1970 GT14 Resto

[BigRedGrizzly 229]

Pic update.. 

[Horse46 519]

Hey BRG nice resto, I missed this one somehow, looks real nice.

[ztnoo 2,302]

Man, you've got that project in overdrive and are really rolling along!

Looking Good!

 

[BigRedGrizzly 229]

Thanks guys. It's a lot of fun doing these restos. I get such a great feeling of accomplishment when they are done. I really enjoy showing them to people who are interested and can appreciate the time

and work that goes into making them great again.  When this one is done I'm going to sit in my driveway and stare at for awhile while sipping on a few beers. Hopefully with a good friend. 

[BigRedGrizzly 229]

Hi Fellas... I can't seem to recall the proper choke routing on the GT14. 

 

 

[BigRedGrizzly 229]

Ok... I figured it out. I am missing a bracket. I think I'm going to make one. 

[BigRedGrizzly 229]

Hi guys... Quick photo update here.  I've been slowly replacing the nuts and bolts with a stainless steel version. Except for the high grade bolts which I will do eventually as well. I've got everything on the engine hooked up. Fuel lines, throttle, choke... Still have a bit of wiring to go. But.. It's starting to look like a tractor again... 

I hope to be giving it start up some day week. 

 

Edited August 7, 2016 by BigRedGrizzly

[Tuneup 1,452]

Vacationing once every 10 years last week in California fighting the Priuses and there are so many! I was wondering how this project was coming along and great to see so much progress. It took me a year to get mine in shape. Great job! You must be crazy to just get it started. Mine was just a frame an engine when I stuck the fuel line in a can and broke it in. Do it!

[BigRedGrizzly 229]

Hi all... No progress.  It's too hot here in, NJ.  Taking a week off then getting back at it. 

[Tuneup 1,452]

Providing a bump here, BRG, to keep you focused.

[BigRedGrizzly 229]

59 minutes ago, Tuneup said:

Providing a bump here, BRG, to keep you focused.

Thanks, Tuneup. Been on vacation admiring the really big Toro mowers..

also been watching the youngsters cruising around on those little 49cc 2 stroke scooters. It's amazing to me they are able to get them up to 50MPH. Probably wouldn't go that fast with my fat a$$ on it. Anyway... Now I want one of those to tinker with also. I understand theses Genuine Brand scooters are pretty good for the money. Little over 2G's out the door. I'd love to find a used Genuine Roughhouse R50 I can fix up. I'd love to cruise it around the neighborhood. Here is a pic of one. 

 

In regards to the tractor, I'm looking forward to getting back to work on it. I expect to make some very good progress this weekend. The weather is looking really comfortable here. I had the battery on the trickle charger all week so I'm hoping to get it fired up this weekend. 

 

[ACman 7,684]

It's a little late , but instead of a weld ,fab shop for your braces . Try a body shop or HVAC contractor (if they don't build their own duct work they'll know of a good metal shop) . Great resto by the way   .

 

 I had a 84 Honda Spree when I was a kid . Road that thing everywhere . 

[BigRedGrizzly 229]

Morning Fellas... I'm back from vacation and have just about ready to button up this GT14. One problem though. I can't get it to start... 

Electrical is not my area of strength so I'm looking for some guidance. So far I have been able to track the issue down to my starter. I think. Battery is fully charged connections appear to be correct. When I turn the key to engage the spring loaded starter position I have power leaving the solenoid and going all the way to the starter. However, this is where the power seems to end and my troubles begin. The starter makes absolutely no sounds at all. No clicking which is sometimes heard. Anybody have any guidance or suggestions? 

 

[BigRedGrizzly 229]

 

[Aldon 4,832]

IMO, if you have voltage to starter and nothing is happening at starter, its either you have insulated the starter from Ground with paint so it cant complete circuit of you have a bad starter.

 

[ztnoo 2,302]

Ditto to Aldon's comment.

Make sure the body of the starter is grounded.

If it is, and you then apply voltage, and nothing happens....its probably the starter itself.

