Gear reduction starters

Tom's36coupe

Tom's36coupe

Well-known member
My original starter has had its spring gear replaced several times since we converted the car to 12volts. Not sure what you call the part that engages the flywheel but I know its spring loaded and I think its starting to go again. Its no problem to get it fixed here in town but this is the fifth time in the last 12 or so years. What are your opinions on the gear reduction starters? Speedway motors has two units that they sell and look like they would work well. Thanks!
 
Has the starter been converted to 12 volts also? If not, it may be better to convert it so it doesn't hit as hard like it does as a 6 volt. Probably cheaper also. Good Luck.
 
As far as I know it has not been converted to 12v. The starter motor has never given me problems, always has been the part that engages the flywheel. It sure spins though!
 
Tom's36coupe said:
As far as I know it has not been converted to 12v. The starter motor has never given me problems, always has been the part that engages the flywheel. It sure spins though!
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Tom, Actually it is probably the starter motor that is giving you problems and you just don't know it. It is probably slamming the bendix drive into the flywheel with souch force that it is breaking. Get the starter converted to 12 volts before you spend the money on a gear reduction unit.

Charlie Stephens
 
Charlie, your right, its the bendix drive that keeps needing to be replaced. The shop that has fixed it before has just done that and nothing else. When you hit the starter button it really jumps! I would assume that they could take care of the conversion for me.
 
do you have the front support bracket? If not put one on. My electrical wizard converted my 6 volt to 12 volt with changing the field coils from a later 12v ford starter, he also said you can put a shunt in the 6 volt coils
 
It does have the front bracket on it, looks like I will be crawling under the car tonight to pull it off. By putting in 12v coils will that slow down the starter?
 
Tom's36coupe said:
My original starter has had its spring gear replaced several times since we converted the car to 12volts. Not sure what you call the part that engages the flywheel but I know its spring loaded and I think its starting to go again. Its no problem to get it fixed here in town but this is the fifth time in the last 12 or so years. What are your opinions on the gear reduction starters? Speedway motors has two units that they sell and look like they would work well. Thanks!
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Are you using a 6 voltstarter on a 12 system think about it
 
was told many years ago that it did not matter that it was a 6v starter, it would just turn faster with the 12v. Also not to keep the starter button pushed for too long of a time.....
 
Tom's36coupe said:
was told many years ago that it did not matter that it was a 6v starter, it would just turn faster with the 12v. Also not to keep the starter button pushed for too long of a time.....
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They left out the part about breaking the bendix. It is true that it will work for a time.

Charlie Stephens
 
If you decide not to repair you old unit any longer try the Powermaster unit. I have used several and sold a lot of the Powermaster FH starters. I have had no problems nor have I had any problems reported. They really roll the ole FH over.
 
I used a 6 volt for a few years without a problem but when I rebuilt my engine 2 years ago I put on a Speedway Stumpuller and it's been great. It has the solenoid on it so that eliminated the firewall mounted solenoid setup. I also re-wired the start circuit to use a normal "momentary" button switch instead of the stock grounding button.
 
There's a guy who showed me that by adding a resister to the 12v lead to the
(6v) starter it would slow enough to not hit the drive spring so hard... He had taken another starter drive spring to use as an electrical resister... he showed me- it works... I measured what would be the unwound length of the spring, figuring to use a piece of steel strap that length instead of copper... have not felt the nead to do it yet... Karl
 
I have installed one of those gear drive staters,was sold by Flatomatic.I have been using for about a month now with no problem,looks like same as Speedways.Its looks like something from a lawn mower very small and very light.Easy to install.
 
The other option to all those mentioned is to just fit a new style "bendix" that has no spring. I have one, and it works great.
 
those starters with the sol. when it engauses the flywheel it is doing it on out side of the ring gear which has no bevel if you look at the ring gear on a flathead eng the bevel on the teeth is on the inside the orignal starter ingauged from the rear also working the ring gear against a shoulder the sol type pushes the ring gear away from the sholder wheather this will cause a proulbem remains to be seen i guss time will tell.i have lerned one thing in over 70 years is that engerners do things for a reason. and there not stuped as some mech. think.just my o.p i would use the 12v coils in the orignal starter
 
I purchased the powermaster from Speedway two years ago for my flathead and have been very happy with it. Had the same problems with running a 12 volt system and 6 volt starter. The starter kept locking into the flywheel,
 
I use the moden style starter drive on my 31 Model A with a B engine, 12volt system. The same drive fits the V8. It's heavy duty accually made for a deisel engine. Only coat 25-30 bucks. you cain't break it. Walt
 
Walt Dupont--Me. said:
I use the moden style starter drive on my 31 Model A with a B engine, 12volt system. The same drive fits the V8. It's heavy duty accually made for a deisel engine. Only coat 25-30 bucks. you cain't break it. Walt
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Hey Walt - Your initials are WD and you drive a Fourty. Does anyone call you WD-40?
By the way, where can I get one of those starter drives?
 
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