The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Starter issues...

Hello All -

Okay, a stumper for me, hoping you guys are smarter. Matilda has been having starter trouble for a while, intermittent... The starter growls, barely spins the engine, or I just get "click click".... Then, a moment later, zoom, starts right up. I figured the bushings were shot in the starter - it sounded like mebbie the armature was dragging on the field coils. I put in a new starter and it worked great - for a few days. Then, Thursday, same story. I put an inductive ammeter on the cable and it's pegging - the battery is less than 6 months old and the cables are short and in good shape. I don't think the cables are bad because of the cranking amp draw and "growling". The problem with the new starter is same as the old. Any takers? The truck was converted to 12V and it has a 235 from about 1960.

John

Start by checking your grounding connections are clean and tight; neg cable to block and block to body strap. Get that out of the way.

Did you put in a new solenoid with the starter?

Well, I've cleaned and tightened all of the cables and connections; I'm getting no more than .4 voltage drop at any one connection and no more than a volt across all of the connections. If I use a remote start button, it starts every time. When I use the push button on the dash, it's intermittent. It starts normally, or I get a "clunk" from the solenoid, and the starter doesn't engage, or the starter engages, but "growls" as with a low voltage/high amperage circuit. I shorted across the back of the push button and it started normally. Pushing the button got me either a clunk or a growl. I did this like 10 times with the same result. I figured that the connections in the switch must be corroded or had failed somehow, so, off to buy a new switch. No go - growl or clunk or start each time. I am wondering if I have a failing ign switch or some dodgey wiring between the starter solenoid/ign sw and starter button, since it does start ever time using a remote starter button. Any takers? Suggestions??

TIA,

John

" I figured that the connections in the switch must be corroded or had failed somehow, so, off to buy a new switch."

You bought a new solenoid switch, and it did not help?

New, or rebuilt solenoid came with the starter; I replaced the "pushbutton" switch on the dash. The truck, a 47 1 ton, was retrofitted to 12 volt at some point.

Hi John, just my two cents a .4 voltage drop is to much a .2 voltage drop is all that should be acceptable. Check where you got that reading for corrosion and or loose connection.Check voltage at the dash switch and you should have full battery voltage to and threw the switch back to the solenoid.Hope this helps and stay with it.

John - I've got exactly the same trouble with my '58 Apache half ton stepside 235. New battery, new starter brushes, armature cleaned up, clean and solid connections.The starter works fine on the bench, but on the truck it struggles to turn the engine over and dips as if the battery is flat. It has gradually got worse and now won't start at all. I could try a new starter but like you I bet it'll make no difference. I hope the forum can solve our mutual problem.