Craftsman snow-blower/thrower:

14 years ago

I have a relativly late model of Craftsman snow thrower/ blower, and it is giving me troubles-many. It came as a gift, with problems.

First off, the starter made a terrible screeching noise, and it wore the teeth off the pinion gear, the one that meshes with the flywheel! So, i replaced the gear, and all was well, or so i thought. It was used all last winter, and performed well.

Now, upon inspecting the machine, i found that the mounting plate, that holds starter onto the block, had broken loose from the starter housing! It was held together by 4 teeny spot welds, and they all broke off!

So, we removed the innards of the starter, spot welded the mounting plate to the starter shell, on the old marks, reinstalled the innards, bench tested the starter, and it all was goot! Or, so we thought---I went there yesterday, installed the starter, plugged in the 110 voltage plug, pressed the starter button, and HOLY-COW!! It was back to square one, screeching and not starting, nor turning the crankshaft. BL,BL,BL!

I can start it using the hand-pull rope, with no problem.

Previously, i had been told, by someone who knew the score, that the upper lugs on the starter were made in a u-shape where the top bolts go in, but the bottom holes were just drilled into and thru the lower attachment plate. It was said that they did that so any mechanic wouldn't have to remove the fuel tank, etc., to take off the starter.

So, i called Sears night-line, and told the guy my problem. He listened for several minutes, then hung up on me! Some night line help!

Now, i know that the purists on this forum will demand that i furnish all of the numbers on the machine. I would, but that would entail a drive of ten miles or so, and the guy isn't home today. I just need a simple solution of how to fix it, without blowing my mind! Thanks for letting me carp! Rusty J. ps: I'm going to check my books to see if i have the numbers from the previous fix.

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Comments (9)

tomplum
14 years ago
Does it seem like the drive was slipping? I think they use a rubber friction plate.
dr_mike
14 years ago
when you welded it, the started distorted enough where it was no longer aligning properly hence the screeching. even the electric start is nice, i would forgo the device and just hand start it. otherwise, you will need to replace the starter again. all of these starters are assembled the same way, with just a few tack welds.
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rcbe
14 years ago
Dr. mike - you'd best re-read what Rusty did before/after spotwelding. If the starter was gonna screech because of a warped case due to spotweld heat, it would have shown up on the bench test.
I favor Tom's theory.
dr_mike
14 years ago
when i mentioned that it could be warped a little i meant the way it mounted to the engine block. if the gears do not mesh right it will screeck and eat the gears. that plate is the key to the alignment.
i have been a tech for over 20 years so i have seen it before.
rustyj14
Original Author
14 years ago
Yes, i hsve seen it before--on this very starter. Previously, like last year at this time, the very same thing happened to it, and it screecched when applying the start button. I did finally get it fixed and working, but this year, the spot welds that hold the mtg. plate to the starter broke apart.
Normally, both sides of the mounting plate had closed, round holes on both sides of the plate, and the bolts would stay tight. They had worked loose, is what gave me the trouble last winter. This year, the top holes in the mounting plate didn't have closed edge holes, and the bolts worked loose, until the starter body fell off the mounting plate, as described above.
I was told that the top holes were slotted to be open around 20 degrees of the top holes, sort of U-shaped instead of being closed loops. This was so an uneducated fixer at Sears could remove the 2 bottom bolts, and slide the starter bracket and starter down and off, and the mechanic wouldn't have to remove the gas tank, or anything else in the way. Top bolts are phillipps type holes in the heads.. Not eggzactly good for tightening the bolts.Bottoms have hex heads. Bottom holes are aligned right.
rustyj14
Original Author
14 years ago
To all: I posted a better explanation of the troubles i encountered with this starter, in another section here. And also, how to fix it, and what could have caused it, in the first place. Hard to believe, but the man who gave me the info is a lawn equipment fixer/seller.
rustyj14
Original Author
14 years ago
And then, we have this: The geared plate, behind the starter gear, sort of a hat shaped thing which spins up to push the gear into contact with the flywheel, using a rubber washer, is what i have now found to be the problem. So, i just oredered a new one today. Hopefully it will fix the problem. OI! Such a beesiness! RJ
rustyj14
Original Author
14 years ago
And, yes, Tomplum guessed it correctly! The rubber friction thing in the starter bendix drive has come loose from the gear that contacts the flywheel gear. That was replaced last fall about this time. And, i bought it from a reputable shop where i buy all of my parts.
Rusty
rustyj14
Original Author
14 years ago
Well, today we found the problem, and fixed it, and it works great!
Turned out the starter gear wasn't going into the flywheel ring gear far enough. So, we shimmed out the other end of the starter motor-away from the flywheel end, and it now starts and runs with no screeching! Only took a flat washer under the bottom rear bolt/flange. And, the pinion gear goes into the flywheel teeth just right! And it works!