VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1929-1932 Starter Issue

The starter on my '32 worries me. When I depress the pedal it always kicks in and the bendix engages in the normal way. The problem is that the starter motor won't turn over more than a fraction of a turn. If you do this several times, engine starts. Once in a while starter motor will continue to crank as normal, but not usually. I think switch is probably OK and bendix as well. Does it sound like brushes, commutator, bent shaft, something else? Thanks

It could be any number of things: Bad brushes, armature dragging on the pole shoes, bad ground, battery positive cable too small, weak battery, battery CCA's too small, and etc.

Thanks. I think you're onto something with the cable size. I should have mentioned that there's a kill switch cut into the cable ahead of the starter. Are they worth the possible headaches they create? Is correct cable gauge for 6 volt #0?

Remove both cables from the battery and clean the inside of the cable end and clean both battery posts. When you reassemble the two ends to the battery, coat the cable ends with some light grease to prevent futher corrosion.

I would put the disconnect switch on the battery post instead. Also, #00 is a better size to use for a 6 volt cable. On my '51 Chevy I am running a #0000 positive cable.

Also try connecting the negative (ground) directly to the starter bolt that holds the starter to the engine. I had trouble starting a hot engine on a hot day until I made this change.

Couldn't resist resurrecting this old thread to say that today I got around to replacing my #1 positive battery cable with #00. Made all the difference. It's been said many time recently and here's the proof.