weak starter on a 32

B

barry

Senior Member
despite a new battery in my 32 fordor the car cranks slow before it finally starts up. what is the most likely problem at this point.
 
Poor grounds is the most likely problem. In addition to cleaning the grounds run an additional cable from the ground on the frame to the flywheel housing near the starter. I am assuming you have the correct size cables for he 6 volt system. The 12 volt cables were smaller in diameter and will cause the car to crank slow.

Charlie Stephens
 
Resistance in hot circuit...small gauge 12V type cables
Dirt or corroded cable end connections
bad contacts in starter switch another souce of resistance
bad ground...easily caused by either newly painted parts or old. rusty and filthy stuff

I would first try direct cable jump from battery to starter terminal, then add in a second cable from starter bolt (cleaned up and bare) to battery...
then you can worry about starter itself.

It would be good to say...which engine if stock, if not entirely stock what components are we talking about??
There are 3 different '32 starter circuits in '32...
 
Charlie, you may be right. Does the fact that the car has a battery cutoff on the right side of the firewall with probably 12 volt cable running to it and back to the starter have any effect?
 
barry said:
Charlie, you may be right. Does the fact that the car has a battery cutoff on the right side of the firewall with probably 12 volt cable running to it and back to the starter have any effect?
Click to expand...

That could be the whole problem. Try bypassing it with a jumper cable and see what happens.

Charlie Stephens
 
Bruce Lancaster said:
Resistance in hot circuit...small gauge 12V type cables
Dirt or corroded cable end connections
bad contacts in starter switch another souce of resistance
bad ground...easily caused by either newly painted parts or old. rusty and filthy stuff

I would first try direct cable jump from battery to starter terminal, then add in a second cable from starter bolt (cleaned up and bare) to battery...
then you can worry about starter itself.

It would be good to say...which engine if stock, if not entirely stock what components are we talking about??
There are 3 different '32 starter circuits in '32...
Click to expand...

How about resistance in the "cold" circuit? If the ground strap is too small or not properly grounded it is just as bad.

Charlie Stephens
 
2nd paragraph there..."bolt" should have been noted as mounting bolt!

On the starter switches, especially the cable B where you can't get at starter hot contact, and on the cables and cutoff...crank the thing for a while and then touch them. resistance will very quickly make them HOT.
 
If this is a restored car perhaps the back of the starter was painted and then mounted against a painted flywheel housing. This would impair the ground circuit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top