 

Sometimes an armature will have a "dead spot" or intermittent in it and needs to be "rapped" or 'jarred" to move it enough to flow voltage.

I had to do some crawling on the ground to rap on a couple of truck starters in my time.

Being a carpenter, I had a selection of hammers ranging from tack hammers to 12# sledges.

My favorite one for such duty was one of my long handled 28 oz. Estwing framing hammers with a machined cross hatch face.

Worked almost every time I had a starter than wouldn't engage.

Might try a couple of raps with the key on......

Edited August 29, 2016 by ztnoo

[oldredrider 2,553]

You don't fix electrical problems with hammers. 

Pull the starter off the tractor and make sure the mounting points are paint/rust free. While it's off, put it on your work bench and hook up a set of jumper cables to it to see if it runs. If not, take it apart and clean it up; check the brush connections. If that's above your confidence level,   just replace the starter.

[953 nut 63,672]

Have you tried moving the ground cable coming from the battery negative to one of the starter bolts?

[ztnoo 2,302]

1 hour ago, oldredrider said:

You don't fix electrical problems with hammers.

Pardonnez-moi , M. ,

Well, if you don't believe that, you've never had a truck that ran when you shut it off, had a good battery, and had fuel in the tank.

YOU may consider that solution "bullhockey", but if you have never been by yourself in that situation out in the boondocks, before cell phones and other digital personal devices, and had a starting problem......
I guarantee you it saved my ass a few times.

What is the investment to try that??? Your time only.

C'est la vie......................

Have Hammer Will Start

 

Edited August 29, 2016 by ztnoo

[oldredrider 2,553]

BRG isn't out in the woods with a truck that won't start and only a hammer for a friend.

You didn't FIX your problem, you found a work around.

[ztnoo 2,302]

Finding immediate solutions to any problem confronting you is what life is all about.

I'll find my immediate solutions as best I can.

Fortunately, during my lifetime, they have worked a lot more times than not.

There's (usually) no penalty for being creative, particularly when the situation demands innovation, out of the box thinking, and use of available resources.

 

Maybe its a matter of perception more than anything else................

[BigRedGrizzly 229]

Ok Fellas...  I did some tests using the information below. 

 

Tried tapping on the starter with and without the key turned. Nothing.  I checked the grounds from the battery and from the solenoid just to be sure there was nothing there. Here's a couple pics. I learned the solenoid is grounded by being mounted to the frame. Apparently the starter works the same way.  Here's a couple pics. 

This is a pic of the engine where the starter mounts. I thought that it was possibly dirty enough to prevent the ground. 

Before I removed the starter I tried to jump it by bypassing the solenoid and

going from the positive terminal on the battery to the starter. Nothing. So I removed the starter hooked to my trickle charger to see if. I could get any movement. Got nothing. 

I may biting the bullet and getting a new starter. At this point I clearly need a new rectifier. I understand I can use a 15Amp rectifier to replace the 10Amp that came on the K321. I read this in another thread where someone else is having the same issue I am. The rectifier is affordable. But the starter....Holy crap! $200.00. I paid $500 for the entire tractor. So.. I'm basically looking at $250. That is steep. 

I'm nervous about buying a crappy starter off eBay. I don't want to go down this road again. I think www.isavetractors.com is pretty reliable has pretty good parts. 

I'm going to sleep on it tonight. 

 

 

Edited August 29, 2016 by BigRedGrizzly

[oldredrider 2,553]

A trickle charger probably doesn't produce enough amps to spin the starter. Try hooking a good battery up to the starter. 

Starters can be had for much less than $200. It pays to do some searching or post a wanted ad in the classified. 

[BigRedGrizzly 229]

Ok. Good to know regarding the trickle charger. I'll go test it now. 

Ok. Just got back inside. See the vid. 

 

[ztnoo 2,302]

Check the specific gravity of your battery.

It may not be charging well or holding a charge for long.

Got to have enough amps available to spin the resource absorbing starter.