Cant turn rebuild flathead with 6v starter

TDS

TDS

Member
Hi

I'm having some trouble turning my rebuild flathead over after rebuild.
It fine without the plugs but that doesnt bring me anywhere :-).

I could push start it but I got 2 meters to road level from garage :-(

Any tricks - thanks
 
Got a fully charged battery? All electrical connections good and clean? 6V cables? 12V cables won't cut it.
 
make sure to scrape any paint off where your ground is bolted to the eng. groung batt. to eng. , eng. to frame, suggest you do this next to the starter, and then ground the body to the frame. you can not have to many good grounds in a six volt system, and like what was previous stated the correct heavy diameter cables are a must. if all this is correct and you have a fully charged good batt. ( battery can have 12 volts and still not pass a load test ) I would say that your bearing clearances may be on the tight side.
 
Hi
Battery is from last year - charging ok.
Its the original wiring.
I replaced the ground strap, engine to frame, to ensure a good ground.
 
The starter is grounded by the flat surface on the pan and the mating surface of the starter. If you remove the starter clean both surfaces. Just my suggestion as it has worked well for me. hpoe this helps. kerk
 
Can you hand crank the engine with the crank handle with the spark plugs in ? If not then the engine is too tight. Try another KNOWN to be good battery. Batteries have to be tested with a load tester to prove they are good. Regards, Kevin.
 
Everybody up above has given you some good information, I'll add that your starter might not be in great shape? I recently built a very stout 42 Merc engine with high compression - the used 6 volt starter that I had been using with my worn-out 59AB (what was in the car) just didn't turn the new engine over fast enough. The engine had correct clearances and was not too tight - everything was actually a bit 'looser' than most stock engines (due to the performance level).

I sent the starter out to a company with a very good reputation for rebuilding starters (here in Columbus) - they rebuilt it and the engine turns over just fine. Just wanted to add this to the mix!
 
My first flat head rebuild was like that. I didn't know the pistons had to go back in the same holes. I was 15 at the time.
 
I have just gone thru the same thing with a very tight 26 model T that just had the mains poured. I started at the bat. ground with a file on the strap and frame then went to the starter switch terminals and lastly the starter terminal itself. It takes lots of good grounds with a new tight engine.
 
One of the reasons I got interested in old cars is a story my father told me and I'm sure it's true as my uncles commented on the same subject years ago. They rebuilt a flathead in the basement and after installing it they found it too tight and draggged the car on the streets to loosen it up. Heard this about 40 years ago when I was 20. This would have been done a few years after WWII. They also pushed each other down the streets for fun with their $50 cars. My father's 35 coupe had double rear bumpers on it to keep off the climbers. Life was simple then. He wrecked the 35 turning a corner at high speed one night and broke his collar bone in the process. What fun!
 
Hi
Thanks all for your input.

Had 4 boys to help me push start it and it was spinning so smoth I could not belive it.

Could not start it with the starter afterwards so its proberly the ground connection.
I also realise that I painted the oil pan before assembly.
Will try cleaning the paint off to see if it helps.

Got hold on some 1/3" wireing that i will use as ground wire.

Will post a update later
 
Solved - it was as simple as a bad battery.
Battery is only one year old.
Replaced it with a new with more amp.
 
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