I recently started my '50 Shoebox project and I've hit an early roadblock. The engine was rebuilt relatively recently (before I purchased it). It has been drivable in the past, but it has been sitting for about 1 and a half years. Most of my project is centered around the body/interior, but I wanted to make sure the engine and drivetrain were in decent shape before starting. Trying to start her up - got a new redtop Optima 6v battery. Got her to turn over and fire a few times but never to a full run. Then, all I got was clicks from the starter solenoid and no action from the starter. Checked battery, checked connections, still nothing. I bypassed the starter solenoid and got no action. Ended up pulling the starter and put it on the table for a "bench test." Negative to the main (only) contact, and positive to the body of the starter. Nothing happened. Decided to give the shaft a few spins to make sure it was spinning freely. Then I touched the pos. and neg. to their respective places and bam - the starter spins. After a few more touches of the cables and a few more spins of the starter, I'm happy with it's function so I put it back in the car. Hook everything back up and...nothing happens. Pulled the starter again for another bench test and it does absolutely nothing. Spin the shaft a few times then test again, and there it goes - spins nicely. Give it a few more goes and then nothing...and nothing...and nothing. Is it shot? Am I doing something wrong? Any suggestions?
My first thought is it has some rust and corrosion forming on the inside. Maybe you could take it apart and clean it .... Or simply send it in for rebuild, or buy a new one. Some engines starters are not easy to come by, so you need a good rebuildable core to begin with. I bet that ford flathead is popular enough that is fairly easy to buy a new one.
Or to rebuild it or have it rebuilt. If you have never done one it's probably best to take it to a good rebuild shop and have it rebuilt.
Never done a rebuild myself. I'll have to find someone local who can work on it I suppose. If I'm unable to find someone willing to rebuild, are there "typical" replacements that will work with the '50 flathead? So many starters that I'm familiar with have the solenoid built in - this one is the first I've ever worked with that simply has the starter alone.
Ordering a new one from C&G Early Ford Parts or Mac's will cost $180 as apposed to probably more to have yours rebuilt.
Don't know where you live but I see a bunch of Washington guys have responded so if that's where you are, call Romaine Electric. They are in Kent (425-264-1714 or 1 800-426-5005) they rebuild about everything.
A new one from C&G sounds like my best bet. The starter from C&G has the new style drive so I'm assuming I'd have to replace that with my bendix drive. Any opinions on this option from Sears: http://bit.ly/2u3Ieny ? Since I'll have to replace the drive anyway - maybe this (drive-less) option is a better deal at only $100?
If the starter spins on the bench, but the engine doesn't, then I'd investigate whether the engine is turning freely.
Engine is definitely free - before pulling the starter I had many "successful" starts. Then the starter just stopped. On the bench with power it goes from operating normally to completely inactive with no change in approach. Most recently, with power it hasn't been functioning at all.
Sounds like the brushes in the starter are warn or hanging up, or you have a dead winding in the armature. I would pull it apart and look at the brushes. A new set of brushes are under ten bucks. Compare the length of new ones with what you have. Most starters I have fixed just needed new brushes, and maybe a new bushing in the nose end.
BJR has the answer. New brushes and clean the comutator [the shiny round brass thing] with a strip of crocus cloth and clean out between the brass strips with a broken hacksaw blade to a depth of 1/16"or so. Rebuilt dozens of these in the dirt in the old days.. Ralphie
That sounds like a good idea. Can't hurt to check it out before springing for a new part at least. I did peek into the housing and the brushes looked awful - I'll pull it apart after work and see what I find.
Thought I'd update on the starter. After taking apart the starter the other day, I noticed the brushes were in fact pretty rough. I'm almost positive one of them had broken free from its solder. I ordered new brushes and they came in today. Installed them and - after some finagling to get everything fitting together just right - gave it a bench test. Success - it spins - a hell of a lot faster than it used to as well. Plugged it into the car, got behind the wheel, and fired it up. Hopefully that's the end of my starter issues. Thanks for everyone's help and suggestions. I'm sure I'll be tapping your wealth of knowledge plenty of times throughout this build.
Your welcome, glad it worked. Also thanks for telling all of us what fixed your problem. So many times we never find out if any of the advice offered solved the OP's question.
Thats what mine did also, rebuilt the starter and it turned the motor.... its started but was cold. went to start again and then it wouldn't engage the flywheel. I can hear it spin. put it in 1st and rocked the car and still nothing. I've never shimmed a starter before... is this something I have to do? it all looked good when I picket it up. same diameter starter parts. 50 ford V8
"kmccann"- Sounds like your Bendix went south or is at least stuck. Take it back out and check for a broken Bendix spring.
ok. so I took out the starter again and it wasn't put together correctly. so rotated the engagement log and bingo.... its still starting.
Alt... Thanks for foraging ahead into this blind repair. Too many get good advice and don't even try. Kudos to you, glad it bore fruition! Let's all sing the flathead starter song now: R-R-R-R-R-R...
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