Starter Problems

[BGONE]

I have a 2001 workhorse st 350, EH35C robins engine, no ac, power steering, locks or windows....... Seriously though I had my cart at our farm working and all the roads were wet and muddy I drove though a watery mud hole not fast just normal driving and it stared to cut out almost died, I think I have solved that problem, the rubber hose on top of the carb that connects to the engine I think its like a pcv, oh well that had a big crack in it by the carb so I taped it with black tape till I can get a new one. Now problem 2 I push on the gas pedal to start and the starter tries to turn but just whines if I pump the pedal a few times it will work. I can freely turn the engine over by hand and it runs fine after it starts. The battery is in good charge. This all started after the the mud hole, before that everything was fine. I also noticed that the fin for cooling the motor on the side is low to the ground if I run through water half way up on my tires it's going to be close to getting in the fin is that a problem? I just remembered I dont know if this has anything to do with my problem but I will thow it out there, every once in a while while driving it will bog down and belch out so much smoke that if the wind is blowing right it will engulf the cart to where you can't see it, then it takes off and runs fine thats got me stumped also. I know I bounced around alot I hope you can make sense of this. If you guys could help me out with one or all of the problems I would really appreciate it. Thanks

[capthump1]

Pull the rubbers off the starter and check your brushes, probably just worn down. They're easy to replace.You can order them same time you order your hose. I don't know about your smoking issue, but I had trouble with my workhorse starting and bogging down, I found a plug wire arcing to the exhaust manifold.

[BGONE]

Thanks for the info capthump I'm not sure what rubbers your talking about for checking the brushes. I check the workhorse parts manual on this site but I will have to compair it to the starter on my cart to make sense of it. Let me ask you this do you think water could have gotten in the starter? It looks like a good sealed unit. It's just funny that it started acting up after I went through the mud and water.

I did find that my plug wire at the plug had some metal showing so I taped that up as well. New plug wires will be installed also. As far as the smoke do you think it could have been shorting out and misfireing that cylinder. Maybe that was the problem for the smoke, I could only hope it would be that easy.

Does anyone know if it hurts the engine if water gets high enough to reach the cooling fin? It definetly looks like something you would have to watch with mud since the right rear tire is right there by it.

[capthump1]

The rubbers are on the opposite side from the pulley. They go over the brushes 'they are approx. 1" square black rubber, only rubber on the starter. Maybe your starter was turning but slipping on a wet/loose belt??? As far as the water reaching the cooling fin, I'm not sure what you mean. Do you me the flywheel, cooling fan? If so I don't think getting itwet would hurt it but repeated SUBMERSION is not advised! As far as the smoke, I just don't know, you'll see after you replace the plug wires. Keep us posted.

[BGONE]

I will check the brushes hopfully tomorrow. The pulley attempts to turn but it does not slip, it really did not get all that wet. I will let you all know as soon as I check the brushes. Thanks again