electric start on harbor freight 2.5 clone

[robbie]

It looks like the starter on my HF 2.5 horse clone is about finished. It doesn't like to retract any more. The stupid thing is made out of plastic anyway.....

I was thinking that it would be kind of cool to put an electric starter on this engine, rather than replacing the stock starter mechanism. Any of you wiseguys ever try this? Any ideas?

What if I put a belt on the starter drum that's mounted on the flywheel?

 

[Bluethunder3320]

you could spend hours doing it.

thats why no one has.

i like the belt idea however you would need a large enough pulley to fit a belt. also, you need a way to engage/disengage it.

 

[r97]

search the forum for stuff like red-neck starter, or e-start, or electric start, ect

 

[Bluethunder3320]

i agree, i remember posting on someone trying to make a starter for a 5hp briggs.

 

[r97]

i posted on at least 3 threads about this, if he wants more info i'll be happy to fill him in, but i think he should get all the info he needs from other threads. why not just fix it, depending on the type of spring, it prob just needs to be re-wound, or you could return it if you got the warranty.

 

[sideways]

It looks like the starter on my HF 2.5 horse clone is about finished. It doesn't like to retract any more. The stupid thing is made out of plastic anyway.....

I was thinking that it would be kind of cool to put an electric starter on this engine, rather than replacing the stock starter mechanism. Any of you wiseguys ever try this? Any ideas?

What if I put a belt on the starter drum that's mounted on the flywheel?

Sounds like your solenoid is sticking. Take it apart and clean it up.

Thanks

Hayden

 

[Doc Sprocket]

Sounds like your solenoid is sticking. Take it apart and clean it up.

Thanks

Hayden

Solenoid? On a pull-start?

 

[robbie]

Right...... I don't think it's the solenoid.

It has two little metal arms that fling out when you pull the rope. The inner end on each arm is rolled to form a lobe, which rests in a hole in the plastic assembly in the middle. The plastic, as they said when I was growing up in Texas, is "all wallered out". It would require a new plastic piece to make it work right.

 

[HellSpawn]

Find yourself a starter/generator combo.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

You could probably do a redneck thing, but I doubt you'll find factory electric start stuff for an engine that small. Maybe just replace the defective part for all it's worth?

 

[sideways]

Solenoid? On a pull-start?

Oops, I read it wrong, to me it sounded like he had a starter motor that doesn't disengage, I just skim read through it.

Thanks

Hayden

 

[robbie]

You could probably do a redneck thing, but I doubt you'll find factory electric start stuff for an engine that small. Maybe just replace the defective part for all it's worth?

I know this sounds like a pretty silly topic, but I was just wondering if any of you guys had ever put electric start on anything so small.

Come to think of it, I wonder if I could bolt a starter gear from another engine onto the flywheel. They make some of the 2 stroke bike engines with electric starter gears.

I'll probably end up getting a new part for the pull starter from an Amish chainsaw and small equipment shop nearby. Those guys are great because they don't try to charge a million dollars for every little thing. They sold me a master link for my chain a couple of weeks ago for 60 cents. The Amish love the Honda clone engines because they are so inexpensive.

 

[Doc Sprocket]

You'd need a ring gear that fits the flywheel. I don't know what's available for that, if anything at all. There also needs to be mounting bosses on the engine block for the starter to bolt to. If you take the cooling shrouds off, you should be able to see if there is such a provision. If there is, your odds are pretty good.

 

[r97]

if there is no mounts i would imagine you will need to make a super flex-proof bracket system, unless you enjoy destroying starter gears. take some measurements and start searching for pinion gears or something.

 

[slideways]

Just make a screen with a hole in it for the flywheel and use a good drill on reverse to start it. Weld the socket to an extension so you can yank it off when it fires up.

 

[r97]

actually i thought maybe get a cordless right angle drill and bolt it to the frame

 

[slideways]

You need to disengage it somehow though. That's why the drill would just yank off of the nut when it fired.

 

[r97]

free-wheel?
http://www.vxb.com/page/bearings/CTGY/One-Way-Bearings

 

[Bluethunder3320]

Those were used on the pull starts of my old r/c car when i was into that stuff. I remember they always broke and wouldnt catch and i replaced them like every 2 months.

And that engine was 3cc so barely any torque.

Could you weld brackets onto the block?

 

[r97]

this one looks pretty good, http://www.vxb.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=bearings&Product_Code=Kit10973&Category_Code=One-Way-Bearings
bike free wheel, would prob last with good maintenance