Getting my 1931 Model A Coupe go start

[Will N]

Is there a battery cut off switch installed? Some guys would hide where they put the switch, like on the rear motor mount, or on the seat riser. Follow the paths of the cables coming off the battery to see if there is a switch somewhere.

[100IH]

AND be sure that the trans is in NEUTRAL before jumping the starter switch. Also OK to leave the ignition switch off. Separate systems.

[100IH]

No battery cutoff, head lights and horn work.

[joshhirst13]

Originally Posted by abachman3

I too think the starter switch may be the issue. Remove the switch (shiny piece on top of starter) and then jumper the battery cable to the copper disk on the starter unit. The starter should spin if it is alright.

Ok guys. I removed the starter switch & used battery cables to jump the starter. When I did this the starter made a very quote click & that is it. I would have to wait a couple seconds before getting it to click again. Like I said it was very very quite. Almost nothing. I've been keeping my battery connected to the charger & the charger says the battery is good and when I check the battery with my voltage tester it shows 5.99 volts & goes down to about 5.74 volts after 5 min of messing with it. Is it possible the battery is still bad ( Not enough juice) or is this a definite starter issue? I'm just trying to narrow down to the exact problem instead of throwing a bunch of money at the problem.
Thanks for everything.
Josh

[Ernie Vitucci]

Good afternoon...Check with the 'Model A Restorer's Club and the Model A Ford Club of America and see if either club has a local chapter near you. If so contact them and they will always have a member come over and give you a hand. They will be motivated to get your car running and they will have a new member in you. Win-Win. Ernie

[J Franklin]

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3 more bolts to remove and you can try the starter out of the car and see what is happening. You will have to remove it anyway since it is not working.

[KenCoupe]

When you tried to jump the starter with the battery cable, did you notice if the copper strip in the starter switch and/or the button that the copper strip contacts is corroded? I have had a situation where they have been corroded and the starter would not turn until the corrosion was cleaned up.

[Tom Wesenberg]

A 6 volt battery in good condition should show about 6.3 to 6.4 volts, especially right after the charger has been on it. You'll get a higher reading from the charger just being on it, but if you turn the lights on for 15 seconds, then turn them off and read the voltage, you should have 6.3 or close to it.


Try hand cranking the engine to be sure the starter drive isn't jammed in the flywheel teeth.

[joshhirst13]

Originally Posted by J Franklin

3 more bolts to remove and you can try the starter out of the car and see what is happening. You will have to remove it anyway since it is not working.

Very true. This is about to happen right after the headlight test. I might do it tonight since it will be dark & easier to see the lights get dimmer.

[joshhirst13]

Originally Posted by KenCoupe

When you tried to jump the starter with the battery cable, did you notice if the copper strip in the starter switch and/or the button that the copper strip contacts is corroded? I have had a situation where they have been corroded and the starter would not turn until the corrosion was cleaned up.

I actually pulled the switch off & cleaned both with a wire wheel yesterday. I also cleaned all of the battery cable contacts to make sure I had a good ground/connection as wel. After putting it all back together I still had the same result.
Thanks

[joshhirst13]

Originally Posted by Tom Wesenberg

A 6 volt battery in good condition should show about 6.3 to 6.4 volts, especially right after the charger has been on it. You'll get a higher reading from the charger just being on it, but if you turn the lights on for 15 seconds, then turn them off and read the voltage, you should have 6.3 or close to it.


Try hand cranking the engine to be sure the starter drive isn't jammed in the flywheel teeth.

I will try the light tonight on a fresh charged battery & report back. I have tried cranking the hand crank & it turns the motor freely. I'm assuming that if the starter were stuck it wouldn't crank freely. It basically feels like compression when I use the hand crank.
Thanks for everyone's input. It has all been great! I'm thinking I'm either gonna need a new battery or a new starter.

[midgetracer]

I think the battery may be toast. 5.99 dropping to 5.75 Volts for a battery may be too little amps left to run the starter. as Tom said, you should have 6.3 volts on a fully charged battery. Check the voltage drop when you depress the starter switch.

[joshhirst13]

Originally Posted by midgetracer

I think the battery may be toast. 5.99 dropping to 5.75 Volts for a battery may be too little amps left to run the starter. as Tom said, you should have 6.3 volts on a fully charged battery. Check the voltage drop when you depress the starter switch.

Ok guys. I just finished up with the light test. I also installed a new positive cable because the old one was garbage. Here's what I found. After putting the freshly charged battery of 6.2 volts in the car & turning the headlights on for 15 seconds the bolts went down to 5.74. After that I tried pushing starter button & obviously I got nothing. I checked the colts it was still holding at 5.74. I then turned headlights on for 15 seconds again. They did look dimmer. The battery still held at 5.74. So no drop once it got to 5.74, but as you guys are saying that with that quick if a drop the battery is probably toast. Do you guys recommend a new battery first & if that doesn't work, then pull the starter & bench test it. It's prob not a bad idea to have a new battery anyways.
Thanks for all your guys help. I'm at work the next couple days so I won't be able to do anything else until Sat.
Thanks again for all of your help.
Josh

[Tom Wesenberg]

Battery is what I think is wrong, so try another battery, or take this one to be checked.


If you need to replace brushes, the ground pair are easy to replace, and they usually wear out twice as fast as the pair connected to the field coils, which need to be cut and soldered.

[Bob C]

What is your voltage when you hit the starter with the lights on??

Bob

[Farrell In Vancouver]

I would remove and bench test the starter. While you have it out check the mounting surfaces to see the starter and flywheel surfaces are clean, as every bit of ground will help.
The three mounting bolts should be cleaned up as well. If you can get the starter to jump on the bench with a 12 volt, you can probably assume your six volt is toast and needs to be swapped out. One thing the starter switches hate is low voltage and will cause the contacts to weld solid if strained enough.
I think you're close, keep poking!

[1crosscut]

Josh I think that you may be at the point it would be a benefit to have a shop that services and rebuilds starters take a look at it. I'm assuming you are near Los Angeles. I did a search on the internet and found a company that rebuilds starters and alternators. I don't know if they are anywhere close to you. If not I'm sure they could recommend a shop nearer to you.

T & M AUTO ELECTRIC INC.
Address:

13110 Saticoy st. Unit A North Hollywood, CA. 91605

Phone:

818-982-6215 / 818-232-1325

Hours:

Monday - Friday 8am-5pm Saturday 8am-3pm

[J Franklin]

Don't buy a new battery or take the starter to a shop until it is on the bench and tested with your battery and a separate battery of 6 or 12 volt. maybe you have a bad ground cable, battery, switch, or starter. You will soon at least have a direction to go. 3 short bolts are all you need to remove it! It sounds like the battery you have is not exactly OK but it should turn the motor on the bench.

[michael a]

For crying out loud get that starter off of there the suspense is killing me been watching this for 2 days

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[Beater]

personally before I took the starter off id try boosting it