electric starter conversion

[morgan smith]

i am actually posting this for my dad who has an old cletrac E.  he is looking to convert it over to electric start, is there a parts suplier that sells rebuild starters for the hercules engine?  

he is also looking for any pictures showing where the battery was mounted on original electric start cletracs, pics of the starter, where wiring is routed, switches...etc  

his tractor was restored a few years back, so he is trying to keep it as correct as possible.  

thanks

[cdeshane]

i would also be very interested in doing this.  anybody have any ideas?

[John Schwiebert]

Do you have an E that is the streamlined model or the early unstreamlined version. Do you have any picture you are working with? Do you have a parts book?

[Blake Malkamaki]

I believe my newer E has a gear reduction starter on it.

[morgan smith]

i believe its around a 1940 model, i dont have any pics of my fathers tractor right now.  

the books he has dont do a very good job of showing what anything looks like, thats why we are really looking for pics of battery mounting, and wiring routing.  

but these wont do any good, unless we figure out where to get a starter .  thanks

[R Fink]

I will tell you about what a friend of mine purchased. HE got a cleatrac W that had electric start on it the PO had found a flywheel ring that fit the standard fly wheel and pressed it on. made a bracket to mount the starter down under and to the front i think it was on the right side. It appeared to be a GM starter was 12 volt worked quite nice also would really spin the little 4 banger. I have not tryed this but think it would be easy to do just get ring and starter with matching tooth combination. Then press or weld it on.
R Fink

[cdeshane]

does the starter go to the back side of the governor, running off the same gear?
 
if so... it would be possible to machine a spare governor gear to fit a ford style starter motor.  the bolt patern is pretty close... might have to build an adapter plate, not sure if the rotation would be correct either.

just a thought

[Blake Malkamaki]

The starter on the E goes into the bell housing from the front, on the left side, behind the oil filter and under the air cleaner.

[cdeshane]

what goes on the back side of govenor housing?  has a tin inspection plate, 2 bolt holes.  

so inorder to put and electric starter on, one would have to located the starter, bellhousing, flywheel?  

how hard are these to crank over by hand, do they fire right off?  not like trying to kick over a harley in the winter is it?

[Blake Malkamaki]

If you have good fuel and spark, it should start on the 3rd or 4th quarter turn. Mine does. I like the idea of not having to buy or maintain a battery/charging/starting/ignition system!

It will start just fine in the middle of winter.

Make sure you always pull up on the crank 1/4 turn at a time and keep your thumb on the same side as your fingers. And never try to spin the engine.

[John Schwiebert]

Some of those older Hercules as well as other engine have a gear drive generator which is located there. I have not look at an OOC engine in a couple of years?