The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Bad starter???

Last night i got a six volt battery and threw it into my car just to see if the lights worked. They did. So i got a little cocky and just wanted to tap the foot starter just to see if the engine wasnt tight. The engine turned a little then stopped. Now my foot starter is stuck forward and nothing is happening now. I have no idea what is wrong. I looked at all of the linkage just to make sure it wasnt sticking but couldnt find anything wrong. Is may starter toast? If it helps its a 216 stovebolt 6 volt system

I see a couple of issues. You say the starter is "stuck forward". Does that mean the starter button on top of the starter is circuit closed position all the time? I doubt that it is because you didn't say anything about "letting the smoke out". Even if it's not #1 job is finding out what's hanging up with the starter linkage. #2 is clean the battery connections at both ends of both battery cables. A 6v system is all about good grounds. #3 if clean grounds don't fix the problem is pull the starter (easy job) and have it tested.

OK, what you've got is a locked-up engine for whatever reason, and the turning torque of the starter has the drive gear jammed into the flywheel. Yoy'll need to loosen the bolts that hold the starter to the bellhousing and shake it a little. The spring on the drive unit will snap it back into place once the tension on the gear is gone. Don't push the starter again until you get the engine free to make full turns by using penetrating oil and a pry bar on the flywheel.
Jerry

Ok ill try that. Ive put squirted croil from the spark plug openings hoping it will free up the engine i guess it hasnt... well i guess ill squirt some more in there and see what that does. Is it fine to put the penatrating oil in from the spark plug tubes?

That's the only place to put it in short of pulling the heads. Remember what "Hotrod" said, get it loose with a bar or big screwdriver on the flywheel. That Kroil oil is good stuff. I might even pull the valve cover off and loosen up the valve train, soaking those parts in Kroil oil also.

ok sweet im going to do that. i kroiled everything in and around the engine. now i need to find a pry bar. thanks everyone for your help!

I finally got around to taking the radiator out and turning the crank with a pry bar. After putting kriol in it for a week the crank turns with ease. I loosend the starter and taped it a couple times till it went back in place. Now engine is even closer to be started! Im changng the oil today and gettng a rebuild kit for my carb sometime this week. Im so happy to get this beast started!

This sounds exactly what happened to me. I had removed the spark plugs, shot wd-40 inside, put the tranny in high gear, jacked up the rear driver wheel and rocked the wheel back and forth until I could see the driveline turning a little at a time (marked pulley so I was sure the motor was actually turning). I hooked up my new 6 volt battery and stepped on the foot starter twice. It went "weeer, weeeeeeeeeeer" and now it wont do anything at all. Time to pull the starter to get tested! Is the motor easier to turn by hand from the flywheel or should I remove the radiator as stated above to see if engine is frozen?

I'd suggest pulling the starter and using a pry bar on the flywheel ring gear teeth through the starter mounting hole. Turn a few teeth until things get tight, then back up and roll it the other way. You'll probably need to do the back and forth thing several times before it will make full turns.
Jerry

Thanks Jerry

It might be a good idea to pull the valve cover and soak the valve guides down with penetrating oil to keep from bending pushrods as you work with the crankshaft. Even if the crank and pistons free up, it's possible for sticky valves to make it hard to turn the engine.
Jerry

Ok, I was finally able to work on my 52 yesterday. I pulled the starter off and had it tested at Kragen. They said that it didnt turn. I took the starter home, took the floor starter switch off and cleaned the contacts. Replaced, and still nothing.

I was going to start by replacing the floor starter switch first. My question is this. They sell two types. One with the side post and one without. My switch is the one without. What is the side post for?

Another question. A couple comments up, there was a mention of good grounds being a must. How many grounds are there and where are they located? Does the starter have a ground?

Thank you.

The switch with a side post is for 12V systems. It supplies full 12V to the coil when the starter is engaged.

Many people ground the battery to a starter bolt. How many grounds varies. Your frame should be grounded and the cab should be grounded to the frame. The bed was grounded to the frame by the mounting bolts when it left the factory. These tend to corrode after 50 or so years so I like to run a strap from the bed to the frame, too. Tail lights tend to work better that way.

Ok, thank you.