56 ford starter problems

L

larryfuller

Junior Member
Oops, don't know what happened to my previous post, so I'll post it again. If it shows up twice, I apologize. Anyway, the starter in my 56 Ford with a 312 Y-Block engine and Fordamatic transmission has started making a worrisome noise. When I turn the motor off it makes a "chink" sound first and then a whirring sounds that rapidly winds down to a stop. It sounds like the starter is staying engaged in the ring gear while the engine is running. My first thought was that there was a a problem with the ignition key that kept the "trigger" wire going to the solenoid hot after the key returned to the run position. I have checked this a dozen times over the last few days, hot, cold, day and night and it always works correctly. Just to make sure, I replaced the solenoid with a new one.

Then I thought there must be a problem with the starter drive, keeping it engaged with the ring gear while the motor was running. I pulled the starter and couldn't find a problem. But just to make sure, I bought a new starter drive. While I had the starter out, I checked the ring gear for wear and it looked normal. I also checked the ring gear and torque converter for looseness and did not find any. I reinstalled the starter with the new drive and started the engine, shut it back off and didn't hear the sounds, I tried starting and stopping it a few more and on the third try the sounds started again and still are there a day later.

I apologize for the length of this post, but I am at the limit of my knowledge. Has anyone any ideas on how I fix this aggravating problem?

Thanks,
Larry
 
larryfuller said:
. . . When I turn the motor off it makes a "chink" sound first and then a whirring sounds that rapidly winds down to a stop. . .
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Just guessing here... Is there a chance the ignition switch is tired or worn and making an intermittent connection that energizes the solenoid & starter when you're turning the key off?

With the engine running... disconnect the small wire from the "S" terminal of the solenoid then switch the engine off. To see if the noise/problem goes away or stays the same.
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It seems to me that a faulty ignition switch is more common than the other things you mentioned that you already checked. To determine if the ignition switch is the problem is easy. Use a small light bulb with alligator clips. Connect the bulb case to ground and the socket wire end clipped to the "start" terminal of the ignition switch. Start the engine. If the light bulb stays illuminated after you release the key to the "on" position, your ignition switch is still providing current through the start contact when it is not supposed to.
 
Daves55sedan:
I tried your idea this morning, but the light would not stay on after the switch was released to the 'On" position. I tried it about 10 times with the same result. A friend mentioned to me last night that the starter may need to be shimmed. I know that shimming the starter is a fairly normal practice with some GM cars but I don't believe that I've heard of shimming a Ford starter, and there were no shims on the starter when I removed it. Any thoughts?

Thanks for your help.
Larry
 
Did you check the armature bushings for wear? Starter end plate good?

Where did you source the starter drive? Was it quality or CHINESEIUM?

Push comes to shove, you may have to raise the car and observe the starter drive through the inspection cover while running.
 
Kultulz:
I checked the bushings and the end plate (and replaced the brushes). The starter drive came from NAPA, I hope they were american made. I like your idea of taking off the inspsction cove and watching the drive in action. I'll give that a try.

Larry
 
larryfuller said:
Kultulz:

I checked the bushings and the end plate (and replaced the brushes). The starter drive came from NAPA, I hope they were american made.

Larry
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Hell, you know what you are doing. Let us know what you find and be careful...
 
I buy most of my parts from NAPA too because thats what we have here but most of it is from China. Four coils last summer for boat application before I got one that worked. Crappy stuff!!
 
Well guys:

I finally figured it out, but I couldn't have done without your help. The ignition switch was the culprit. Somehow when I turned the ignition off, the switch made a "flash" connection to the start circuit, energizing the starter as the engine stopped. I'm pretty sure that replacing the switch will have it working properly.

I kept checking for current going to the starter when I started the engine, and for no current while it was running, and for no current when the switch was off. I never checked for current while the switch was being turned off. So Dmsfrr was correct, and I discovered it by taking Kultulz's suggestion about taking off the inspection cover and watching the starter. That's how I found that the starter was disengaging correctly while the engine was running but then engaged momentarily again when the switch was turned off.

Thanks to all for the help.

Larry
 
larryfuller said:
Well guys:

I finally figured it out, but I couldn't have done without your help. The ignition switch was the culprit. Somehow when I turned the ignition off, the switch made a "flash" connection to the start circuit, energizing the starter as the engine stopped. I'm pretty sure that replacing the switch will have it working properly.

I kept checking for current going to the starter when I started the engine, and for no current while it was running, and for no current when the switch was off. I never checked for current while the switch was being turned off.

So Dmsfrr was correct, and I discovered it by taking Kultulz's suggestion about taking off the inspection cover and watching the starter. That's how I found that the starter was disengaging correctly while the engine was running but then engaged momentarily again when the switch was turned off.

Thanks to all for the help.

Larry
Click to expand...

Hey, THANX! for the update. It will help others hopefully.
 
Thank you.
It's good to know I can help others get their cars working, while mine is waiting for parts, again.
 
Larry et. al,
Can you provide advice on how to remove the starter from the car? I have 1956 victoria with the 292 and am disconnecting everything to pull the motor and for the life of me can't get find a path that's large enough to get the starter out. The two bolts are removed but just can't wiggle it out between the cross member on the bottom or the top A arm pivot bolt.
 

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