S/C Farmall starter

I have a starter for my tractor that will start it good for maybe about 5 times give or take and then it just won t turn it at all it will have a light bump. Then I have to take the starter loose and bolt it back up and it will crank it again most of the time. OH yea I had just bought a S/A Farmall and brought it home Wed. so the shop is getting pretty full with the S/C-S/A and the Cub also and I need to get my S/M from over at my cousins...It will be tight in my 24/36 shop with a 12/12 office too...Thanks Guys

Replace the starter drive on the Super C. The teeth on that drive are worn and will "catch" in the teeth of the ring gear on the flywheel. It is a common ailment on these old tractors. To fix it 100% right, you should probably replace the flywheel ring gear also, but I think just the starter drive will probably get you out of the woods.

That is an indication that it is in need of the clutch style starter bendix (different than that shown below in the next thread)
I would also replace the bushings and brushes in the starter just to be fresh with the unit. Under cutting the segments on the commutator is also a good practice if it need it. (an old auto repair manual will discuss and illustrate the process. JimN

Mornin Jim, fine fall day here in Southern Indiana hope its the same your way. I already questioned the Bobster about "clutch type" starter drives below but have an electrical question for you. Sure, on Generators Im familiar with and have "undercut" the mica insulation segments located between the commutator bars BUTTTTTTT you sure its the same on starter commutators??? I havent had one apart in years but dont recall any such wide open spaces in them where one can use a tool, let alone a homemade device, to do the same. Sure they have copper like sections/bars but seems like they were different (closer) not sure about undercutting them???????

Lemme know at your convenience and take care now

Ol John T and all

Friend John,
I have seen them both ways. So it would be a look and see situation. Some of the ols armature insulation between segments is getting resistant to wear and a light undercut might not hurt in any case. Beautiful 40 degree day here with a 10% overcast. Looking forward to a deer hunt on the 14th. Interesting discussion on the sparky things (not quite resolved, but interesting none the less). Complex discharges are not simplified to lightbulbs very well. Railroad engines made by GE Transportation Division. Dash 9 CW 44 series and newer are started with a capacitor of about one Farad electronically controlled discharging into the generator (used as a motor) then entering a large inductor. it then discharges back into the motor (again computer controlled) to further spin it up into the capacitor. They have no cold start issues, and use a small battery bank to run the systems of the engine. Neat setup on a 6000hp diesel electric. Jim

That's a sure sign the starter bendix is jamming in the ring gear.

Sometimes installing a new bendix solves the problem. But if the ring gear is badly worn a new bendix it can actually make the jamming problem WORSE. Only fix then is to replace the ring gear.

(Note: You can also flip the ring gear around so unworn gear teeth are facing the starter. But you still gotta split the tractor to do it. Better to spend $40 for a NEW gear when you have it apart!)

The new crop of young deer have been hangin out in the back yard here on my farm. They arent as experienced and not as afraid as the older n wiser ones. One young one practically lives here and doesnt run off if we are fairly close in the yard if we dont make any sudden movements. At the pond Ive kept salt blocks and sweet licks for a few years and its hard to believe but a month ago I put a big 50 lb block of salt there AND ITS COMPLETELY GONE ALREADY. I been putting a big can of corn daily just 25 feet from the house and the young one and the mother (think its the mom) and a few other yearling looking ones gobble it up usually around 5 to 6 PM.....

On the ignition and ballast circuits, IVE STILL NEVERRRRRRRRRRR seen one located between the coil and distributor (talkin old tractors here NOT new solid state GM ignition) and believe it should NOT be there but between the switch and coil input. (And Im stickin to that until a Kettering Ignition Expert proves otherwise and it will take more then a paragraph here to convince me lol) Sureeeeeeeeee when it comes to the new solid state circuits that may be different BUTTTTTTTTT they dont have the condensors either that are involced in the ringing and oscillation going on between the condensor and coil in the old mechanical systems..

Take care Jim, come to a tractor show sometime where Bob M and I meet up and we can tell lies n drink a barley soda.......

John T

When I worked in the rebuild shop, we didn't cut the mica on the starter armatures. The brushes are hard enough that they will wear it down. If you cut it, the commitator will wear faster.