Alright my fellow gearheads, power master starters!!!! (Crap) . I’ve just lunched my third starter and for the life of me I don’t understand why or what the problem is. Is there any solution to this? Do I just go with an original starter or call and****** out speedway performance? I’ve had it gettin underneath that big**** car every year or so Screwed!!
I haven’t got underneath it yet brother, it’s making that all to familiar sound of the bendix engaging with a broken bendix spring. Just a piss poor design to begin with. Gonna try and get a hold of one the techies over at speedway and pick their brains to see if I have a different style starter option for flatheads
What kinda Bendix does it have on it? If it’s like the factory style I know that the break about once a year or so. I’m looking for a good 12v starter for mine if I can’t find one I’ll put the new style bendix on the one that’s in there and use it as is.
Forget Powermaster . They are junk. Buy an OEM Ford starter with the Bendix drive. Even if it's used. Rebuild it and you will be a happy camper. Here's how I converted my 6V starter to 12V. It's a lot cheaper than buying a new starter. flathead starter motor - The Ford Barn
I left mine 6v when I did the 12v conversion and the only issue was breaking the bendix. I drove it daily for several years before putting in the 347
I broke 2 standard bendix’s before I learned to stop cranking the key until the starter/ring gear had stopped turning. ie , fully disengaged. Haven’t broken one since, about 15 years…….. I think that it is a 6 volt starter, in a 12 volt 8BA. Have you checked that the starter lines up correctly with the flywheel when engaged ?
That van pelt starter , does it require some “modifications “ to get proper fitment? I’ve seen those advertised before and it’s said that you pull the starter plate off and grind off some of the casting. Sounds like an additional pain in the**** to me
Was also considering the Flathead mini starter with integrated solenoid. Anyone ever used one of those?
Only if you use the "new" style enclosed Bendix. The one Van Pelt's sells has the original style Bendix. Fits with no issues. When my POS Power Master starter died for the second time I bought I new 12 volt starter from Joe's Antique Auto. His listing for the starter mentioned it came with the new style Bendix which I didn't want due to fitment issues. But Joe agreed to substitute an original style Bendix in place of the new style Bendix. The Van Pelt starter already comes with the original Bendix. As far as Power Master starter issues, the first time it broke I took it back to vendor who ended up repairing it on site instead of sending it back to Power Master under warranty. The second time it died they looked at it again and found it was not repairable. All the plastic gears inside were toast. YRMV
I must be the outlier, I've had 6 FH motors built for customers and I used Power Master starters on them plus a couple on my own FH powered cars and so far no problems. All of these cars had new brand name flywheels. Maybe my days coming?
I’ve had the original 6V Henry Ford starter on my sedan since 2006. Works fine on 12 volts. And never broke a bendix either (knocking on wood).
Plastic gears!!! Wow think I’ll pull one of these apart and check that out. I have two to choose from now
I had starter problems on my flathead with a stock ford starter. I was running the new style bendix and it would not always disengage and the starter would over heat, then the springs for the brushes would lose tension and then no start. Went back to the old open style bendix and never had another problem.
The POS flathead Powermaster starter that I referred to in my earlier post was similar to an original starter not the newer high torque unit. No experience with the high toque version.
Thanks my Redlands brother! My parents lived there for many years btw. I did too actually when it was all orange groves. Beautiful!!
Ah, the one I run is the bottom one. I had a buddy run the one on top and he had nothing good to say about it.
I´m with Billy, have heard several complaints for the upper starter. The bottom one is working flawless on my two engines. The round flange allows to drill new fastening bores if the exhaust manifold is too close.
What length bolts are you using with that stump puller starter? 1 1/2” or 1 1/4” and you said you didn’t have to use a shim or spacer?
Built over 25-30-35 flathead engines for myself and others over a 60 year period. Not only did I NOT change a stock six volt starter over to 12 volts(waste of time—if your flathead does NOT start within 3-5 seconds of operator trying to start engine) u have something else wrong that a starter may or may not remedy.Yes,if u continually “crank” a stock six volt starter over15-20-30 seconds u may damage it. I have had stroked engine,supercharged engines,higher compression engines,multiple carb engines,etc and have NEVER,ever even considered anything but a stock six volt starter.
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