Starter on 8hp Kohler

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

So, now that I’m a RS supporter (Santa Comes early round here 😂) I can post my videos and pictures to show you guys what’s going on, and hopefully get it corrected. 

It spins, but it doesn’t travel horizontally left to right like it’s supposed to. Buddy of mine told me to take the tin off and see it it was gunked up, but it doesn’t appear to look all too bad. Video and pictures attached, any guidance on how to tackle this would be greatly appreciated. 

[ebinmaine 68,444]

Okay so A-1.... Safety. Disconnect your negative battery cable.

 

Now get in there and pop that starter off of the tractor and get it on the bench.

You see the nut on the end of the shaft near the small gear.

Take that nut off and there's going to be a few things that come off in your hands.

There's a small spring and a clip or a washer or something. Don't lose those things.

 

That gear rides out on a shaft that has semicircular grooves cut into it. The odds are very very high that all that is wrong is the assembly is dirty and sticky.

 

Take those pieces out and check for broken parts and then just clean them all up really really good.

Get some dry powder graphite lube and coat the pieces as you put them back together.

 

Do not use a liquid or paste of any form as your lubricant. It will attract and hold dust and create paste which is what your problem likely already is.

 

 

[roadapples 6,983]

While you have it off blow it out good with compressed air...

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

@ebinmaine, I disconnected the battery completely, just to be doubly safe. I almost tagged you in on it, but I figured you’d find your way here sooner or later haha. I’m going to go out and try and get it off here in a few, I just didn’t want to progress farther than needed, or too far without knowing what I’m doing and then getting lost. 

@roadapples I gotta dig out my attachment, but I will blow everything off to help get any last bits of hunk outta there. Thanks fellas. 

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

Dumb question: how do I know what kind of ignition system I have? I have this Chilton manual for B&S, Kohler, Kawasaki, and Techumseh engines up to 20 horse, but even with the drawings I have to admit that I’m not seeing much of a difference (and don’t really understand) between battery, magneto, and breakerless ignition systems. 

I want to say this is a battery ignition system, but would like to defer to more learned individuals. 

[ebinmaine 68,444]

2 minutes ago, KyleLengerich said:

Dumb question: how do I know what kind of ignition system I have? I have this Chilton manual for B&S, Kohler, Kawasaki, and Techumseh engines up to 20 horse, but even with the drawings I have to admit that I’m not seeing much of a difference (and don’t really understand) between battery, magneto, and breakerless ignition systems. 

I want to say this is a battery ignition system, but would like to defer to more learned individuals. 

Feel free to always tag me in. Just worked out that I took my lunch break and was able to scan down through for a few minutes.

 

 

 

You have a battery ignition.

With points, or Breakers if you like.

 

hence the name breakerless would lead you to believe that does not have points in it.

 

Magneto ignition is just that. It uses a Magneto to send spark to the plug.

 

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

Perfect! Thanks @ebinmaine! Now to get it out to the bench and broken down. 

 Updates (probably in the form of questions😂) to follow. 

 

Tell your boss I said you could have the rest of the day off, any problems give me a call 

 

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

@ebinmaine, @roadapples

 

You are gentlman and scholars 

 

[ebinmaine 68,444]

Well done Sir

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

2 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

Well done Sir

For not knowing what I was doing a couple hours ago, I’m pretyy proud of myself. I appreciate the guidance! 

[Pullstart 63,100]

Congrats on a good runnin’ Kohler, and for being a supporting member!

[WHX?? 49,177]

On ‎11‎/‎28‎/‎2018 at 10:55 AM, KyleLengerich said:

 I have this Chilton manual for B&S,

1st thing is throw that Chilton manual in the garbage. Then (now that you are a supporting member) go to the files section and download the all the Kohler manuals in there. There are quite a few in there so let us know if you have problems finding the ones for your tractors/motors. Read them, They will tell you everything you need to know about  your 8hp. Print the good ones for the shop bench. The learning is endless in there if you are a Kohler fan.

[ebinmaine 68,444]

2 minutes ago, WHX21 said:

throw that Chilton manual in the garbage.

 

I have to admit I'm going to agree with that one. I've gotten some bad advice out of Chilton's about vehicles and small engines in the past. I've had better luck with Haynes manuals but nowadays I try not to even look at anything that was not produced by the original equipment manufacturer.

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

Good thing we just moved an old file cabinet to the shop, I’ll have a place to keep everything together. 

 

Wifes gunna be a little mad though, we just bought a new ink cartridge, and I have a feeling it’s gunna get run dry 😂😂

[ebinmaine 68,444]

21 minutes ago, KyleLengerich said:

 

Wifes gunna be a little mad though, we just bought a new ink cartridge, and I have a feeling it’s gunna get run dry 😂😂

 

I can solve this

I know how to make women happy

 

print a couple manuals for your own tractor first just to get him out of the way

 

Then print out all the manuals for her tractor making sure you tell her it's her tractor

 

 

 

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

There’s just one problem:

Neither of them are truly either one of ours. 

 

Indulge me a short story (I’m allowed to derail my own thread, right?!😂)

 

 

This time two years ago, my mother in law suddenly became sick. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer in mid November. She passed away January 1st of 2017, 19 days shy of her 50th birthday. My father in law is a cancer survivor himself, but his was throat cancer, and  he ended up with a threachyostomy. He was also in his mid sixties when she passed. 

My wife and I were in a rent to own situation with my step dad, and my FIL had a four bedroom house that was occupied by him and two beagles. The four of us (step dad, FIL, wife, and myself) all agreed that the best thing for everyone was for us to move in with him. We got a house, he got to keep the house, and my kids get to see their Papaw everyday. 

I sent the listing for Our smaller tractor first because he’d mentioned wantingbto do some small engine repair, to kill time (he’s retired). Originally, I had no interest in it myself at all.  He worked out the deal, he paid for it, and we brought it home. 

It was as it sat in the garage and I looked at it every day that it began to grow on me.  

The FIL has kinda let me do my own thing with it. I mentioned looking at, and barley missing a snow blade for it. 

He comes home a couple days later with the Charger 10, deck, and blade.

 

 

Im currently saving back my pennies to get the cash saved up (We work the Dave Ramsey/FPU program, so it’s taking longer than it “could”) to buy them from him.  He doesn’t know, and if I asked, he would give them to me, but I don’t want to take that kinda money outta the mans pocket. 

 

So..... she’ll still be mad about the ink cartridge 

[LengerichKA88 1,883]

Also, forgot to mention: 

for cleaning the threads of the inside of that cog on the starter, a .410ga bore brush fits through there perfectly. Decided to keep one out in the shop for future needs. 

[Sarge 3,463]

For paper copies that are generally cheaper than printing your own, check Ebay - there are many reprints and even genuine shop manuals offered up by sellers, just keep an eye out for reprints versus originals as original is always better. Even dirty, I'd rather have an original.

 

Sarge