Wood-Mizer 51HP CAT high torque starter.

[Dave Shepard]

Has anyone found a high torque starter for the 51 or 62 HP CAT engine? My 2008 supposedly has an improved starter, but, it sucks. From new it has always struggled to spin the engine quickly. My 48 HP Kubota spins and starts very fast. It has a gear reduction starter, whereas the CAT does not. In fact, I'm using a weak battery in the Kubota and it still starts in seconds.

This is NOT a result of a poor battery, starter, or connections. This is an engineering failure on CATs part. Just trying to find a better starter. Thanks.

[gmmills]

 The starter for the 62 HP cat engine is actually a Denso gear reduction starter. The starter for the 51 hp engine is the one supplied with engine and appears to not be a gear reduction unit..  WM substituted the OEM Cat starter with the Denso unit. The Denso starter is the unit that was used on the older Kubota powered mills. Not sure if the Denso starter will bolt up to the 51. I think the 51 bell housing plate is different than the 62. Check with WM and see.  

  Bet if you carefully disassemble the 51hp starter it will have a significant sawdust infiltration. Might be able to clean it up and get it cranking better.    

[Dave Shepard]

I'll look into the Denso unit. I think the engines are the same, with the 62 having a turbo.

It's not a sawdust issue. It's been terrible since day one.

[moosehunter]

Keep in mind that that is a Perkins motor so there may be other options if you search perkins instead of cat.
mh

[gmmills]

 They are the same engine block. The 62hp engine, mounted on LT70, has a bell housing mounting plate that is a WM fabricated weldment. The Denso starter is mounted directly to that plate. Don't think the bolt hole mounting patterns are the same between the two different starters.  

[customsawyer]

If it makes you feel any better my 62 hp. Cat is hard or slow to start. My Yanmar will crank in seconds with 10 percent of the effort. Even after I have been sawing I have to let the glow plugs warm things up for at least 5 to 10 seconds on the Cat.

[sealark37]

It astounds me that two diesel engine manufacturers who enjoy such sterling reputations, can merge and produce engines with so many small defects!

[ladylake]

 They cheapened them to make money off their once good name.   Steve

[Peter Drouin]

They cheapened them to make money off their once good name.   Steve

:

[customsawyer]

Replaced my starter and it's 100 percent easier to start. Not as easy as the Yanmar but I'll take it over what I've been dealing with.

[petefrom bearswamp]

The only starting issue I had with my perkapillar was it was cold blooded when 35 degrees or lower.
had to shim the throttle to keep it running. 
Always seemed to turn over pretty quickly with the supplied starter.
The last several years, not trying to make a living with the mill,  I just didn't saw at colder temps

[Dave Shepard]

My mill was delivered April 8th. Still cold nights that time of year and it was very hard to start. It'll start in the winter now, but it's kind of a joke compared to my Kubota, which will start with one cycle of the glow plugs and then idle on its own at -10.