Hard to start 149

[bwstevens]

I put a battery in my 149 today and all it wants to do is kick and smoke when I crank it. Has anyone here used one of the new starter generators ? I am going to take it off and clean this one up to see if I can get more out of it. It does charge when it last run.

 

[lhinds]

Check your ground cable where it bolts to frame and to generator.

 

[mgwin]

Be careful how you "clean" it up. It is normal for it to run/turn over slow while cranking the cub. And do not get rid of it. It is probably worth more broke than a new one. It can easily be rebuilt at a reputable alternator shop.

 

[rfunk]

Is this **just** after replacing the battery? If it started ok with boosting it before you replaced the battery, I agree with the connections being suspect. If it was doing it before, even with boosting, the timing is suspect. It is hard to see the timing marks behind the starter-generator. I took mine off so I could see clearly. Then follow the timing instructions in the manual (you do have a copy of all the manuals, don't you?) A test light or "buzz" setting on a multimeter helps. I noticed that the timing always shifted after I tightened down the points. (The points shift slightly as you tighten them.) My solution was to get it close, then tighten down, and final, fine adjustment by bending the fixed contact slightly. PERFECT. I had had to bend the points arm anyway, as the contact surfaces were not making clean, square contact.
My $0.02, from my experience with my own 149.

 

[kharvey]

Run a separate ground wire from the battery to the engine block. I have found this helps cranking on my 149.

 

[bwstevens]

Success ! The non charging starter generator off my model 72 starts the 149 just fine. I jumped straight to the starter with atleast 600 amps of battery yesterday. For the grounds both tractors have separate grounds to the starter as in factory wiring.

 

[bwstevens]

I had good luck turning the commutator on the generator that was gutless. the non charging generator as shown it the pics has a broken wire caused by the field wire being pinched under the generator frame. trust me the 7 horse really barks when the output dumps 30 plus amps .

 

[bwstevens]

I think that I will just replace the fields in this starter.