Starter Question

[Kurt B.]

Re: Starter Question Kurt

Just ran the motor for 15-20 minutes. Shut if off, tried to start. Barely turns over. Attached heavy jumper cable from negative post on battery directly to a good ground on the engine, made no difference. Still barely turned over and would not start so I am ruling out a bad ground.
Kurt

[Mark #28455]

Re: Starter Question Kurt

Is your ignition timing set to factory specs?
Mark

[Kurt B.]

Re: Starter Question Kurt

Ignition timing is set to 8 BTDC with distributor #1111477 which is second design for # 1111438
Kurt

[Donald O.]

Re: Starter Question Kurt

I do not think that the problem is the armature. My belief is that it is the field core windings and the lacquer insulations that has been breaking down.

Easiest way to rebuild it is to go to your FLAPS and buy a new starter. Gut it and assemble the new parts into your old starter. It isn't rocket science.

Or you could send it to John Pirkle.

just my $.02

Don

[Kurt B.]

Re: Starter Question Kurt

Don,
Do you have contact info for John Pirkle? I know he advertises in Driveline but do not have a Driveline magazine.
Thank you,
Kurt

[Patrick H.]

Contact Info

http://www.johnpirkle.com

Couldn't be any easier.

Patrick

[Kurt B.]

Thanks Patrick *NM*

[Mike M.]

Battery

I know you said the battery is new. But have you rulled it out. When you are running the car what is the amp gauge doing. Also when it won't start have you tried jumping it with another battery. Mike

[Mike McKown]

I'm inclined to agree, Don.

Bad fields in the case have killed more that one starter. They're easy to check.

[Kurt B.]

Re: I'm inclined to agree, Don.

Mike,
How do I check the fields in the case?
Are these the 4 magnetic coil things that are placed around the housing of the starter?
Thank you,
Kurt

[Jack H.]

Re: I'm inclined to agree, Don.

The older shop manuals used to publish resistance specs to work against, but it became fashionable (economic) to service starter motors by assy replacement vs. discrete rebuild and all we're left with in the Chassis Service Manuals of the Shark era is 'go/no-go' series of specs for the starter motor's performance profile (Applied Voltage, Resulting Current Range, and Resulting Starter RPM range).

There's some logic here because it's one thing to measure static winding resistance when the starter is off the car, on the bench, at ambient temperature vs. a coil's heat soaked resistance... Insulating varnish can break down at temperature resulting in adjacent winding layers to short together.

Just about every competent auto electric shop has a Jim Dandy, wheel up, diagnostic cart that can be connected to the car to load test the battery, monitor the charging system and profile the starter motor's performance. You might consider making an appointment with an auto electric that's local to you for this test service, Don. It doesn't take long and it's a great way to sort wheat from chaff....

[Mike McKown]

Re: I'm inclined to agree, Don.

Yes, the coil thingys around the inside of the case. One or more can be defective but still start when the engine is cold and be very slow when the engine is hot.

I will defer to the service manual on the correct way to check them. I might not have it just right. Any electrical repair shop could also easily check it for you. They could also supply you with a used field coil if they had one.

I would guess you could buy a rebuilt starter and rob the guts out of it cheaper than you could buy even one brand new field like Don said. $29.95 rebuilt starters at the auto parts store won't have new fields in them but you could expect them to be usable.

[Donald O.]

Re: I'm inclined to agree, Don.

Jack,
I think meant to tell Kurt to make the appointment.
Don

[Jack H.]

Yep, guilty!!! *NM*