# Starter missing teeth



## nmucowboy (Jan 27, 2015)

This starter is off an early 60's for 4000 series. 4 cyl engine.  

Just wondering if i am going to be needing to find the missing teeth. How would you reccomend going about doing so? I really dont want to end up doing more damage.


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## EdF (Sep 15, 2014)

The starter with the missing teeth looks pretty close to new? How long ago was it installed. 

I would look at the teeth on the ring gear for chipped & broken teeth and burrs on the teeth. Pull the spark plugs, and turn the flywheel over using a big screwdriver on the ring gear teeth through the starter mounting hole. Mark the flywheel so you know where you started, and rotate it one full revolution. I use a triangular file to remove burrs on the teeth. 

Most engines tend stop at the same spot, so you should find one place on the ring gear with more wear.

You can try to run a long handled/flexible magnet down through the starter hole to try to fish out pieces of the starter gear. Just don't lose the magnet in there. 

There is a fair amount of room in the bell housing aft of the clutch assembly, so I wouldn't worry too much about it. When the day comes that you have to change the clutch, you can clean out the debris.


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## nmucowboy (Jan 27, 2015)

yeah, starter does look new to me as well. I am not sure how old the starter is, the tractor came with my house when i bought it last november. I already have the new starter bolted in, with new oil (have to take oil filter off to remove starter). and really dont want to have to redrain the oil to pull the starter again. might just try firing her up today.


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## pogobill (Jan 31, 2012)

There is usually a core charge on these starters, so don't throw anything out! Either get a refund on the core, or get the old one rebuilt and keep it as a spare.


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## nmucowboy (Jan 27, 2015)

i never throw stuff out! lol.

Ok, so i am stumped right now. Got the new starter in, hit the starter, and the starter clicks but does not turn over the motor. It kind of sounds like it was a dead battery, so i threw on the charger, and shes at 12.8V. Am i overlooking something here? my buddy was saying i should try to put power straight to the starter from the battery with a jumper cable... thoughts? where else could i start looking for potential issues?


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Can you roll the engine over with a wrench,and make sure it isn't locked up?


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## nmucowboy (Jan 27, 2015)

That was my next thought. I just was really hoping someone would say something different than that lol. Didn't have time tonight to get to it, hopefully I will tomorrow. Will keep ya updated when I get to it


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## nmucowboy (Jan 27, 2015)

Ok, so the engine is seized, fml. How much would I be looking at to do an engine rebuild?


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## harry16 (Dec 8, 2011)

If you have a machine shop do the job, the cost will be $3k+. Just depends on what all has to be done to it. Was it run low on oil?


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## nmucowboy (Jan 27, 2015)

When I drained the oil, I got maybe a quart out, and it was thick too. My bad for taking the guys word whom I bought it off of that everything was well taken care of and blah blah blah. This blows. I could buy a running tractor for 3 grand. Just starting out on this property with my wife, we want to start a big garden and plant an acre or two of pumpkins. If this tractor is dead, none of that will be happening I am afraid.


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

BEFORE you tear it down,try this: Put clean oil in the crankcase,and replace the filter.
Remove the spark plugs,and pour in some PB BLASTER,and install the plugs.Let it sit a couple of days.
Then,with a breaker bar,and a socket,nudge it back and forth,to see if it frees up. 
Do this several times,and it may turn over,by hand.Just keep repeating the PB BLASTER,/nudging it back and forth.It may just have rust in the cylinder walls,from sitting.
If it does,remove the plugs,again,and see if it rolls with the starter,and builds oil pressure.
Believe it or not I've saved a few engines this way. The most work I had to do on one,was new crank/rod bearings,but most fired up,after getting oil pressure,and didn't knock !
 It's worth a try, anyway,right ?


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## harry16 (Dec 8, 2011)

I agree with jhngardner367 comments above. Many guys put ATF in the cylinders and let it soak for a while.


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## nmucowboy (Jan 27, 2015)

Well then... i will be stopping on my way home to pick up a couple extra cans of PB blaster. That sounds a heck of a lot better than 3-3.5K for an engine rebuild at the dealership. It seems like that is about what the tractor is worth!!! Thanks guys. I will let you know how this works out for me.


