Super A starter

For some reason the starter on my newly acquired Super A doesn't want to engage the flywheel. It will spin all the way back but usually won't move forward to get to the flywheel. Drive itself looks bra be new with good teeth. Flywheel looks great. Drive also seems to have a lot of dent to back play.

Maybe not enough battery "juice". i.e. cables too small to carry high current, bad ground connection. That starter should "jump" out there and fire that SA right up, no hesitation.

My 41 A and my 53 SC were doing the same thing. I cleaned all the connections and still just was not enough even with 12 volt. I took the starters apart and cleaned them with electric cleaner and lightly brushed everything with a wire brush. Both of them turn over FAST, and start right now. My opinion, clean everything and it should work fine. Ron

bluegrassmts: Which type starter drive is in this starter, old type Bendix with exposed spring or the newer clutch type? I once had two starters professionally rebuilt. (SA and 130) Got them home and one starter would work on either tractor, the other starter would not work on either tractor. I compared the two and noticed the drives were different, I asked myself, why did this new starter drive not work. I called the rebuilder, told him my problem. He said,"I only had one drive in stock, so I sent across town to the CaseIH dealer for the second one. Bring it back and I'll exchange it." To his surprise when I arrived, the poor one was his old reliable Bendix. He exchanged it for the new clutch type from the CaseIH dealer. That was roughly 10-12 years ago and both still work everytime.

My tractor ring gears were not great back then, they have never been changed even though I've had both tractors split for clutch work. These new clutch drives engage more smoothly and last much better than the old type. They will work on much poorer ring gears.

EZ may well be correct, far to many of these tractors have had the battery cables replaced by replacements from auto parts stores. These 6 volt systems require 01 gauge cables.

Looks exactly like this:

bluegrassmtns: That is the old Bendix, go for the modern clutch type starter drive, will cure a lot of your problem. They engage more gently, virtually never miss. Since I've installed my clutch type drives, I've never had a starter lock. Far cry from years ago, even when these tractor were new we always had to carry a 3/4 wrench in case of starter locking.

Alrighty, anyone know an online source for these? All I've found have been the bendix-type.

Why does it have to be online? Why not go to your local CaseIH dealer?

Not real convenient. Now if it were New Holland, John Deere or Kubota; I've got options.

bluegrassmtns: The only place I've found them is at CaseIH. Bear in mind I live in Canada, it may be different in the US. In fact the new clutch type is all CaseIH dealers in Canada have been selling for 40 years, so they are hardly new anymore. I might add the new type are also made by Bendix.

Hmm, everyone I've found online has been just like the one picture above. Called a starter shop and a couple of dealers, they've come up with the same thing.

Make sure the spiral on the drive is lubricated with a dry lubricant or light oil. Grease can cause too much resistance and not allow the drive to spin out completely and thus not engage the ring gear.