Troubleshooting weak starter on 1650.... looking for advice

[cubfixer]

Originally Posted by Matt G.

Why does it look like the entire inside of the starter is covered in oil? How do the commutator and brushes look?

Maybe from overheat melting the insulation around the wires? You know, winding insulation is just like shellac. Just a guess.

[prskier17]

Yes... it's melted (and now hardened and smelly) insulation, glue, etc. I thought it was oil at first too but it's hard as a rock. I think this one is toast...

[R Bedell]

Save yourself a lot of aggravation, and jump into a replacement.

YES, not all K341 starters are the same. You have to get the correct starter based upon the Kohler Spec number attached to your engine model tag.

BTW.....For future reference. Per the Kohler TP-1346 Owners Manual

[ol'George]

I'm with Roland on this one also.
But being the fixit guy I am, and curious, you could see if lacquer thinner on a rag might clean the commutator brush area and if the brushes are clean/free to move, give it a feeble try but I am not overly optimistic, she got really hot to do that.
And I'd take a screw driver and put it inside to see if the magnets even still have an attraction.
FWIW.
My old foggy memory seems to remember those starters came in what they called a high mount and a low mount with respect to if the mounting bolts were above the starter or below, but it is foggy.
that is where your spec number comes into play.

[teejk]

Originally Posted by R Bedell

If he cooked the windings by getting them hot, all the $15.00 brush kits won't fix that.

looking at his pictures, I'm "waving white flag". It is indeed "cooked" (and what a mess). But now he knows what not to do. Unfortunately he (we) will never know what was causing the slow turn (stiff oil maybe but at 12F should still turn).

[prskier17]

Yes.... the white flag I ordered a starter last night and matched the numbers I found on a chart here so hopefully it's right. 10 seconds and wait.... ok got it

[teejk]

Originally Posted by prskier17

Yes.... the white flag I ordered a starter last night and matched the numbers I found on a chart here so hopefully it's right. 10 seconds and wait.... ok got it

I was waving the white flag at Roland...he was right, I was wrong (that's the norm since I really don't know what I am doing).

Consider it one of those learning moments (I seem to learn better when the fix costs more). Looking back, you think it was the jumper cable thing? I have 2 battery chargers each able to ramp up to "start" but when I use them on the Cub I only do it for a few seconds if at all...

make sure you get that ground cable shiny before you install that new starter (along with the mounting surface)! and while you wait for the UPS guy, may as well pull the other end of that cable and clean that up also. I guess it's a thing with the QuietLines and the rubber engine mounts that requires a 2 stage ground (battery to frame, engine to frame).

[prskier17]

Thanks for the advice.... will do!