Oil in starter

[Solo33]

Looking for potential areas that oil can get in the starter. I was on some pretty steep ground pointing both up and down hill. Enough oil got in thr starter to fry it.

The oil hose that goes into the block above starter a suspect area? The oil was dirty coming out of the starter, so I'm assuming engine oil but could possibly be transmission too.

[Jim B]

You really should tell what you are working on when you start a new post. You have posted about a 450C before so I will guess this is about that one.

Hose above the starter area? Are you looking at a small (about 1/4") hose threaded into the flywheel housing right above where the starter bolts on? That should be the hose going to a mechanical type of engine oil pressure gauge. If you have a turbo it might go to a junction block and then lines to the gauge and turbo. It would take major damage for oil to get from that passage in the flywheel housing into the starter. My guess is the weep hole in the clutch housing is plugged and the clutch housing is filling with oil from the engine rear main seal and maybe some from the transmission pump seal. If it is getting that much oil in the clutch housing, your engine clutch may soon start slipping.

[Solo33]

Sorry, its a 450c. I just got a new starter in today. The machine is out in the woods and I'll be back Monday to investigate further. The rear main seal has less than 20 hours on it. I did a rebuild not long ago.

Ill pull the floorboard and pop the rubber bung out and see if it's holding oil. Might get lucky and see down in there where it's coming from too

[Jim B]

Did you use the new one-piece seal (Unitized seal and wear ring) that needs the special tool to install it properly and avoid damaging it?

[Solo33]

Yes the new style seal. I did not use the correct tool. I did try to borrow or rent one from john deere with no avail. I ended up using the flywheel to press it in. It has a lip that matches up with the seal. Could be a good chance it didn't work though. Probably be pulling the engine this winter

[Jim B]

That could be it. The outer and inner parts of the seal have to be pushed at the same time. And the tool sets the depth to clear the lip on the flywheel.

[crawling]

The oil hose above the starter sounds like a good lead. If the oil was dirty, could be engine or transmission – tricky to tell without digging in. Check that hose and maybe around the oil filter too.