Normally, when one of your workers uses the skid steer on the construction site, they can easily start the equipment by turning the ignition key. However, they may have reported lately that they are having difficulty getting the engine to turn over.

Eventually, they may have to spend several minutes to get the skid steer to start, or it may refuse to start at all, which could mean that the starter is going bad. Below are a couple of signs that the starter on your construction site's skid steer is failing and should be replaced.

1. You See Smoke Coming Out of the Engine While Hearing a Grinding Noise When Engaging the Starter

One sign that the equipment's starter is going bad and needs to be replaced is when you hear a grinding noise while trying to engage the starter. Along with this noise, you may see smoke coming out from the engine bay.

If this is the case, there could be a serious issue with the electrical wiring inside the starter or the gears could be grinding together. Either way, these issues will not go away and indicate the need to replace the starter before it fails completely.

2. You Hear a Click and Buzzing Noise Indicating the Starter Has Engaged but the Motor Does Not Turn Over

Another sign that the skid steer's starter should be replaced is when the motor refuses to turn over even when the starter has been engaged. You can tell the starter is activated by listening for a clicking noise followed by a buzzing sound.

If the starter is engaged but does not turn the engine over, the gears may be worn down to the point that the teeth are smooth or the flywheel may have become dislodged or broken. If this happens, the skid steer's starter will need to be replaced with a new one.

When you hear a grinding sound while trying to turn over the skid steer's motor while also seeing smoke coming out of the engine, there is a good chance that the starter's gears are worn or there is an issue with the wiring. In any of these cases, the starter will most likely need to be replaced. Contact a parts store that offers construction equipment starters for help with selecting the right one for your construction company's skid steer.

Reach out to a supplier to learn more about construction equipment starters.