The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts 48 loadmaster starter 6/12V question

I'd like to first apolgize if this thread is already out there but i searched and couldnt find anything. I've recently acquired a mate to my '71 C-10, a 1948 1.5T. The fella delivered it and the battery was dead, so i removed what appeared to be a newer 12 volt unit and replaced it with an even newer and fresher one. The truck turned over and with a little gas in the carb fired right up and ran great. Thing is after it ran for awhile it choked itself out (probably old gas, carb needs adjusting, plugs, etc...you pick one). No worries in the engine department, but now I cant even get the starter to turn the truck over. Did the heat smoke the old starter? Have I smoke it due to using a 12 volt battery on a system I thought was converted and wasnt? Any help would be more than greatly appreciated, I look forward to getting a complete profile and some pics of my trucks up, along with one of my mid 40's Farmall. Thanks in advance.
Jasen VonG

also of note, after doing some research on this wonderful site I made the now educated guess that my truck has a 235 instead of the 216 due to the radiator being reloacated farther forward.....man, what would I do without this palce

I'm not the expert in this, but I've been told that a 12 volt battery will certainly do the job. I think there is a risk though that you could burn out the starter if you crank it too much. I'm certainly curious to hear what others say as the complete 6v system is always interesting when the batteries down a bit from sitting around.

vonguinness,

Welcome to the Stovebolt forum. I think I understand your question...If your '48 still has a 6 volt system, and you installed a 12 volt battery to start it, the starter wouldn't hold it against you. The voltage regulator probably didn't like it, along with the fuel gauge, but, bottom line is, these would not stop the old girl from cranking over after it died.

Several things could be happening. The starter is getting full battery voltage, but is worn out, and can't start the rig a second time..OR, one of your battery cables (or both) are loose, dirty or not tight..OR, the engine has seized somehow.

The system wasn't setup to charge a 12 volt battery, so it was discharging all the while the rig was running. It must have a FULL charge, the cables must be clean and tight and the connections to the starter and frame grounds must be clean and secure.

Do these things first, and more folks will be along with other ideas soon. Good luck.

Stuart

i am having the same problem. my alternator is not going directly back to the battery, so my engine is using juice from the battery and not getting recycled. my is converted to 12 volt. when it is warm it is harder to start like the timing is advanced to much. but as soon as you put a battery charger on the battery it starts right up.

I ran the old starter for years after changing everything else to 12V on Epic #1.

atomarc and everyone, thanks for the speedy reply and the welcome, i checked all my connections and i think im good there because all the other eletrical items in the truck work as if they've got full power (lites, auxillary fan), im hoping the starter is just old and worn out and i didnt seize the block, i dont even think it got up to temp enough or ran it enough for that to happen, ill try and spin the crank by hand to make sure its still free, i also think im going to try to jump the starter right off the battery with jumoer cables, i know if i can get it to turn over i can get the truck to run again.....which means getting it into the shop under its own power and ultimately registered so i can enjoy this old girl and ut her to work

With my 54 I found the contacts underneath the spring loaded starter button on top of the starter were dirty and worn. replaced the springloaded button unit and cleaned the contact on top of the starter and it has been fine since. The button unit was available thru the big box auto parts chain. surprised me.

If it's in your ability, I would pull the starter off, it's only 2 bolts, pull it apart and clean and regrease every thing. Put in some new brushes, clean up the armature, clean up the push button contacts on top, and try again. Sometimes all that gunk, dust, and dried up grease can get into everything and slow it down. If that doesn't do it, your local auto parts store should be able to get a rebuilt starter, and I don't think they are that much $. 12v battery shouldn't hurt the starter though.

I think Pakrat48 has the right idea.Pull it off, clean it up and replace the brushes.The last push button switch I bought was only $14.00 and available from Napa.Let us know how you make out.

thanks to everyone for all the help, so i did remove the starter the other day during a bit of a snow storm (seems to make things more rewarding), i then placed it on my front bumper and tested it with jumpers off my '71 c-10 and it spun like new, so i cleaned up the conntections on the spring loaded mechanism and stuck it back in, then she started right up, the problem i believe is that the generator isn't making power, so i've moved onto that, i picked up a 1 pole GM alternator...actually the same one in my '71 and i plan on installing that along with a vlotage regulator, im hoping that will solve all my problems and keep it running, i believe it ran before with the new bat until the battery couldnt sustain enough power for the plugs and then quit out, so with the engine creating some power to keep herself going i'm certain she'll be just fine, can anyone suggest anything else to update the old girl to 12V...thanks again for all the replies, the knowledge here is great and I cant wait to gain some more of my own to share some day soon