My last purely mechanical (tractor) post had a picture of the clutch mounting bolt. Folks in the know (and idiots like me) know that this is a good sign that the “split” tractor is soon to be a “whole” tractor. Shortly after the clutch it’s time to re-assemble the tractor, hit the starter, and see if it coughs to life.
So I spent a couple hours putting engine/clutch on transmission/rest of tractor and then more time putting on the front axle/radiator/hood. Everything must go on one at a time. (Apparently the concept of “hood” wasn’t yet invented.) Henry Ford was batshit crazy but usually a good engineer…disassembly of his tractor is one of the few times I curse the man. On the other hand, I’m getting better at splitting/joining tractors. If nothing else I can disassemble with the best of them.
Then filled it with fluids, said a silent prayer, saddled up, and hit the switch.
Nothing.
The damned starter was shot. (I’d forgotten about this.) After another on-line mugging I had a new starter (made in India). I’d salvaged a 6 volt battery from the other tractor (which is completely dead now) and I wondered if it was weak. After some musing over the wiring harness I gave her another shot and CLUNK. The starter Bendix extended, did nothing, and stayed extended.
These old starters are a bit weird. Once the starter is “extended” to engage the flywheel they don’t “retract” unless they spin a certain speed. (Insert dirty joke here.) An “extended” starter Bendix is supposedly “a bitch” (that’s the technical term) to retract on the bench.
So I coughed up $35 for another Bendix and tried again. CLUNK. Apparently the damned thing wasn’t getting enough juice to do the deed. I brought my battery in to be tested and indeed it was shot. Time to cough up more cash. New 6 Volt battery. Then I got clever and took the Bendix from my old (shot) tractor starter. Plus I put on shiny new cables because…why not?
Nothing.
Then I found a broken resistor…it’s a tiny little part but apparently it’s important. I replaced that.
No go.
So I said “fuck it”. Time to “go redneck”. Starters are for pussies. I decided to use a truck to pull the son of a bitch until it coughed to life or I got my frustrations out.