# Electric start quit working. Spins but does nothing.



## Dorlow (Feb 9, 2013)

Well yesterday is the last day my electric start worked in my snow blower. The last thing I did is I hit a piece of wood that got lodged in the auger which stalled the engine. When it first happened, I didn't see it do I tried to start it again and I got it started and could engage the auger but then noticed I could smell rubber burning and so I shut it off. I then found the wood lodged in the auger. 

Well, I still smell some burning rubber on the snow blower, but everything works except the electric start and I can't figure out why anything rubber would have anything to do with the electric start.

A little bit ago, I took the electric starter off the snow blower and plugged it in and pushed the start button and the motor spins. When I put it back on the snow blower I can still push the button and I still hear the starter spin, but it doesn't turn over the engine.

Looking at the gears they look fine. The starters gear looks brand new and the gear on the flywheel looks fine in my opinion. If there was damage to the flywheel gear, it would make sense it would be all chipped up, missing teeth, inconsistent... But it looked fine, consistent gears and no chips. Starting it with the pull start would've moved the gear so using the electric start would be on different teeth. 

Also I was able to spin the flywheel gear by hand so its not stuck.

So it only makes sense to me that the starter is too far away from the flywheel gear. So it seems like my starter just needs to be closer. But I don't want to modify the bracket. I'd rather keep everything factory specs. 

FYI. The pull start works fine. It pulls and starts the engine.


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## bwdbrn1 (Nov 24, 2010)

When you had the starter off and tried it, did the gear jump out away from the motor and out towards the end of the shaft? Or did it just sort of sit there doing nothing?


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## td5771 (Feb 21, 2011)

sound like you need to lube the shaft the starter gear is on. as bwdbrn1 said when you hit the starter not only should it spin but it will extend the gear out or some starters pull the gear in closer to the starter.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

When you were running the starter when it was off the engine did the gear jump in and out on the end of the starter? When you engage the starter the gear should pop out and that is when it engages the flywheel. After the engine starts it pushes the gear back in. Maybe yours froze up and needs to be melted or oiled.


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## Dorlow (Feb 9, 2013)

Shryp said:


> When you were running the starter when it was off the engine did the gear jump in and out on the end of the starter? When you engage the starter the gear should pop out and that is when it engages the flywheel. After the engine starts it pushes the gear back in. Maybe yours froze up and needs to be melted or oiled.


Yeah, after posting this, I stopped at a hardware store that happened to fix snow blowers. I talked to the tech there and he told me to look for that. That was the problem. I took it back out and moved it around by hand loosening things up and it works again. Thanks.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

Glad it is fixed. Did you spray some oil or liquid wrench or something on it?


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## Dorlow (Feb 9, 2013)

Shryp said:


> Glad it is fixed. Did you spray some oil or liquid wrench or something on it?


No, should I have? I take it so seeing you mentioned it.


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## HCBPH (Mar 8, 2011)

I use a little white grease on mine. Yes you want the pinion on electric starters loose and lubricated so that the gear slides in and out easily. That's what has to happen to start your motor.


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## Shryp (Jan 1, 2011)

This appeared to be a double post with 2 separate threads of answers so I merged them together.

Glad everything is working again and even better when the fixes are free or cheap.


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