starter rururu

ThomasN

ThomasN

Senior Member
We timed my 53 with a 12 volt timing light as per the book but the starter just does'nt want to roll it over fast enough for a good start. It eventually will start but just sounds like a dead battery while cranking.
Will retarding the spark solve this, or will have to pull the starter out?
Thanks in advance.
 
first things first, make sure your battery is good, you have the right 6v battery cables, 12v cables are smaller and create to much resistance to turn starter over correctly , make sure you have all battery connections clean and tight, especially the ground cable, you can not have to many ground cables on a 6v system, one from batt to engine, and to, a starter bolt, from engine to frame, do not use an exhaust bolt for a ground , make sure all electrical connections are super clean, if these do not fix the problem I think your starter needs to be rebuilt
 
I checked the battery, has 6.3 volts, am using new 2/0 cables with all clean and new connecters. Never thought about a separated gr to starter tho. I have a #4 from firewall to engine.
Thanks guys, I will run a gr to starter and see what that does. I think I will also buy the biggest 6v batt I can that still fits.
 
ThomasN said:
I checked the battery, has 6.3 volts, am using new 2/0 cables with all clean and new connecters. Never thought about a separated gr to starter tho. I have a #4 from firewall to engine.
Thanks guys, I will run a gr to starter and see what that does. I think I will also buy the biggest 6v batt I can that still fits.
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Before you spend the big money: As a test, bypass the solenold with a 2/0 cable straight from the battery to the starter.
 
ford38v8 said:
Before you spend the big money: As a test, bypass the solenold with a 2/0 cable straight from the battery to the starter.
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Ya know, this is an old original solenoid. Before I get this 73 yr old body under there, I think I will buy a new solinoid and try that too
 
ThomasN said:
Ya know, this is an old original solenoid. Before I get this 73 yr old body under there, I think I will buy a new solinoid and try that too
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This 74 year old body can reach down to the starter from under the hood.
...And by new, I hope you mean New Old Stock?
 
To answer the OP's original question (about retarding the ignition).

If the engine is turning and then suddenly goes slower, it may well be that the ignition is too far advanced and the engine is firing but trying to fire "backwards" it doesn't go backwards, but the firing slows it rather than speeding it up.

To see if this is the problem you could turn the engine over with th ignition off. It will turn over at a certain speed. (only give it a few turns). Then connect the ignition and try again. If it is trying to fire backwards you will hear the engine trying to "kill" the starter, that is the turning speed will slow momentarily, and then recover to the previous speed until the next cylinder that fires kills it again.

I suspect that isn't your problem, though and it will just be a case of 6V slow turning blues.

Address all the items posted above about cable cleanliness and sizes and see how it goes.

Mart.
 
The older 6-volt systems were never fast crankers. Ignition has to be right and compression good. The carb also has to be providing good fuel supply, choke function, and accelerator pump function as well.

When a flathead motor is in good working order, it should start with a touch of the start button in less than a revolution unless it is colder than normal.
 
This sounds exactly as I remember dad's 52 Merc. Always slow turning even with a good battery in warm weather. We just accepted it as normal. The 39 Ford Deluxe always turned over much faster and started better than the 52 Merc. The Merc's automatic transmission probably puts a little extra drag on the starter. The 30 year rest has not helped the Merc. When I did a compression test recently it still turned slow and weak even with a big tractor battery.
 
I think that we all tend to compare our 65 - 80 year old 6 V Ford starters to our 2014 imported XYZs . Our old Fords will never turn over as fast as the new cars, even if converted to 12 Volts.
 
V12Bill said:
I think that we all tend to compare our 65 - 80 year old 6 V Ford starters to our 2014 imported XYZs . Our old Fords will never turn over as fast as the new cars, even if converted to 12 Volts.
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How right you are. I remember having to park my 46 merc on a hill cuz trying to start was a definite maybe. Same way for my 51 vic. Of course, this was back in 1956
 
V12Bill said:
I think that we all tend to compare our 65 - 80 year old 6 V Ford starters to our 2014 imported XYZs . Our old Fords will never turn over as fast as the new cars, even if converted to 12 Volts.
Click to expand...
Actually putting 12 volts to the old six volt vehicles makes a big difference in cranking speed in my experience. I've got a couple of old IH trucks that were six volt and typical slow cranking. Puttin 12 volts (on the same starter)really smartened them up. I'd try it on the Merc but don't want to burn out the gauges just yet.
 
This is why some people go to a 12 v system. Try hitting it with 12 volts and see if it spins any faster. First disconnect the starter. JMO.
 
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