VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1912-1928 Weak Starter. 28 model.

I replaced the battery in my 28 tourer today, as it seemed to be tired and the chev would no longer crank over. The battery was four years old, so I did not look deeper. I fitted a new battery and the chev will still not crank over.
It starts first flick with the crank handle, but the starter sounds like it is trying to start a high compression race engine and not making a full revolution. I checked the basics like leads, connections, etc but could not find a fault.
Battery is reading 6.25 volts.
I can actually start the engine quite easily by having the ignition turned on before cranking the starter for that half a turn, however I like to crank it over for a few turns to get up oil pressure before starting.
It sounds like the ignition is fully advanced when trying to start, however everything is operating normally in that regard.
Any suggestions?
Tim.

Hi Tim,

I would guess that the starter has taken a hike. If you have another starter I would mount it up for a test.

Your starter may have developed internal shorts in the armature or perhaps the fields. And we can't overlook the possibility that the bushing is worn so badly that the armature is dragging. A bench test may also be in order.

I don't have to ask if you have retarded the spark?

Thanks Ray, Yes the spark is retarded as usual.
Tim.

A little more information.. The new battery is rated at 270 cold cranking amps. Is this enough for our needs? The reason I ask is that the new battery is physically shorter than the old battery, and I suspect it may have a couple less plates per cell? Perhaps seven instead of the previous nine?
Is anyone else successfully using a 270CCA battery?
BTW. The new battery is starting the chev this morning, but only just. It hardly sounds convincing.
Tim.

It may perform the job on a good day, however I prefer the more powerful 550 or 600 CCA.

The battery selected should be a GROUP 1 battery.

Hi Tim

A couple of guys I know have used 6 VW batteries, which are very small and they did a reasonable job. So it isn't your battery.

The one I use is a 19 plate, and they will crank the car all day

I agree with Ray, it looks like your starter needs and overhaul.

Another thing you could check is your earth lead, it is essential that this is in good nick, especialy with 6 volts. I use a lead as thick as my thumb, and others have soldered together two of the copper braided straps as they want to keep it original

Chris

Also make sure the battery cable is a heavy guage. I thought my battery was getting too weak. I had a cable made up by John Brillman at Hershey this past fall with #1/0 and my 1929 Chevy turns over much better. www.brillman.com
I couldn't find it on his web site but call him and he can make up the cable to length with cloth covering. I don't have a 4 cylinder to know how it should look. Also at one time I had trouble with my engine not turning over very well and thought it was the starter but it turned out to be the starter switch not making good contact.

Thanks guys. The leads are quite new looking and pretty heavy, so it probably is the starter or starter swtch. Time for a bench test I think. I will try a volt drop test before I remove the starter, just to be sure.
Tim.

Bushes in the starter wear and the armature ends up poling, ie rubbing against the field shoes. Usually, new bushes solve the problem. In extreme cases of continued use when problematic, the armature ends up being destroyed and sometimes the field windings, brushes, and end plates suffer the same fate.