6 volt. Starter installed in 56 ford car

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wellcraft17

Senior Member
Looking for any input from someone who has installed a 6 V starter in their 12V vehicle. What changes/parts were made, what issues have you encountered since installing,how is it working? The reason I’m considering changing is I want my motor to spin over faster.
 
Hello Back in early sixties I had 292 in a 55 with Jans pistons that raised compress to over 11 to 1. Would not turn over fast enough to start engine (6 volt) put 12 volt battery in with 6 volt starter fixed starting problem. But car didn't have any else that needed just 6 volts to run. Started last until I could not get 103 octane fuel. Lot of 55 TB fellas had convert over to 12 volts but use 12 starter.
 
I’ve been running the 6v starter on my 55 for 26 years. No problem if you don’t crank it until you cook it.

Cos, I had what was probably those same 11.25 t 1 Jahn’s pistons in the med 60’s. Ran the 103 octane Chevron White Pump Supreme til they converted the pumps to unleaded.
 
Yes Miker. Didn't remember color of pump but do remember color was red color, and expensive. Seems like around 30 cents a gal. HA Still have that engine.
 
miker98038 said:
I’ve been running the 6v starter on my 55 for 26 years. No problem if you don’t crank it until you cook it.....
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wellcraft17 years ago I had a 12v air-cooled VW with a 6v starter. The ignition got wet & it quit while crossing a good sized stream. I put it in gear and held the starter button until I was out of the water, about 100 ft. Not sure I'd try that very often but it worked back then. ;)
Drove it daily for two more years. Sold the car to a friend and it was still going a few years later when I moved.
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They cool better when they’re under water. I poured a bottle of water on more than 1 sbc starter with headers on a hot soak on a hot day. Solenoids had an over temp sensor to protect it.
 
I used to run a 6v/12v switchable battery in a ‘51 Cadillac I once owned. The battery was basically two 6v batteries in a 6v battery case. It had a solenoid that would switch to 12v to start and run at 6v for everything else. Never had any starter problems.
 
Thank you for everyone’s input, still hesitant about messing up the flywheel, bendix teeth. Have never seen any first hand accounts where teeth have been destroyed only opinions and story’s.
 
Never had a problem with that. And that was cranking 10.5 and 11.25 compression engines. They were well tuned and started quick, unless the carb was dry. But I wouldn’t worry about it.
 
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