ST 400 starting issues

[zimm]

Thank you so much - that advice AND the picture to help - you are awesome!! My weekend mechanic (fiance') will be here this weekend and he can check into that. He is a pretty good detective and mechanic but he has not had time to check it out. The weather should be a bit better this weekend to get a chance to figure it out. THANKS AGAIN!!

[zimm]

Originally Posted by Spicyunicorn

Sounds like brushes pull the rubber cap off the starter and if the brush is below the holder it's time to replace the picture has brand new brushes and shows how high new ones sit above the holder

Brushes - I don't see no stinking brushes!!! Completely worn down - so your suspicions seem to be correct. There is nothing sitting higher than the holder. I guess it is a miracle it was starting at all. So we will take to a starter repair guy who is an acquaintance. Hopefully this will be the only problem.

This has been a GREAT little golf cart - virtually no trouble with it since it was purchased in 2004. A little dirty carberator at one time......and it does not get very good care so I have no complaints.

Thank you again!!

[Spicyunicorn]

They are simply to replace the hardest part is getting the starter out of the cart we can walk you through it the brushes are only $10

[zimm]

Originally Posted by Spicyunicorn

They are simply to replace the hardest part is getting the starter out of the cart we can walk you through it the brushes are only $10

That would be awesome! As I said, we have already removed the starter so if that is the hard part we are good to go. I talked to my fiance' (he lives 80 miles away) and he said go ahead and order the brushes and he would try that. As I said before, he can do lots of things and has the logic to do properly, he has just never done this before.

I saw several brushes sets on amazon or ebay so I will go back and order some, then will get back on here when we get the parts and go from there if he can't figure it out.

I had used the Ford Truck Enthusiast's forum before - this one is as good or better and it is wonderful to have this kind of support - kudos to this group!! Now, in return, if you need to know anything about raising or showing goats, baking bread, making quilts, laying vinyl floor tile - ask me,!

[Spicyunicorn]

It's simple there should be two bolts on the back side (opposite of pull) I think they are 8 or 10mm bolts pull them out they will be long then remove the cap and you will see the four brushes each one is connected with a Phillips head screw some times they can be a paid to get out just be careful not to broke anything it strip it out slide the new ones in and reconnect them this video explains it a little bit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWb1JF-kvlU

[kgsc]

Depends on which starter so find that out first. Hitachi or AMD and use different brushes

[zimm]

Originally Posted by Spicyunicorn

They are simply to replace the hardest part is getting the starter out of the cart we can walk you through it the brushes are only $10

HALLELUJAH!!! That little package of brushes for $ 12 from Amazon, a little bit of work installing them and cleaning the innards of the starter/generator and the workhorse is back to it's intended job - my feed buggy!

Thank you so very much for the advice and encouragement - and you were right, it was easy once we got the starter out of the cart.

We had one little setback - everything was put back together, turned on the key, hit the gas pedal.........and NOTHING. Started checking voltages, wires, etc. - found a connector broken in a wire, got that repaired and all is well. So quick to turn over and start now, like new.

Thanks again, your help is much appreciated and saved us a bunch of $!!

[zimm]

Originally Posted by kgsc

Depends on which starter so find that out first. Hitachi or AMD and use different brushes

Thanks for this information, although I didn't see your post until tonight after all is repaired.

Through the years I have learned to not only check part numbers, but to check for the make and model that those parts are made to repair (oops, I think I just admitted I have a few years on me, lol). My starter/gen is a Hitachi, and it was listed in the makes for that part number.

Our only glitch is that the first order only had 3 brushes in the package - they arrived Wed. afternoon. I contacted Amazon Wed evening and they said to give the seller 48 hrs. to respond. Heck, I wanted my parts by Friday so since they are cheap I ordered a second package that arrived on Friday and placed a return request for the package of 3. They will be shipped back tomorrow.

[kgsc]

Glad you got it running. The Hitachi starter is much easier to work with and the brushes are cheap. AMDs are like $65 for the set and involves a new harness and routing of wire. From what I have seen the AMD has more torque than the Hitachi but in your case the Robbins twin doesn't need that much umph. The new Kawasaki 400 doesn't like the smaller of the two..

Now get to feeding, you got hungry animals