The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Help! 6 volt starter in a 12 volt system

Do I need to reduce the voltage to the starter when converting to a 12 volt system?

No.

However, use the 6v starter with a flywheel that came with a 6v truck (the 12v-truck flywheel had a different number of teeth, so the 12v starter had different style teeth).

Nope, just don't grind the starter for long periods. If it takes more than 20 seconds or so to fire let the starter cool before trying again.

Thanks much for the help.

I'm not sure if my starter is any good. (Never started it since owning it) Can I hook jumper cables to it and see if it turns?

Sure, just do it on the floor other wise it might jump off the
bench. It's gonna arc so becarful it can burn the threads off
the post. I would hook the pos to the nut on the post and touch
the grouind cable to the housing last.

DG

Well, I took the starter to the second parts store that said they could not test it, so I hooked up some jumper cables to it in the driveway. As soon as the lever was pushed down the gear started spinning!

My 6-volt starter/12-volt system works so well, I just quickly tap the foot button, even when it's cold. Tromping it would be way too long.

I concentrate on getting my foot off it ASAP. It's really that good.

Wally: Your truck looks great. Don't see too many old flat beds around. I'm keeping the same look on my truck as well. I'll be doing the first start up soon hopefully. Just need to get a battery that fits in the box below the floor. I was wondering how I can get gas into the lines without cranking the motor over too much. I don't want to burn up the starter.

Wally, sounds good. A well-maintained 6v system starts very quickly; a 6v starter in a well-maintained 12v system starts even faster. On my 12v system with a 6v starter, one quick push and the engine starts.

I chuckle and shake my head when someone posts about the foot-actuated starter and refers to it as a "stomp starter". If they have to stomp on it (6v or 12v), either they are in a bad mood or they need to fix something in their starter system.

I've seen people inexplicably pushing and stomping with their whole weight and strength, thinking that will help out the starting system. Stomping on a foot starter is as useful as hitting the dashboard before turning the key in an ignition starter-switch.

Loosen the bolts holding the fuel pump onto the engine a turn or so, and wobble the pump up and down a little. You'll pump gas without turning the engine that way. When you can work the throttle linkage and see gas squirt into the carb throat, you're good to go!
Jerry

Tim -

But "Stomp Starter" just sounds cool.

Could I turn the engine over by hand and get the fuel pumped up that way?

I cheat, I use my brake bleeder (mightyvac) to suck fuel up to the carb. I fill the float bowl with gas (squirty ketchup bottle like at a diner). When the truck starts, the pump does the rest.

When I was sealing my gas tank and had it out of the truck, I used a 6-gallon boat gas tank in the back. I could prime the system with the squeeze bulb.