Dexta starter issues

[MyDexta]

Hey guys..
Went and installed starter and hooked it up.
The lever still does not push gear into flywheel. Gear does not spin or engage.. it's like the starter gear and flywheel gear are blocking each other.
Do I make a jumper going straight from the battery and touch the starter terminals and get it to spin or do I take the starter out and spin it on the bench.... Btw...the support for the starter lever is starting to flex and weaken from the strain and I am looking into replacement part for that... This is near the coast and salt air is always attacking weak metal.
Thanks for the help.

[skipdow]

I would probably put it on the bench and confirm it works correctly THEN try it in the tractor.
Is there any movement or noise when trying to engage the starter?
if not then a bad solenoid?

[PghBill]

Maybe a bad switch on the top of your starter that energizes the solenoid ? Have you checked that you have voltage to one side of the switch when the key is on? If so, is it getting thru to the solenoid when you activate the starter lever?

[Jerry Coles]

The lever is used to A: Engage the starter motor pinion (Gear) with the flywheel ring gear and B: to operate the solenoid to feed power into the motor.
1.Have you got a voltage on one terminal of the two small terminals on the starter without engaging the starter but with the ignition on?
If no then check the ignition wiring from battery, through ignition switch to starter motor.
2. Is there a voltage on the second terminal when you engage the starter?
If no then your starter motor switch is suspect.
3. Does the solenoid click when you engage the starter?
If no then suspect the solenoid area.
4. Is there a voltage on the heavy (large) terminal when you engage the starter?
If no then check the battery to starter motor feed.
Have you got a good earth on the second heavy terminal to the block?
If no then make a new earth lead.
Always check the earth (ground) connections from Battery to block, solenoid to block, starter to block.

Try taking a thick wire from the live battery terminal and touch one terminal of the two small terminals on the starter without engaging the starter, does the solenoid click and the starter motor spin?
Also touch the non earthed large terminal on the starter, does the motor spin?
Hope this all helps

[Sam dexta]

Good morning,
This sounds like it might be same issue I fixed on my Super Dexta few days ago. It's a fairly quick job.
My starter was spinning up fine, but the lever did not appear to be craeating any engagement with the flywheel.
I took the lever assembly off the top of the starter (and took the power away from the starter) and could feel that there was forward / backward movement, so all there seemed correct.
Then I looked in the manual and realised there is a clutch in the tip of the starter. Mine was slipping easily.
Took starter off, followed manual. All you need is some circlip pliers / needle nose pliers for one large circlip that's pretty easy to do.
The pinion clutch looked good and new, but the crank seal has put out enough oil that the pinion clutch was slipping. sprayed it up with brake cleaner, rotated it and ragged it off for a while. I suspect a soak in petrol would do the same.
Total transformation; it is supposed to slip in one direction to protect stater from the engine, and grip tight in the other.
Put it back together (pin through the fork arm was a bit fiddly), and the starter works perfectly.
all in, with child helping took 2 hours.
Good luck!
Sam

[TonyDexta]

Hi All. I have a starter problem that does not seem have been covered on the forum before. When I press the starter lever down, sometimes, not always there is resistance whicj I presume is being caused by the starter pinion not being able to engage with the flywheel. If you lean on the lever ususally it will eventually suddenly bang down and the starter engages and starts the engine. I have had the starter off and there is obviously some wear to the pinion and the flywheel but is there any way of refurbing the pinion to allow a smooth engagement with the flywheel?

[Billy26F5]

There is nothing that will completely avoid this problem, even completeley new parts will do this, and it's actually design feature according to contemporary Lucas info on this type of starter. The alignment of the teeth before trying to use the starter is down to pure luck, and Lucas say that if the teeth don't want to mesh initially you need to carry on pressing down the lever, compressing the large spring just ahead of the clutch assy. until the starter begins to turn, when the clunk will be heard as everything goes to normal for turning the engine. See the Lucas manual here: http://www.ovtc.net/uploads/9/5/1/6/951 ... course.pdf
This manual is well worth a read anyway, as it's very good.
Sandy

[TonyDexta]

Thanks for the info Sandy. Seems a peculiar 'design feature' but good to know it is meant to be like that! I have an old starter handle that I can use to turn the crank a touch if it refuses to mesh.
Tony

[Jerry Coles]

Just had a quick browse of the Lucas manual. A mine of information although some is a bit dated but suits our needs. Thanks for the link and download. Cheers