The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Odd problem.....

Went out over the weekend to start the truck but the battery was dead, or so it seemed. When I hit the stomp starter there was absolutely nothing. No noise whatsoever. I put the battery charger on it overnight, tried it again, and still nothing. The battery is new, bought last December. I decided to try one more time and began stomping on the starter button when I began to hear a sound like the starter was trying to engage. That let me know that the battery had at least some charge in it. I was stomping on it often and about every third or fourth stomp the starter would engage for just a second. Then suddenly the starter spun over like the battery had a full charge. Didn't start so I tried again and it acted like the battery was dead again. I checked under the hood to make sure the battery connections were tight and they were. I also checked the connection of the cable at the starter and it was good and tight. Then I checked the grounding strap and it seemed loose. I tried finger tightening the nut. Hit the stomp starter again and after several stomps the starter engaged and spun again very quickly which made the engine start. What do you think my problem is? Is it due to the loose ground, or do I have something else that is the culprit? It's never done this before.

OK, I'll bite. You are a shop shark (saw it under your name). Are you testing us? Messing with us? Recently have a bad fall? Try taking off the ground strap. You should be good to go.

I think that stomping on the starter switch might have loosened the ground?

Clean and tighten the battery-leads connections and ground-strap connections and see if the problem continues.

If the problem continues, the easiest thing to check next is the foot-starter switch.

the loose ground is obviously a problem, but you might also take the switch box off the starter and check the copper contact in there, they get worn and oxidized and cause similar symptoms - especially if other bad connections have been present over time causing [more than usual] arcing in the switch

Bill

No need for sarcasm Carl. What's obvious to one may not be obvious to everyone.

Try this; put an oil bottle lid on the button on the starter switch. I had to STOMP the heck out of the stomp starter to get my truck to to start. Some times it would do nothing. Sometimes it would blip the starter for a second. I replaced the starter, the battery, the cables and then the switch on the starter twice. Each time it would temporarily fix the problem. Now with the bottle cap in place I gently press the stomp start down and it starts every time.

LOL. No Carl, I'm not testing the 'Bolters with my question!! No offense taken either. I was seriously asking a question to help me solve my problem. I'm not the best with electrical problems. Mechanical, yes. Electrical, no. Anyway, I appreciate twotones suggestion about the bottlecap. It may work because I've already wondered if possibly there is too much play in the starter assembly and possibly the foot stop button is not pushing down far enough on the button on the starter. Putting the bottlecap on the starter button would take up the slack and serve to allow the assembly to depress the button further. Sounds like I need a buddy to stomp on the starter pedal while I look under the hood to see what contact is being made at the starter button on the starter.

Thanks for all the suggestions and I'll give an update after I've looked at it.

If the copper lug inside the starter switch is seriously burnt it's sometimes possible to just flip it over & get a fresh contact surface. I'm currently running one on my '38 that I did that to.

Thanks for the tip Tiny!

Spot, Thank you for responding to my post with good nature. My response was in good nature as well. Electrical problems, especially automotive ones can be a pain. Looks like you now have plenty of info from others to get you straightened out and running right.
Carl

Had to start the truck to move it yesterday and it was a struggle.....again. Had to stomp and stomp and stomp until it finally engaged and started. I'm beginning to think it's a bad switch on top of the starter. What's involved in installing a new one? Don't know what's underneath the cover once I take the switch off. Just want to know what kind of a job I'm getting myself into. Can it be done in 30 minutes in the driveway one day when I get off work??

Thanks!

Had to start the truck to move it yesterday and it was a struggle.....again. Had to stomp and stomp and stomp until it finally engaged and started. I'm beginning to think it's a bad switch on top of the starter. What's involved in installing a new one? Don't know what's underneath the cover once I take the switch off. Just want to know what kind of a job I'm getting myself into. Can it be done in 30 minutes in the driveway one day when I get off work??

Thanks!

Switch on top is easy to change. That being said, the symptoms are similar to my 56 starter problems - had a dead spot on the starter. The starter would have to be removed and rebuilt in that case. Best of luck!

Switch is easy. 2 screws and it is off. Take the battery cable off of course. It can be done while in the truck, but 2 bolts and it is on the bench. There are 2 switches, one with a screw post and one without. If you have the post it goes to the + side of coil. If you don't you don't.

This is without.

http://www.classicparts.com/1941-54-Starter-Switch-w_o-Side-Term/productinfo/53-711/#.VA9QefldVmM

And with.

http://www.classicparts.com/1947-59-Starter-Switch-w_Side-Terminal/productinfo/53-712/#.VA9QofldVmM

While you are stomp and stomp and stomping, does the starter make any noise? If not, you could either have a worn out stomp linkage, or a worn switch on top of the starter. If you need to drive it right away, try a plastic coke bottle cap placed on top of the starter switch. This will push the contact further into the switch and make contact with the other contact.
Carl

I had a similar problem
It turned out to be the earth wire within the starter motor was not securely tightened