FYI - Thought it was a failing starter, turned out to be simple fix - I think 🤔

[dsholler 54]

I acquired a worker 414-8 from my brother nearly a decade ago, and he had it for 5-6 years. For all that time every few times you turned the key the starter would fail to engage, or would click as if it were stuck. Clearly this problem predated my family's ownership since the starter shroud had a dent in it from being knocked with a wrench.. and this was our preferred solution to the problem. A couple of knocks usually did trick....

 

So this past week it was acting up again, and my son and I decided to clean all the electrical contacts in the starter circuit. The contacts were quite clean already, but as I did this I discovered that there are two nuts on the starter's stud; the outer one for the cable from the solenoid, and an inner one which holds the stud in place. The inner one was loose and there was some play in the stud. Assuming that this was a bad idea, I tried to tighten it. It requires a great deal of dexterity and can only be done with a box wrench. 

 

the upshot is that since we did that, we have not had the problem, even with pretty intensive use of the tractor cleaning up from the storm. While it is possible that it is a fluke and the problem will resurface, I am willing to bet that the loose stud was the cause of years of starting issues.. and that no one ever tightened that nut properly because it was so awkward, or they did not have the right sized wrench handy. 

 

Just thought I would point this out in case anyone else is having intermittent starting issues. 

Edited August 15, 2020 by dsholler