Starter not working

[JM8]

30 coupe. Switch was sticking and motor wouldn't disengage . found plastic plunger inside broken so got new switch and now won't do anything .checked voltage ok. Removed starter motor and it motors on bench with 6 volts applied to the contact button. It appears that the insulating washer is missing. Could this be my problem? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

[Jim/GA]

When you connect the battery cable to the switch with the big nut on the post, you don't want the post to turn (because this will jam the copper strip inside the switch against the insulation cardboard inside, so it won't bend down and connect to the starter).

Before putting the switch on the starter, tighten up the lower nut to get the post locked in to the switch housing. When doing this, insert a flat screwdriver tip inside the switch between the flat copper strip and the side of the switch housing. Then tighten the nut. This keeps a gap there while tightening.

Now, when putting battery cable on, tighten that second nut and lock washer enough to get it all tight, but don't turn the post.

I have never been able to find a wrench that is thin enough to get in there, under the battery cable, to hold the lower nut on this switch. That would be the better way to do it. So I have started doing what I describe above instead.

Maybe others have an idea on how to prevent this.

[JM8]

Thanks. Jim in tx and ga. I will try that

[Tom Wesenberg]

Bicycle shops sell thin wrenches. They are needed to adjust the bearings in the hubs.

In a pinch I've use a piece of steel and made my own thin wrench. I made my own wrench to adjust the spokes on my bike. Just used my Dremel with a thin cut off wheel to cut the right width slot for an open end wrench.

[captndan]

The Bridgeport makes thin wrenchs easy.

[Mitch//pa]

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I believe i used my tappet wrench set before for this

[JM8]

Tried Jim in tx and ga suggestion.Starter motor still not turning....battery slow chargerd
Overnight. Lights dim when switch is depressed and everything works except starter BUT it motors on bench . checked brushes and all looks good the only thing I see is the field terminal insulator washer is missing guess I need to disassemble the starter and rebuild it???

[100IH]

To start with, the insulating washer is to isolate the stud from the switch housing, that would cause a short - battery (-) to the ground on the starter housing - a nasty big spark. Look at how things are assembled so that the insulator pieces are not insulating the springy contact from the copper stud, there you need continuity. Then check with a test light or VOM for battery voltage - the switch off the starter in your hand. Usually, the copper pad on the starter has some burn marks from arcing, dress them with a file or sand paper for a good connection. Also, there are threads on how the re-pop switches have an angle issue, plunger binds when pushed in to make the copper strip inside the switch and not make good contact to the copper pad on the starter. Really, you can just touch the battery cable to the contact pad on the starter. The switch only needs to be able to complete the path, cable to pad without a short to ground when open.

[JM8]

Thanks but I guess I didn't clarify the missing insulating washer is on the pad on the starter. The replacement switch seems to be making contact as the volt meter goes to the discharge. side and the cowl and headlights dim also when depressing pedal so must be something in the starter. Again thanks for the help. I'll keep digging

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

Can you hand crank the engine with starter in and out. Do you possibly have too long starter bolt(s) binding the flywheel?

[700rpm]

I suspect one of the starter bolts is too long (the one closest to the block) and it is jamming the flywheel. Make sure your new switch is working correctly, and remove that bolt and try the starter.

[JM8]

Yes I can turn the engine over with or without the starter in place by rocking it back and forth in gear.always started just fine until the starter switch went bad . I replaced it with a new one from brattons and cleaned the contact button on the starter . thanks for the suggestions. I'll pull the starter again tomorrow and reinspect

[Chuck Sea/Tac]

If the starter motors on the bench, but won't turn the engine over, but the engine isn't stuck, then, you either have a bad connection ,or the starter or battery is weak.

[Fred K-OR]

Maybe you could just take the starter switch off and touch the battery cable to the starter contact and see it the starter will work. This would check a possible problem with switch.

[tbirdtbird]

be sure your grounding cable from the battery is making a super clean/tight connection at the frame.

with the starter and the switch together, on the bench, see if it will motor that way, to help rule out a switch problem

"Thanks but I guess I didn't clarify the missing insulating washer is on the pad on the starter."
then why is there not a short to the case?
Can you post a pic?

[Tom Wesenberg]

Also make sure the 4 switch mounting screws aren't too long and grounding the field coils. If you use the fuse that mounts to the switch, I think it comes with two screws a little longer to mount the fuse, and they may be in the wrong holes. I don't use a fuse, so if I'm wrong about the 2 mounting screws being a little longer feel free to tell me I'm wrong about that.

[Jim/GA]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Also make sure the 4 switch mounting screws aren't too long and grounding the field coils. If you use the fuse that mounts to the switch, I think it comes with two screws a little longer to mount the fuse, and they may be in the wrong holes. I don't use a fuse, so if I'm wrong about the 2 mounting screws being a little longer feel free to tell me I'm wrong about that.

True!

You can also use an insulating pad under the switch. This raises it up just a tiny bit, to help keep the screw tips from grounding out into the field coils. Plus the screws should have lock washers. These all add up to keep the screws out of the field coils.

[H. L. Chauvin]

Hi JM,

All good suggestions above.

The last two (2) new starter switches I bought from (2) different "reliable" parts places were beautiful ........... but ............. horribly and incorrectly made by "Vintique".

Appears some drunk made both of them after drinking 1-1/2 bottles of whiskey, next putting on a dark glazed welding helmet, and made both of my starter switches at midnight with the Vintique Shop lights turned off.

The angle of the cylindrical plungers were both incorrect and the plungers were binding in the top metal opening of the starter switch body; hence the angle of the starter rod exiting the floor board was not aligned with the angle of the plunger which caused the plunger to bind.

If your starter is installed and well grounded, and if your starter turns rapidly when you touch the starter's top button with your batter cable ...... but ....... when the starter switch is installed, and the rod is depressed, the starter does not work, your flat metal strip inside the starter switch may not be touching the starter button.

Because you cannot "see" what is happening "inside" your starter switch, maybe try this:

1. Mix a dab of axle grease with alkyd, oil base, or latex paint of any color until this mixture is opaque; i.e, a very thin coat will not be almost invisible and transparent like grease; but, also will not dry rapidly like paint.

2. Place a thin coat of this mixture on top of your starter button; install your starter switch, depress your starter plunger, remove your starter switch, and verify if your flat metal strip inside your switch has made a good "solid" contact with this grease/paint mixture on top of your "flat" starter button.

3. If not, get a round file and rework the plunger opening in the top of the starter switch so the plunger does not bind at "any" up & down location..

4. Worked for me ..... just had to show that midnight shift drunk that his misalignment work can be corrected!

[BILL WILLIAMSON]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

Also make sure the 4 switch mounting screws aren't too long and grounding the field coils. If you use the fuse that mounts to the switch, I think it comes with two screws a little longer to mount the fuse, and they may be in the wrong holes. I don't use a fuse, so if I'm wrong about the 2 mounting screws being a little longer feel free to tell me I'm wrong about that.

And REMEMBER, if screws are too LONG, most terminal pliers have a facility to cut standard sized screws.
Bill Shorten

[Jacksonlll]

If the lights dim when you push on the button, then something is getting very hot. Find it.