The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay Starter and Generator questions

I am having problems with my starter. I have a spare that I think is ok. I have had it apart and it looks decent. Good brushes, etc. I hooked it to my battery and it seemed to run strong. The gear that engages the ring gear on the fly wheel is badly worn. How do I get it off to replace it? Second question. The generator has 3 terminals. One marked field, one marked A, and a third one that I have been told is a ground. The wiring harnes has wires for the A terminal and the Field terminal, but I can't find anything for the ground. What do I do about that one? Just ground it to the nearest bolt on the motor or the frame? Some how that doesn't seem right. Thanks Allen

Allen,

The terminals on the voltage regulator are:
BAT GEN FIELD (from left to right)

Someone will correct me, if I am wrong, but I think this is where the leads go:

BAT - to ammeter gauge then to the battery
GEN - to generator
FIELD - to generator

Tim

That's right on the generator hookup. It's best to run a ground wire from the regulator base to the generator housing or a mount bolt as well as the others, to make sure it's properly grounded. Once the generator and regulator is wired, take a jumper wire and momentarily connect the Bat. terminal on the regulator the the Arm. terminal, half a second or so. This polarizes the generator.

To swap the starter drive, there's a snap ring on the shaft, retained by two washers. One washer has a counterbore, and needs to be tapped off the snap ring with a deep socket, or something similar. Then spread the snap ring and remove it, and swap the drive gear. Replace the counterbored washer, reinstall the snap ring, and use the outer washer and two pairs of pliers to snap the ring back inside the recess in the first washer. It sounds complicated, but once you get the gimmick, it's easy.
Jerry

I just replace my generator on my 48 chevy and it was an easy process. I did have a little problem getting the right size of belt to fit the pully's but with a little persistance it worked out. I got an alternator for $20 at the junk yard and a plug from the automotive shop that plugs in to the back of the alternator. The truck runs great and is a breeze to start in the winter.

The starter gear (and one way clutch) is called a Bendix. You have to disassemble the starter motor, remove the rear brushes and plate, and pull the rotor out. You may have to disconnect the solenoid and the solenoid bell crank to get the rotor out. The rotor shaft will have a clip that holds the Bendix on. Take that off and pull off the Bendix.