M18 Starter in 1810

[Club Cadet]

The starter in my 1810 was getting tired so I decided to replace it. Its a bit of a job on the 1810 cause you have to pull the motor to remove the fan shroud and access the starter bolts. I opted to go with an OEM starter due to the work required to access the starter on this machine. I ordered mine from OPE. You can see there is a bit of a difference between the old starter and the new one. At first I thought the black plastic cap was some type of packing material intended to protect the armature shaft. The black plastic cap is attached to the bendix gear and I was worried that the cap would hit the inside of the fan shroud when the starter was engaged with the flywheel. I called OPE and they confirmed that the cap was part of the starter. As a precaution I smoothed out the recess in the fan shroud with a grinder before reinstalling. Its hard to see in the crappy picture but there would have been enough room without grinding the fan shroud recess.

I thought I would pass this along to help the next guy. I do like the new design as the armature shaft is completed covered when the started is not engaged. This should help keep the inside of the bendix gear clean and sliding on the armature shaft for a long time.


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[Steve N Mi]

Did you check behind the flywheel, while the tins were off, to clean out any animal or insect nests and debris?

I've a new starter on hand (over 2 years now) for my 1872 #1 and I plan on peeking behind the flywheel when it gets installed. I have been getting by using a hammer and a piece of bar stock. In my case the starter is not weak (not yet anyway) but the ground connection where the starter is connected to the engine is weak. I would have to remove the tins to tighten the starter to the engine block, yup, pull the M18 to do that. The PO claimed he put a new starter in this tractor just prior to my buying it. I think he did but forgot to tighten it in place. I hadn't had the tractor long before I heard the arcing and saw the sparks at the battery lead to the starter. Had an 1/8" gap between the nut and battery cable sta-con. I thought it amazing the starter engaged at all but it did work for several months until it didn't. I tightened the battery lead and it worked again for maybe 6 months before I would periodically have to give it a BANG with the hammer. I don't recommend this type fix to anyone because delivering the BANG if done wrong could result in breaking or dis lodging a magnet/s and then the starter is ka-put, scrap.

[Club Cadet]

No I did not remove the flywheel this time.

I did a top end overhaul on this machine last winter and there was quite a bit of junk under the flywheel. I pulled the motor for the overhaul, again 50 machine hours later later to retorque the head bolts, and now to change the starter. I'm getting better at pulling this motor than I should be LOL

Its not a hard job - you can get to everything - it just take some time.

Good luck!

[R Bedell]

Yup, the starters on the M18/M20 can be a PITA. I did one this summer on my son's 2072.

[1711Cub]

The bendixes on these are a weak link.

[beancent]

If you take the starter side panel and tins off, you can access the starter bottom mounting nut with a socket, swivel and extention without lifting up your motor. Just did this to replace a starter on my 782 a few weeks ago.

[R Bedell]

Just did this to replace a starter on my 782 a few weeks ago.

The starter on a 782 (KT-17) is different, from the one on a 1810 (M-18).

[beancent]

My 782 has the M18 in it that I swapped in this past fall.

[ol'George]

Ya you can replace the starter without taking the engine out, but is is a pain in arse, BTDT.
Some universal joints/assorted extensions and maybe a special bent box wrench and small hands are a plus, -----and a lot of patience.
If one is easily annoyed, or in a hurry, it ain't gonna be fun.
Oh, and a magnet on aerial from an old transistor radio.

[1711Cub]

Originally Posted by R Bedell

The starter on a 782 (KT-17) is different, from the one on a 1810 (M-18).

They both are listed as either KH-52-098-03 or KH-52-098-12. I looked up a starter for a 1982 782 and a 1986 1811.