I now have broken 3 starters on my JD 317 Lawn Tractor. It has the Onan P218 engine. The 'ears' on the start break or crack. I have replaced the starter with aftermarket starters because the JD part lists for $560 and the after martket starters are around $100. The starter bolts go through the starter bracket ears and then thread to the engine block so I do not think I am mis-aligning the starter. I have torqued the bolts as tight as possible without breaking something. The 1st replacement lasted about one month (10-20 starts), the next one lasted almost a year (several hundred starts), the 3rd starter lasted just shy of a month (10-15 starts). I am ready to throw out this tractor in frustration. In order to replace the starter you have to just about pull the engine out. Any ideas why this is happening? Anyone ever have a similar experience? Is it advisable to just bite the bullet and buy the JD starter? Could a JD starter be that much stronger than the after market ones? Thanks in advance for any advise.
JD 317 Broken Starter???
- Thread starter Bill E
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jimdiesel1
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Three things come to mind, first is to be certain that the starter isn't staying engaged, due to a faulty keyswitch or solenoid etc. That'll cause that. The other point to watch is the engine prone to starter kick-back while cranking? You may have a timing issue (If breaker point engine)
Finally, be very sure that some foreign object is not in the blower housing, a piece of charging magnet from the flywheel, a free nut or bolt; these can be spun around by the ring gear on the flywheel while running, the impact would break the starter mounts.
Finally, be very sure that some foreign object is not in the blower housing, a piece of charging magnet from the flywheel, a free nut or bolt; these can be spun around by the ring gear on the flywheel while running, the impact would break the starter mounts.
The engine never started this last time. I turned it for 10-15 seconds, let up, and then went to turn it again and heard a 'click'. I don't see how the engine can 'kick back' if it is not running. Also it cannot be staying engaged if it is not running anyway. If the engine started and then later when I shut if off I found the broken starter I would suspect kickback or maybe the starter stayed engaged, but the engine never started, the brake occurred when the starter was cranking.
Kubota-guy1911
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I have torqued the bolts as tight as possible without breaking something.
You may be distorting the starter housing by over tightening the mounting bolts. This could be the reason the ears are breaking too. If you don't have a torque wrench and know the proper value, good and snug should be plenty.
kj
You may be distorting the starter housing by over tightening the mounting bolts. This could be the reason the ears are breaking too. If you don't have a torque wrench and know the proper value, good and snug should be plenty.
kj
banjodunn
Veteran Member
G'day Bill it is possible that you may have an alignment prob due to a jig moving at manufacture it may be worthwile getting all the engine info and talking to an onan agent to see if there may be some kind of factory recall or bulletin on it. Good luck
Jon
Jon