starter repair

[larry harding]

i'm kind of a jack of all trades (and master of none in particular), maybe someone can offer some advice... a friend brought me a starter of some sort of tractor to see if i can get it working good for him. ( it's not an A, but starters are all very simular) .the armature and brushes are good, but the cloth is rotted away on the field coils i've looked at a few you tube videos and seen a guy reinsulate field coils. my question is what are they using for the spiral 1/4" strip between the coils, and what is the cloth(?) tape being used to bind the coils? i can get the red spray from grainger and others but am stumped on the tape and strip. when i was young i was in electric motor shops regularly and watched the guys repair motors, but few motors are repairable today , and the old motor guys i knew are gone.

[BRENT in 10-uh-C]

Larry, search the web for Glass Cloth Electrical Tape. I use one that is Scotch brand, but there are others. I think I got mine from McMaster Carr.

[larry harding]

thanks.. i have seen or used the fiberglass tape some time in the past. i'm wondering what type of vinyl material they are cutting into the 1/4" strips o go between the layers off windings. the videos are from some third world country, good video but no verbal description of what is going on or the materials used.

[GRutter]

Are the field coils good, other that the wrap? The coils themselves are wound with an insulating enamel coating that can 'burn' and short if the starter overheats. With the ends of the field coils disconnected, use an ohm meter to check for any continuity to ground. If there is ANY reading to ground, you will need to replace the coils. Also, if you can test each field coil individually, the ohm reading of each coil should be the same. If there is a difference, it would indicate that the windings of the coil are shorted to each other, even if not shorted to ground.

[larry harding]

i've got the coils out and they look good except for the rotten rap material. the few (third world) videos i've seen look simple but a bit tedious to reinsulate the coils and of course i'll check for grounds and continunity as i go back together. the fiber glass tape i think is available at home depot, i'm just not sure what to use between the coil turns. it looks like some sort of thin vinyl cut into 1/4" strips. gasket paper maybe?

[Kurt in NJ]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

I have used strips of heavy duty file folders, sprayed with clear paint, for wrapping I have used strips of old sheets, resist using plastic bottle strips, they melt easy
The cloth strips use was told to me by the electric motor repair shop by the old guy that let me watch him, eventually he let me wind my own field coils on his machine
The file folders looked and felt like the insulation paper from the motor shop

[redmodelt]

I am hoping you have the tools to remove and install the poll shoe screws and reinstall then check for clearance without getting the case out of round? Have you or owner checked Yesterdays Tractor's or Steiner's to see if they have the starter? If you go ahead and wrap, you don't want to get the wrap too thick, it could interfere with the poll shoes from seating.

[larry harding]

the pole pieces that hold the coils in place came out easily. i have an extra wide bit for my impact driver had the guy hold the housing while i hit the driver a couple of times, the old insulation between the coil passes looks thin paper. i may try to find out what tractor this fits , if the coils aren't too expensive that might more practical than repairing these.

[larry harding]

thanks for all the suggestions. i found out today the starter is from an aiils c. g model. im did a little searching and found i can get a rebuild kit... field coils,brushes, brush springs, and one end bushing for around $60.00. i wouldn do all the work on the old coils for that amount of money. i'll probably coat the new coils before installing them

[nkaminar]

Larry, one trick for getting the screws out and getting them back in tight is to use a C clamp or two to clamp the pole pieces against the case. It will not distort the case. Replace the screws if you can.