My first starter-generator. Is it loud?

[Bar Nuthin 3,235]

This is my first tractor with a generator. It starts and charges good, but I'm wondering how quiet it should be.

In my opinion, it is whining more than it should (if at all).

Also, there seems to be some noise from the belt slapping the guard. I tightened the belt, but it still seems make some noise and there a black streak at the top side of the guard on the inside.

Should there be any belt slap at all? Maybe the guard is just misaligned slightly?

 

Ideally, it would be pretty quiet, but maybe I'm just wishing.

 

I'm not sure if I can pick the sound up on a video, but I'll give it a try tomorrow.

Edited 20 hours ago by Bar Nuthin

[pfrederi 21,150]

Does the guard get hot at the the area that has the black mark.  Belt may rub on the guard can take some work to get  the guard away from the belt.Things get bent misaligned over the years

[WHX?? 58,125]

22 minutes ago, Bar Nuthin said:

it is whining more than it should

Yep bad bearing if whining at all. Sometimes it will go away but then come back or I have had them whine ... go away then not come back. Strange had them that  were not noisy when put away for winter but then whine when comes out. 

Easy enough to replace but be ready for black fingers when you open them up. Or wear gloves. Real common 6302 or  ....crs ...6203 bearing. Get them on fleabay then do the Greasy Pete repack.  Need any help I done zillions of them. Bulk of my tractors are SGs. 

 

Yeah belt guards are notorious for coming loose and rattlin around. Watch for pully burn marks too. Mostly on the SG. 

Edited 20 hours ago by WHX??

[wallfish 20,618]

 to both of those posts. 

Any black powder from any belt is rubbing. Not sure what you mean by "black streak" but assuming it's belt powder.

No belt slap on a SG. It's short enough and should be tight enough to be like a guitar string. Tweaking the guard position should solve any rubbing or you have the wrong belt. I prefer the 31.5" x 3/8 raw edge cog belts  for the K181s. Something like this

https://www.ebay.com/itm/200779063408?

[Bar Nuthin 3,235]

25 minutes ago, pfrederi said:

Does the guard get hot at the the area that has the black mark.

Yep. Looking at it again, where it gets warm and has black streak on the inside - I just noticed that the paint is slightly discolored on the outside.

 

22 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

Yep bad bearing if whining at all.

That actually makes me feel better. Rather find a noise I can fix, rather than one I would just have to live with.

[Bar Nuthin 3,235]

2 minutes ago, wallfish said:

I prefer the 31.5" x 3/8 raw edge cog belts  for the K181

 

Pretty sure what is on it currently is 1/2". I'll have to check the length tomorrow. It's a K161.

[wallfish 20,618]

6 minutes ago, Bar Nuthin said:

 

Pretty sure what is on it currently is 1/2". I'll have to check the length tomorrow. It's a K161.

Should be the same as a 8

The belt should be pretty skinny and fit down inside of the groove of the pulleys. 3/8"

The cog belts grip tighter on the smaller generator pulley than a solid belt does. They should be raw edge too as you don't want any slipping of it

A 1/2 belt would cause the issues you have

Edited 19 hours ago by wallfish

[WHX?? 58,125]

8 minutes ago, Bar Nuthin said:

have to live with.

I have ran noisy SGs for a long time. Good intentions on fixing but then some other project pops up. then I hop on that tractor and mutter i really should fix that ... some day ... 

 'Fish is 100% 3/8. You ever order and get those belts John? Their almost given them away. Wasn't it @Sparky that paid way more for a NAPA? 

 I'm always leary about ordering/getting belts online. never seem to get the right one. 

[wallfish 20,618]

7 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

I have ran noisy SGs for a long time.

Me too. Got one now that makes noise on a 855 but starts right up, generates and just keeps on going. I'll change those SG bearings when it finally needs the engine pulled which I thought would've been 2-3 years ago. Sh** like that don't bother me

[Bar Nuthin 3,235]

12 minutes ago, wallfish said:

I'll change those SG bearings when it finally needs the engine pulled

 

The whole tractor will likely be coming apart this winter, so maybe I'll save that project until then.

