make it work &amp; will eventually ruin your ring gear on the flywheel trying.

We now have a direct replacement German starter that is top notch.

 

[chuckyp-HT]

When I had it out I wasn't yet aware there were two possible tooth counts so I'll put it off again and check it. Don't know the origin of the starter but I suspect it's the same one the previous owner got with the tractor.
Battery voltage is good because I just gave it a fresh charge out of the tractor for a couple days when I got it. It is right around 12.7V on the multimeter.
The connections all seem pretty tight and when the starter does catch it really does turn the engine over nicely and it fires right up.
I'll poke around and investigate the type of starter a little more and report back.
Thanks!

 

[chuckyp-HT]

Well I just pulled the starter and it's got 11 teeth. So it looks like the correct starter.
Do you think I need to replace the whole thing, or maybe just the solenoid?
Those new starters are pretty spendy and of course I'd like to avoid that if possible.

 

[Aaron-HT]

Its hard to say. You might see if a local starter shop could test it for you. Solenoids <U><s></s>are<e></e></U> a lot cheaper than a new starter but not if you end up needing a new starter anyway <E></E>

 

[padgett-HT]

If you find problem please post it . My 1500 does not properly engage the starter drive, and th estarter motor just spins. When it engages It starts like it should. Everything checks good.

 

[chuckyp-HT]

I never really figured out the problem with that starter. I ended up finding a rebuilt starter on eBay and putting it in, which solved the problem entirely.