Two part question I did it once before when I changed the starter, but now I can't get a wrench on the bottom nut holding the starter to the block. The access is through the firewall behind the seat. It's a real PITA to get to. Any hints? There's many after market starters has anyone had good luck with them? The new Lucas starter from JCB is $1,000.00, rebuilt is $475.00, aftermarket is $150.00?
What engine and starter numbers are you looking at? I hear Mahle/Iskra makes the good value starters, if it's a pain to remove, then I'd avoid the "new chinese" cheap starters. If you can find a Mahle gear reduction, that would be the best. Are you sure you didn't need a socket with swivels and extensions before? no idea what you're dealing with, that's what I've found generally.
It's a 4.236 series motor and the original starter was a LUCAS LRS00969 the one that's in there is a china repop. The housing gets in the way of a socket , a closed end wrench will not go on ether. I may grind down one of my crappy 17mm open ends and see if that will work.
A few special tools will get that out. There should be a stamped number on the starter housing that you can call your local rebuild house and get a price on a replacement. Dont buy it from JCB.
I wrote down all the numbers from the original starter. I'll give a rebuild house a try.
Here is the Letrika/Mahle/Iskra starter that crosses to that LUCAS starter, but it's 2.8KW direct drive: https://www.finditparts.com/products/7682289/letrika-ms385 if you go down to the notes: "We recommend using the Reduction Gear version IS1378" which is 3.2KW gear reduction which will perform like half again the original. I can't find that outside of Europe, but this one MIGHT fit? https://www.nationsstarteralternator.com/MS399-New-Mahle-Starter-for-AGCO-JCB-Landini-p/ms399.htm you'd have to check the numbers to see the difference and decide yourself. If you're going chinese aftermarket, then rareelectrical offers this which crosses to the ms385: https://www.walmart.com/ip/NEW-STAR...3305-IS0872-IS1378-MS395-3542185M93/230748502
http://www.letrika.com/katalog/cross.html?lang=E&tab=0&koda=IS1201 http://www.letrika.com/katalog/cross.html?lang=E&tab=0&koda=IS1378 The mahle 395 and 399 appear identical in the mahle catalog, so I'd email the nations people and see if they can tell you if their 399 will fit your application, or what the difference is.
Try ebay or Amazon for a starter. Search "perkins 4.236 starter" Then just verify orientation and tooth count. Or try to find some part numbers to cross reference. And i highly recommend getting a reduction gear drive starter versus the direct drive. They start easier and are smaller.