STARTER (not starting) problems

The commutator bars and windings on the armature are insulated from the steel. You should ALWAYS show no connection between the commutator and shaft.

If you have the two brushes from the field windings in place, do you have them installed in the insulated brush holders? I'd remove the armature and check it for grounds, then check the field coils to make sure they aren't grounded to the case. Sometimes the old insulation breaks down and the fields ground to the case where you can't see the problem until they are removed.

My 14 H.P. Cub Cadet has the starter/generator unit and sometimes the starter wouldn't work. After I removed the field windings I could see one tiny spot where the field would sometimes touch the case. I rewrapped the field coils with friction tape and reinstalled them using an impact screwdriver. That still wasn't tight enough and I had to take it to the generator shop. He was able to get another half turn using his special fixture.
 
Another update
Tore it apart again
No continuity between the commutator and armature or commutator and the shaft
However there is continuity between the armature and the shaft IS THIS ABNORMAL.

Question- The field brushed go on the 2 insulated brush holders and the ground brushes go on the uninsulated brush holders?
 
dfclimber said:
Another update
Tore it apart again
No continuity between the commutator and armature or commutator and the shaft
However there is continuity between the armature and the shaft IS THIS ABNORMAL.

Question- The field brushed go on the 2 insulated brush holders and the ground brushes go on the uninsulated brush holders?
Click to expand...

Yes, any steel or iron part of the starter can and will be connected to ground. All the wiring and commutator bars must not be connected to ground, except through the two ground brushes in the UNINSULATED brush holders.

The heavy current flowing through the field windings and armature windings creates strong magnetic forces. The LIKE magnetic forces REPEL each other and crank the engine.
 
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This happens to be my 1928 Abell starter, but is basically like the one you're working on. I usually don't disturb the field brushes enough to move them from their natural installed position, but if you didn't note the exact location of the two field winding brushes, you could put them in 180* off, then the starter won't work. If you have any question on them just ask again.
Note the heavy copper bars connecting the field windings. One of mine wasn't soldered well and was loose when I bought it. Make sure they are tight and soldered.

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BTW, this is the "before" picture of my starter, so your's should be a piece of cake.:)
 
Last edited:
Using Tom's photos, above note the bend in the field buss bars. When you assemble the starter is there a chance that the thru screws touch the field buss bars? The bend is there for the screws to not touch buss bars.
 
I am going to tear it apart (yet again) in the next few day and I will recheck that.

Thank you all for contributing. You all have been very helpful
 
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