[Scuter83]

So I have a 1973 John Deere 110 with the K241a8 engine. I recently rebuilt the starter and got the tractor to fire up about 1-2 weeks ago.

Today I went to fire up the tractor to clear my driveway ( I live in Michigan and use it as a snow blower as well as lawn mower). I have always struggled a little to get it to fire up in the cold, but starter fluid and playing around with choke/throttle settings allowed me to get it fired up.

I cannot get the engine to fire up. I have checked the following:

1) New spark plug. I verified I have spark by grounding the plug to the engine and seeing spark while cranking.

2) I have tried to spray starting fluid in the cylinder as well as in the carb and cannot get any bang to happen.

3) I checked compression at cranking speed and got 0 on the gauge but understand compression on a k241 at cranking speed isn't a good test.

4) With a trickle charger on the battery and cranking, I see 12-13V which quickly drops to 10V while cranking.

I am stumped at this point as to what to check. I keep thinking the spark must not be strong enough to fire up, or I somehow lost compression?

The fact that there is not even one fire on starter fluid has me thinking either the valve(s) are stuck or there truly is no compression. Just odd it fired up after the starter rebuild in probably 35-40F weather, and now in 25F weather I get nothing.

Any help is greatly appreciated (please help get my wife off my back for having a tractor that is 50 years old and doesn't work, lol).

 

[Chaser]

Welcome to JD Fanatics.
Can you turn the engine over by hand?

 

[tsb3]

I would add to Chaser’s question, can you turn it over by hand with the spark plug in it?
Are you getting fuel to the carb?
I agree it is odd that you didn’t get anything with starting fluid.

 

[Scuter83]

I haven't tried to turn it by hand but it is spinning with the starter. The fuel I believe is getting to the carb/engine because before I changed plugs the old plug would come out wet.

I figured either I have no compression for real (guessing intake valve since the engine won't run on starter fluid when sprayed in the carb), or weak spark that won't light stuff off.

 

[truck21]

If your plug is coming out wet you're not getting enough fire. I would start with a new condenser. Also make sure your points are clean and gapped properly.

 

[Kster526]

DITTO !!!!!!!

 

[Scuter83]

So I put in a new coil and coil wire today. Got it to spin over once and pop on starter fluid. Put the fuel tank back on and now it just clicks.

Bought a new battery since this one has been drained a bunch of times. Still just clicks.

Does anyone know where to order a starter for a k241a8? The last starter I got from DB Electrical didn't match exactly to what I removed. The spacing of the spur gear was off and the bolt holes in the starter weren't big enough to accept the stock bolts. Trying to order a starter that will work once this time.

 

[tsb3]

I would check the ignition switch and starter solenoid first before buying a starter. If you have a voltage tester, check battery voltage, if good (12+) then check the voltage on the stud that has the positive cable from the battery attached. If 12+ volts there, then check the small wire on the starter solenoid (the wire coming from the ignition switch) while holding the key in the start position, making sure you have proper voltage there. Then do the same but on stud/cable going from solenoid to the starter. If you have proper voltage on the stud/cable going to the starter then the ignition switch and solenoid should be good. Then the problem is either the starter cable or the starter itself. If you don’t have good voltage on the small wire with the key in the start position then there are a couple safety switches between the switch and solenoid to check.
These are simple test that can be performed faster then the time it took me to type this. 😁

 

[Scuter83]

I took the starter off and used jumper cables to try to get it to spin and no luck. I am in the market for a starter or a rebuild of my starter.

 

[tsb3]

^^^^^ You didn’t give that info.
Rebuild kits are not that expensive and the rebuild is not very difficult.

 

[Scuter83]

I have already out new brushes and springs in this starter. Fixed it for a few cranking attempts but ultimately didn’t fix all the issues.

 

[truck21]

Look for a starter and alternator repair shop near you. We've got one here in Lancaster PA that does a great job.

 

[Scuter83]

It appears the magnets on the case have started to fall off.....

 

[Scuter83]

Got the starter rebuilt, put on a new coil and spark plug wire. Tractor fired up and is alive again.

I still have a new condenser and points, but have to remove the muffler to get to the points cover. Muffler removal requires me removing the front grill surround/hood and don't feel like going through with that right now.