The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk How does the stomp starter work?

Pardon my ignorance, but could someone explain how the stomp starter works? I feel stupid asking, but someone had to.

turn on the key and stomp on the button

if you wanna know the details [it's various places in the shop manual], the mechanical pedal you push completes electrical connections in the box atop the starter to energize the starter, causing the starter drive to engage the flywheel, and give a shot of straight battery power to the coil, bypassing the ignition resistor

Bill

That's what I thought, but wasn't sure. I don't have my truck yet (or the shop manual) so I can't explore it myself.
I wasn't sure if it was some device that when stomped on creates the reaction to get it started, like a friction starter, or something (instead of just completing the circuit).
Maybe reading a little too much into it, huh!?

Thanks for the education once again,

Dan

Saying essentially the same thing but in a different way, the foot starter is in essence a mechanical solenoid. When you push on the starter pedal the starter drive is mechanically engaged while a bump on the mechanism presses the starter "button" on top of the starter allowing electricity to flow to the starter from the battery. With so few understanding how it works these days I consider it the original anti-theft device.

Hy guys, just a point of clarification, the mechanical linkage engages the starter drive with the flywheel, and then the electrical circuit is completed to make the starter motor turn, hope that helps

That is - as well explained above - the foot action makes the starter gear slide towards the flywheel teeth, simultaneously closing the electrical contact needed to run the starter motor - both actions provided nowadays by the solenoid.
I remember I had some (much, indeed) fear about 60 yrs. ago, when starting (with left foot on the gas pedal) my Father's '38 Standard for the first driving lessons. Good times !
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all you, friends!
Fabio.

Maybe its not the same on all years but on my '41 the ONLY thing the foot starter does is close a big switch on top of the starter motor to send current to the starter motor. It has nothing to do with engaging the gear. That action is caused by the spinning starter motor.

look closer Kip, that lever on the starter which pushes the 'big switch' has another end below its pivot point that goes inside the starter nose, and the fork on it's inner end pushes the gear toward the flywheel - starter pic [12V, but the same as 6V]

Bill

" . . . the box atop the starter to energize the starter, causing the starter drive to engage the flywheel, and give a shot of straight battery power to the coil, bypassing the ignition resistor . . . "

ArmyChevy is most likely referring to a 1958 Chevrolet truck, that has a foot-start switch/box that provides the 12v "shot" bypassing the ballast resistor. Just in case 6v people are wondering about the side-post in Bill's photo, that is for 12v installations (the 6v foot-start switch/box does not have or need that side post).

Yes, I was referring to a 58 12v setup just because that's the one I saw. But, mainly, in general. I didn't think I would get such in depth responses. Thanks

Dan

The 0ne on the 41-46 trucks is just a lever that pushes a button on top of the starter.
makes you wonder what they were thinking back then, they could have mounted a button on the dash that you could push by hand.
I do like it though, it's one of the things I like about my truck.

Good point... however, on mine the key must be 'on' or the engine will turn over but not crank.

Your truck should operate as explained above. If it has a button to operate an electric solenoid it has been modified.