HELP!!!!! Problems with roto start

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C

Catfish Kahn

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Hey folks. I have a 4.6 engine and I am having problems with starting it with my rotostart. I have had my truck for over a year and untill the other day(after sitting for 6 months) I haven't had this problem. Here's the scoop....
I started it up ran a tank through and after it cooled filled er up and the rotostart just spun. It felt like the one way bearing wasn't grabbing the shaft. I took it apart figuring that the bearing was shot and I had to replace it. When i took of the starter it was all oily inside. I cleaned it all up slid the bearing back on the shaft and it was grabbing. Put it all back together,ran another tank and just for S & G's I tried the roto start....same thing was happening just spinning. So i took it all apart again and looked closer and noticed that oil was seeping around the shaft that the one way bearing goes on. After looking at the breakdown of the engine. I notice there is an o ring behind the back plate. Could that be shot and causing my issue? Could it be something else? I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem and could offer a solution. I was going to eventually replace it with a pull start but I feel I am going to have the same problem. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ain't nothing like a savy BABY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Catfish
 
sometimes fuels with a high oil content cause problems like this as well, just a thought....... and if i haven't welcomed you yet welcome to the forum my friend!!!!
 
Roto's are hard on a OWB. Typically, if the OWB starts to slip and it gets cleaned, it still doesn't last very long. You will need to replace the OWB. As far as the oil content, sadsack is right concerning High oil content fuels causing this problem, but there will be some amount of oil back there regardless of the fuel you use. Swapping over to a pull start is the right choice IMO because it is not as rough on the OWB like the roto is. With a roto or a pull start, another way to extend the life of the owb is a having a good tune and properly getting the engine prepped for starting like heating the mill, blowing into the fuel tank pressure line to prime the engine instead of putting your finger over the exhaust stinger and using the pull or roto. hope this helps and good luck.
 
Mine does the same thing. I have the 5.9 and I have fuel leakning out around the roto start plate when the motor gets hot. I think that o-ring is bad. When my motor is cold it only pops the motor once and then spins so I can just tap the button on the rotostart and it pops the motor everytime I hit it. Once the mpotor is warm is completely goes away. If it is hot I cna just hold the button down and the motor turns over as it should. I believe it is all the excess fuel getting out around the back plate causing the slippage. When my truck sat for a couple weeks it worked normally butas soon as I ran tank though it and let it cool down again it was right back to the same thing. I don't think it is the OWB or shaft cause I have been through that a couple times already and this just seems different. I have a new set of them to put in the truck but I'm gonna wait until I have to and I'm gonna try to replace that o-ring when I do it. My truck had gotten too hot a couple times in the past and I think that may have done in that o-ring. Try what I do by just tapping the rotostart button for a split-second at a time. When my engine is tuned well it usually only takes a few tries to fire it up that way. Preheating would probably help with this but it is not really convenient for me to do it. My method seems to work and it's been this way for a while and I have ruined the OWB or shaft yet. It only does this on the cold starts so it's not that big of a deal for me.
 
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I'm actually having the same problem. I've tried most everything from scuffing the old starter shaft, to replacing it and the OWB. The last thing I'm trying is to replace the oring around the starter plate. I'm waiting for that to come in. It seems to be fine right after cleaning the oil, but you're right, the oil seems to be coming in from around the starter shaft, which has no seal on it.

I was thinking of going the pull start route anyway, because I'm beginning to hate lugging the roto start around, and keeping that battery set charged. I wanted to bash with my brother in law yesterday after our morning jog, but forgot my stupid rotostart, so I couldn't play with the Savvy. Luckily I had brought my Baja along as well, so I got some play time!
 
Sounds like some good ideas Q, I am having this problem to since I switched over to Byron's fuel. I was guessing the extra oil content was having something to do with it. Going to take the backplate off once I get a few spare minutes. Trying to go ahead and have it ready for November @ The Dungeon.
 
I'm running Sidewinder 20% with 12% oil. They have a 16% oil version as well so I'm running the lower oil content. I think I'm gonna convert to a pull start eventually just so I don't have to carry the roto around while I'm driving. Then I can use the roto's batt in my Blitz when I get it.
 
Pullstart ftw!! Il never go roto again.

Had the same issues with my F4.6 rotostart, killed 3 OWB's and the hole in the backplate for the starting shaft had ovaled/opened out slightly allowing the shaft to wobble in the hole and excess oil to seep through onto the OWB, i bought a new backplate and starting shaft pretty cheap from eBay.
 
Dang, now my second Savvy is doing the same thing. It's really ****ing me off. I guess it's time for that pull start.
 
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