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## nmucowboy (Jan 27, 2015)

well, i feel like the engine is done for. Toast, fried, seized, broken, shot. after about 2.5 days of soaking with PB blaster, and still unable to move crank pulley, figured i would get the tractor turned around in the garage to start the tear down. On my way pulling the tractor out of the garage i figured i would pop it into first just to see if it would free up, my last ditch effort. both tires locked up and i quickly took it back out of gear just so i didnt manage to screw up my trans as well. Guess i may just continue this journey here with my rebuild, if you gentlemen dont mind. I will try to take lots of pics (mostly for my own purposes so i dont forget where things go, lol)

Is anyone particular at all about their rebuild kits? What should i look for/look out for? Dont want to be buying crap i dont need, or forgetting something i should be checking out while i am in there anyways.

I will also be looking to print off the FULL version of the manual. I am hoping it will have explanations as to the degrees of timing and such for when the rebuilding process comes around. 

You know though, one good thing about stuff breaking, is you get to buy new tools and they can totally be justifiable to the wife because "i didn't have that wrench", or "that needed a special socket set" lol.

Anyways, will keep yall posted. have a feeling lots of beer will be consumed in my near future. CHEERS! :beer:


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## jhngardner367 (Apr 5, 2011)

Sorry,my friend. Sometimes you get the bear,...and sometimes the bear gets you .
Post some pics,during the year-down,if you can. I'm curious to see the cause.


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## nmucowboy (Jan 27, 2015)

well, since i have no emotional connection with this tractor... i have half way decided to part it out. If i can make my money back for what i payed for it, i would be happy. Not sure if my wife has any emotional attachment though seeing as how we had some of our engagement pics on this tractor... I figure by parting this out, i should be able to make enough to purchase another machine.

with that being said... i am kind of now in the market for a machine capable of doing a few things... plowing snow/ running 3pt attacments such as a 5 ft brush hog, post hole digger, pulling a disc harrow, two blade plough...
going to be planting small amounts of crops, like 1-3 acres worth. would REALLY like 4x4 (unless there is good enough reason not to). would appreciate input on either matter. TIA


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## nmucowboy (Jan 27, 2015)

After a long delay... i have begun the tear down. Drained all the oil i had just put in there and dropped the oil pan. Little bit of sludge, but seeing as there were no shiny flakes of metal in the bottom, i can live with a little bit of sludge. (edit: also drained coolant before removing the head lol)
Popped off the valve cover, rods and springs all looked great.
popped off the head, and did notice some carbon build up on the piston heads, but the cylinder walls look GREAT! No scoring or scratches!
I tried to wipe down the piston heads best i could just to clean them up. Went through and blasted the pistons with some more PB plaster, and got a 2X4 on top of the pistons and was able to get some movement out of them. NOT like crazy movement, but enough to know that they are not seized.
now some of you may yell at me for my methods here, but just wanted to try a couple different ways to see if i could get that old engine turning again. First i hooked up the battery and tried to turn her over... had MINUT movement. Next i took that 2x4 and my small 2lb sledge and gave the tops of the pistons a little nudge. The thing that sucks here, is that the two outside pistons were on the way up and not quite to TDC. So there isnt great leverage on the crank shaft with me doing that. Anyways, i whacked the pistons but to no avail.
Now i am scared to say, but i am starting to feel as though my main bearings are what is holding up this engine. Can i possibly get some guidance here as to how i should proceed? I almost thought about getting a pry bar on my crank and making her move that way, but i was should i would get yelled at for that, lol.


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## nmucowboy (Jan 27, 2015)

http://i1346.photobucket.com/albums/p688/nmucowboy/Mobile Uploads/IMAG0568_zps2a7rkph8.jpg

I know they look a bit dirty, but this was after i had sprayed them down with PB plaster... All in all, the internals dont have anything VISABLY wrong... just hoping i can get this figured out.


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## Shannon Burke (Oct 21, 2021)

jhngardner367 said:


> BEFORE you tear it down,try this: Put clean oil in the crankcase,and replace the filter.
> Remove the spark plugs,and pour in some PB BLASTER,and install the plugs.Let it sit a couple of days.
> Then,with a breaker bar,and a socket,nudge it back and forth,to see if it frees up.
> Do this several times,and it may turn over,by hand.Just keep repeating the PB BLASTER,/nudging it back and forth.It may just have rust in the cylinder walls,from sitting.
> ...


Damn wish you were in my parts... I could sure use a good mechanic


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## unsquidly (Jul 13, 2021)

Shannon Burke said:


> Damn wish you were in my parts... I could sure use a good mechanic



Make a post in the "everything else" section asking if anyone knows of a good mechanic in your parts.......There are bubbas from all over the country and the world for that matter on here......Never know, someone might know one close to ya.....


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