L1501DT starter solenoid or Magnetic Switch

[Sherwood01]

Rats made a nest of my wiring and shorted the solenoid. I have rebuilt the harness and it works , but I can not find a solenoid suitable for the starter motor. I live in Australia, which means o'seas postage is quite steep. Can the solenoid be fixed? If yes, are there any good guides for dummies like me? Otherwise, is there another starter motor inclusive of solenoid that would fit the L1501DT?

 

[GeoHorn]

Solenoids are electro-mechanical devices made by humans…so can be duplicated if not hammered.
Take it apart carefully…. take photos…. Use shellacked wires to replicate the coil the same number of windings. (I did this on a Honda starter as a broke high school kid…so if you’re too young to know better… go for it.)

Are you in or near a large city? …one with a starter or electrical re-build shop..? (Yeah, ..I know… the world has become a throw-away society and “mechanics” have become “parts-replacers” instead of repairmen…). Don’t be afraid to try. Just a word of caution: Be CERTAIN the solenoid is the problem before taking it apart. Remove it from the motor…. attempt to actuate it with proper polarity DC current to see if it’s the coil/armature…or if it’s the slider… or if it’s merely a broken contact.
YOu’ve nothing to lose by trying if it’s already non-working.

Good luck.

 

[Sherwood01]

Thanks for the feedback. I've tested the solenoid as per the L185 workshop manual and it is definitely defunct, so I'll take it apart as per your suggestion taking plenty of pics and using shellacked wire. We live remotely with a medium village some 50 km away and approx. 500 km from the nearest city. We do have an auto electrician in the village kept very busy with rat associated electrical problems. He too has become a parts replacer but is of a coil rewinding vintage. I'll give him another try as well. Thanks again.
No suggestions on an easy to follow repair guide?

 

[GeoHorn]

I didn’t have YouTube when I was a kid back in the ‘60s… so I had to get infamous in other ways… LOL…. but, It’s always gratifying to find You Tube has plenty of adventurists online… A simple “Google” of “How to repair a starter solenoid” gives several examples:

UNdoubtedly, the Kubota solenoid has similarities… for example, the plunger likely actuates a sliding gear-engagement mechanism.. But if you carefully inspect as you disassemble you will be enabled to diagnose and devise a repair. (I don’t care for his “aluminum ring” in lieu of the “E”-clip, which I would have preferred…but …Hey! Each to his own!) The most likely problem is the contacts….and unless the solenoid has been overheated from excessively long starter operation without cooling-off periods… you may not have to re-wind the coil at all.
Good luck!…. and come back, post pics, and show us how you get along!

 

[jaxs]

Like GeoHorn I had to improvise or rob my piggy bank to buy parts when I was a kid. Chevrolet solenoids had a similar contacts arrangement as video. What I always found was burnt/charred contacts ( those in video look fine to me) and I flipped them 90* or just cleaned them. The symptom of burnt contacts was having to click starter several times until it made contact.

 

[Sherwood01]

Great, thanks for all the info, gives me a lot to work with. I think it is a little more than contacts as the M or C threaded pole can be pushed all the way into the solenoid. I'll start taking it apart tonight and post the pics whether I can fix it or not. I have been able to find a working 2nd hand one which arrives later this week, so I've got nothing to loose. Thanks again.

 

[Sherwood01]

I took the cap off the solenoid body last night and attempted to remove the coil, plunger and spring by screwing appropriate bolts into the body fastening threaded holes. The bolts moved into the holes without problems, but the coil did not move. I only noticed then that the coil plate is held in place by the return crimp of the solenoid body fixing the plate well and truly in place. Judging by the thickness of the body metal it seems to be machine pressure crimped and cannot be uncrimped. I have consequently destroyed the coil with the bolts. Just as well there is one coming in tomorrow. I'll let you know how it starts after fitting.

 

[GeoHorn]

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[Sherwood01]

Fitted the solenoid and tractor starts as new. Learned again not to act before I look and that some solenoids are built only to be replaced and not repaired. Thanks for your guidance and help GeoHorn and Jaxs. All the best.