 

  I made the mistake of telling my wife I was getting a tractor like this one.              And came home with this one. I've yet to convince her that patina is awesome 

            

 

 

[wallfish 20,618]

5 minutes ago, Bar Nuthin said:

I've yet to convince her that patina is awesome 

Tell her to pull it all apart and do all the work to make it "pretty" , suddenly she'll agree that patina is pretty too! LOL

[Bar Nuthin 3,235]

5 minutes ago, wallfish said:

Tell her to pull it all apart and do all the work to make it "pretty"

 

Are you kidding?  She'd have it decorated with flowers and have pumpkin spice scent coming out of the exhaust! 

It was torture enough letting her decorate my tractors for Independence Day!

 

Edited 18 hours ago by Bar Nuthin

[wallfish 20,618]

4 minutes ago, Bar Nuthin said:

 

Are you kidding?  She'd have it decorated with flowers and have pumpkin spice scent coming out of the exhaust! 

Well, at least she'd be busy doing that instead of telling you how to do other stuff

[ri702bill 13,065]

The early Kohlers used on the 1961 to 1964ish S/G's have two ball bearings and two external oil cups. If yours has them, try a few drops of light oil and see if the whining stops.... that only works with the original bearings.

Those would have been an open style to allow the oil in - replacing them with modern double sealed bearings make the oil cups just an ornament of the past,

The post 1965ish models use one ball bearing at the pulley end and a bronze bushing at the other....

Almost always, the noise is coming from the bearing at the pulley end. Use a Mechanic's stethoscope to verify....

Ditto on the 3/8 x 31.5 raw edge cogged belt. That is the one you want. Install a new one, run it a few hours and re-adjust (tighten) after the side edges settle in...

Edited 11 hours ago by ri702bill

[953 nut 69,303]

9 hours ago, Bar Nuthin said:

whole tractor will likely be coming apart this winter, so maybe I'll save that project until then.

May as well plan on replacing the brushes while you have it apart, has several vendors selling kits with bearings, bushings, brushes and springs for under $ 30.00.

[WHX?? 58,125]

10 hours ago, Bar Nuthin said:

telling my wife I was getting a tractor like this one. 

And sending the show HLs to WHX ... oh that's right I don't have one like that ... yet ... but when I do... 

 

2 hours ago, ri702bill said:

a bronze bushing at the other....

I have yet to pull one that had a bushing yet still had oiler cups. Very seldom had to replace brushes Richard 

 

2 hours ago, ri702bill said:

Use a Mechanic's stethoscope to verify....

Doesn't matter you have to perform surgery both are gonna get replaced. I really should do that SG instructional some day ... along with fuel pumps.  

 

Pics for motivation Bar. Note the black fingers ... dummy was too dumb to were gloves ... 

[Bar Nuthin 3,235]

2 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

I really should do that SG instructional some day

Your photos speak a thousand words! Thanks!

[ri702bill 13,065]

It is extremely important to undercut the mica on the armature, but must be done carefully.

It not only removes the brush carbon that can short 2 adjacent contact pads, but gives room for more!

[WHX?? 58,125]

3 minutes ago, Bar Nuthin said:

Your photos speak a thousand words! Thanks!

Your ... evidently I have the pics to do that instructional! 

[squonk 48,125]

 

 

 

I have several pieces of cardboard that look just like that! 

 

 

 

[Bar Nuthin 3,235]

3 hours ago, squonk said:

 

 

 

I have several pieces of cardboard that look just like that! 

 

Could be the start of a whole new thread. "Show us your Cardboard" - subcategories "paint silhouettes" and "grease and oil catchers" 

    

Edited 4 hours ago by Bar Nuthin

[953 nut 69,303]

2 hours ago, WHX?? said:

I really should do that SG instructional some day

You already have most of the pictures, all you need is a brief explanation of what to do and the pitfalls (like dirty hands) to avoid.  

[Bar Nuthin 3,235]

16 hours ago, pfrederi said:

Does the guard get hot at the the area that has the black mark.  Belt may rub on the guard can take some work to get  the guard away from the belt.Things get bent misaligned over the years

 

The front tab seems to be the one holding the guard too low.

Proceeding cautiously so I don't f**k it up.

  

[ri702bill 13,065]

If you remove the guard (for test purpose only) is it still loud??

[squonk 48,125]

Looks like you were spray painting a white  bikini on somebody!