[AT] JD Starter

[H. L. Staples]

The saga is finally concluded, I hope.

Since the list traffic has been slow I will pass this along.

About two and a half years ago the starter was kinda tired and dragging on
our John Deere 3020
so we removed it and took it to the repair shop.  After around a $75.00
doctor bill brought the starter home and it would hang in the flywheel after
the engine started. Back to the repair shop to get the information that the
starter was fine and it had to be something Wrong with the tractor.

This time after installing the starter it seemed to work well most of the
time. But it really never did seem to turn it as fast as it should. 

Just recently it started staying engaged and continuing to crank even after
the starter button was released (that is if the engine didn't start before
letting off the button.) The only way to get it to stop cranking was to
remove the battery connection.  A series of checks showed all the tractor
circuits were working as they should.

I asked a friend that had been in the auto repair business for over 40 years
to come take a look. He came up blank but suggested that I try a new
solenoid, so I did. this did not solve the problem. Ernie also noted that
the ring gear teeth had some small burs on them that might cause it to hang.

Next I spend nearly two hours using a conical rotary file in my drill
cleaning up all the burs both on the tips of the teeth and on the engagement
side of the teeth.  Clean a few then pry the wheel around to expose more
rough teeth.  This also did not solve the problem.

Back to the disrepair shop everything with the starter it was declared fine
except they did discover that they had left out a stop in the nose cone. and
that the only thing that would cause the starter to stay engaged was low
battery voltage. After reinstallation we still had the continue to crank
situation 

Next the value of my evening trips to the coffee shop for a visit with the 
BSers".

Two of my friends told me to take the starter to Chipman's Rebuilders in
Oklahoma City. Gave them a call and confirmed that they would take a look at
it.  After programming in Chipman's address in the Magellan Roadmate 300 we
headed out and after giving the repairman the symptons he told me that it
may have the wrong drive installed in it. They asked me to leave it and come
back in a couple hours they would look up the starter to see what the
correct drive was.

When I returned the starter was ready they had replaced to drive with the
correct one also a bushing in the center of the starter. 

I almost fell over when the young man told me that the charges was $15.00. 
I told him that no one does anything for $15.00 but he insisted.

Brought the unit home, installed it back on the tractor and now it does
nothing but start the tractor and spins it like never before. 

In a follow up call to the owner of Chipman's I found that the starter drive
 was indeed wrong being about one half inch to short and this allowed to
linkage to sometimes break over center and stay engaged.  (his theory )

One day I will tell that "Smart Ass" in the other shop this story.
 
H. L. Staples
McLoud, Oklahoma
USA