Starting problem - add centrifugal clutch?

[davesisk]

Hey, I couldn't get my PT-1418 to start after some snow and ice here. It was about 15 degrees, and cloudy. (I haven't tried it today...it's sunny and 30 degrees, might actually start.) The engine would barely turn over, I tried adding one of the portable jumper batteries, no dice. I tried the 55 amp charging/crank booster...still no dice. Even with 55 amps available, the engine still wouldn't turn over quick enough to start.

Ideas? Keeping in mind the tractor is 13 years old, but the B&S engine is only about 3 years old, do you think the problem is engine friction, starter not strong enough, or too much resistance from two hydraulic pumps. I'm thinking the most likely problem was the resistance of trying to turn two hydraulic pumps with "stiff" oil in them.

I saw the post on heaters. I'm wondering if replacing the engine to pump couplings with 2 centrifugal clutches (like used on go-carts, but probably heavier duty) might do the trick? Anybody thought about this? How much would clutches that are heavy duty enough for an 18 hp engine cost, and where might I find them? Any other ideas for disconnecting the pumps from the engine come to mind (without it being a major fabrication task)?

Hope everyone's doing well!

Thx!
Dave

 

[johara1]

my 422 wouldn't start today,without heat it's 3 degrees.best thing i found is a torpedo heater setting up behind the back and blowing in the back of the engine compartment.it takes about 15 min.of this and it starts.the hot air also helps the gas to vaporize.i tried the magnets, i put the new hotter plugs in,coils and the heaver starter.the only thing that helps is the torpedo heater. there is just too much drag with the pumps,i leave the hyd.control in float the pto. pump is in bypass and it still to much drag. most gradalls have a clutch to disingage the pumps,even cat has this feature on some of their graders.this would take a lot of room they don't have.maybe a splined shaft and a pump drive that could slide back to disingage then start the engine then after its warm shut it off and slide it back on the the splines and restart it. if the travel is in neutral,and the hyd. control is in float and the pto. isn't on ,all pumps should be unable to build pressure,the drag of the thick oil is just too much to overcome. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

 

[davesisk]

Actually, that's a thought. You'd have to have some sort of manually engagable clutch for at least the hydrostatic drive pump...otherwise you wouldn't have a way to bleed it when you need to.

 

[johara1]

the travel pump has room to back out of the coupler,that is the end that the coupler is bolted to the flywheel.how about a splined shaft bolted to the flywheel a male end, and a female end on the pump with the end of it machined out to the outside dimension of the male spline,so they can't get out of line.now where the bolts go through the mount to hold the pump on are replaced with guide rods this would let it go back and forth and keep it in line and add a back support for the guide rods to make it a little stronger. now add a handle and lock to hold it engaged. /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif