Kohler CV16s bent starter armature shaft

[StarTech]

Would need the spec to research but I am seeing currently on a generic search that the CV15 uses 13 and the CV16 uses 10 but there are several different starters involved.

[lee]

spec# is 43527

[StarTech]

Kohler indicates that 1275554S is the starter Bendix kit and images of it shows a 10 tooth gear.

[lee]

I put the 13 tooth starter on and tried it and it works fine. Don't know why both a 10T and a 13T starter pinion work on the same ring gear but it appears that they do. Has anyone seen this before?

[StarTech]

I put the 13 tooth starter on and tried it and it works fine. Don't know why both a 10T and a 13T starter pinion work on the same ring gear but it appears that they do. Has anyone seen this before?

Then I would suspect someone changed the flywheel in the past. My reasoning here is from my experience with the Briggs 14 and 16 tooth gears as they don't mesh properly even though the 16 will work in place of the 14 tooth it will wear rather quickly as teeth are being forced into and out of the ring gear.

I have replaced several them where owners or other shops put on the wrong starter setups. On top owners were told by local shops that the Briggs pinion gears were non-replaceable just to sell a new starter. I reconken they are just too lazy and greedy. Now the Kohler are a little harder to change out until I find or make the circlip install tool like the Briggs one that I have. The problem is that the Briggs shaft is smaller diameter so the install won't work on the Kohler armature shaft. Just matter of me getting some spring steel.

[lee]

The crazy thing is the 10T starter is aftermarket and was on the engine when I got it and has been working for probably 2 yrs now. Somehow the armature shaft got bent but I straightened the best I could and it was still working when I took it off yesterday. I picked up a replacement starter cheap then realized it was 13T and the old one was 10T. The 13T gear is larger and the tooth spacing appears the same as the 10T. The mounting "legs" on the 13T starter are longer than the legs on the 10T starter so the 13T gear is postioned further away from the ring gear than the 10T. Since it looked like it would mate up with the ring gear I gave it a try and it works. Here's a starter similar to what I have: https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Kohler-CH1 ... Ma&vxp=mtr
Note that it says it will work on a CV16. Maybe both the 10T and the 13T will work? Crazy huh? Can't believe nobody else here has run into this before.

[Arkie]

Just a thought to keep in mind for future while testing the engine.

The 13T starter might crank the engine faster than the 10T but less initial start torque as compared to the 10T starter motor if the electric HP and NO load rpm's of the starters are same.

[KE4AVB]

The only time I had with Kohler starter before last year was one where something similar was done. It was done by my brother where he sold and install starter for a single and install it on a twin. The starter outward appearances looked the same but the one for twin has heavier internals. It worked but didn't last just a little over a year at home owners use level. Both the brushes and commuter ring were fried. Installed the correct starter and it has been going for the last four years.

Last year's was on a Courage single it and had a worn out bushing. Due turn around time needed I installed a new starter and ordered the rebuild part the old starter.

[lee]

The motors look the same so I might just swap the bendix and pinion gears. That way I'll have an unbent armature shaft which was the reason I picked up the "new" starter in the first place. If anybody happens to have both the 10T and 13T starters laying around i would be interested in your thoughts. I seems to me that both these starters should not work on the same flywheel, but yet they do, at least i think they do. I've tried it many times and the 13T starter engages and releases the flywheel and sounds like a normal starter should. Yet the correct starter according to the spec is the 10T. Could it be as simple as this is a larger displacement engine and they use the 10T because it produces more torque but otherwise the 10T and 13T starters will interchange? I guess I'm used to Briggs and the plastic 16T gear that worked on just about everything.

[KE4AVB]

I only have one Reclaimed 10 tooth 2509803S in stock here. Sorry can't be of help comparing the two here. As I said rarely see Kohler starter problems.

As for Briggs there is a 14 tooth steel version but is generally the same starter just uses a steel gear for steel ring gear where the 16 tooth plastic gear is for the plastic and aluminum ring gears.