BOX1

BRed [RESOLVED] Won't turn over

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fmjnax

Active Member
Jan 9, 2021
59
107
33
Texas
Ownership

  1. Big Red
Last week I had to pull apart the rear crankcase cover to fix some issues with the shifter assembly. Got that fixed and the engine bolted back up. Put it back in the machine and tried to crank it up... just to find that it wouldn't turn over. The starter is good (and I tested another spare starter I had). Battery is good and charged. With the starter in the machine, when I turn the key the starter energizes but doesn't turn at all. Something between the starter and the internals is binding up. Pulling the spark plug doesn't help so I don't think it's compression/decompression. I didn't touch any of the start assembly when I was in there messing with the shifter assembly, but thought maybe something got out of place that I didn't notice.

I currently have the engine back out and the rear crankcase cover off. I can turn the flywheel with a wrench fine and seems normal there so I THINK the deeper internals are ok. The engine was running fine before I pulled it for the shift issue. With the reduction gear and the limiter in place (still with the cover off) and turning the flywheel, the driven gear isn't always turning with the flywheel. I'm not sure if that is normal or not. There was no metal in the oil and all gear teeth appear fine. Visually, the components appear to be alright.

I am about to take the flywheel off and start assessing that. I think I'll also remove the gears between the flywheel and the shift assembly to bench-test the start assembly to see if I can better pinpoint the location of the bind, but here I am looking to see if anyone has ideas while I have a few hours break.
 
F

fmjnax

Active Member
Jan 9, 2021
59
107
33
Texas
Ownership

  1. Big Red
I had other stuff come up and didn't get a chance to work on the machine until today, but I have found the issue. Totally human error. Apparently, when I reassembled after looking at the shift assembly, I accidentally put a washer on the starter reduction gear instead of on the reverse idle gear. I guess that extra 1mm of shim on the starter reduction gear was enough to cause some sort of meshing issues (or vice versa). Whoops! 🤣

Oops
 
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