The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay stomp starter only engaging sometimes

And it's getting really hot and smoking... what's the problem? Seems like a very simple concept. ..

Is the starter getting hot/smoking, or just the switch on top of the starter?
Carl

Nothing on that foot switch would smoke...and it's a sealed can. If all connections are tight, it is simple, the starter is burning out. A disassembly, inspection, refurbish commutator, new brushes and bushings may save it. Rebuilt ones are available. It is usually easy to see where the smoke is coming from, as in: the starter case vents.

Time for a new switch. After taking switch off i touched positive to starter with pedeal pulled forward and it worked fine.

Not sure what you meant, "starter only engaging sometimes". The engaging is strictly mechanical. Anyway hope it works now.

If you had the starter spinning with no load, that is not the same as under load, by a long shot. How did the contact surfaces look?

Slip the cover/band off. Look at the brushes and commutator. If the commutator(brass segmented thing) is dark and rough it is time to get it rebuilt. If the brushes are short, then it is time to replace them. A good starter shop can rebuild it fairly cheap if the armature is OK. If the armature is burnt(from over heating) it costs more.

I dont think its the starter or else it wouldnt work perfectly with switch off and pedal pulled in and touching positive to top post on starter. Turned engine over fine with starter switch off. Think it was grounding somewhere in the switch.

The switch is simple and robust. The brass contacts can wear and the paper insulators can go bad. The switch is available from lots of vendors and only 2 screws hold it to the starter. As you have discovered the "Bendix" is mechanical. If you can engage it it works. "Sometimes" working is probably the switch, and the contacts. New one is not expensive: http://www.classicpartsusa.com/product/EL102_1952/1952_Truck_Parts_Electrical
Just one vendor, there are others.

O'Reilly's even has them. I would inspect it's operation and condition and reason for failure but that's what I always do for future info and maybe fix myself. If it was "smoking" it should have bad JuJu inside. If your hot tab on the starter is worn, those are available too.

After pulling it and inspecting it the contacts were very worn and the paper insulator was gone on the top post internally ( probably causing the arc). Ordered one off ebay for 11.95 will be here tomorrow.

Update:

New switch came in the mail and starter works flawlessly.

Wish I had paid $12 for mine. Up here I paid $35 plus 15% tax.