The Ford Barn

Blastfromthepast · 08-26-2019, 08:12 PM

I tried to start my car for the first time. There was a chattering noise from the starter. I removed the starter and bench tested it and it just doesn’t seem right.
There seems to be a vibration in the shaft area. The drive caught my attention. I understand that it works on sentrifical force which moves the gear forward and engages the fly wheel. How does that gear free itself from the flywheel and return back to the original area away from the flywheel.

drolston · 08-26-2019, 08:43 PM

Just to be sure, - you had a good fully charged battery with good heavy gauge cables connecting to ground, solenoid, and starter.

What "doesn't seem right"?

When the engine starts and turns faster than the starter cranking speed, the sliding gear is thrown back away from the flywheel by the same spiral that sends it into the flywheel when the starter is spinning.

Blastfromthepast · 08-28-2019, 08:02 AM

Thank you for your answer. It was confusing when I had the starter out and the gear actually turns the opposite direction on the shaft making the engine turn the wrong opposite direction but after looking at it again I saw that the shaft actually turn which then engages the gear and spins it in the correct direction. Then I figured that when the starter stops the torque that the fly wheel spins it back out of the way. At first not being that familiar with that starter it looked wrong. Thanks again for your response.

Kurt in NJ · 08-28-2019, 09:33 AM

The flathead starter is held together with the mounting bolts to the oil pan---- to bench test it you need to put nuts on the bolts to hold the starter together

Blastfromthepast · 08-28-2019, 02:24 PM

Hi Kurt yes that was done. It just didn't have that smooth sound. The shaft seems to be off. Maybe its the spring and drive that's causing it to wobble.

Kurt in NJ · 08-28-2019, 03:01 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

When I used to rebuild starters, generator for A, v8, if the shaft wobbled I would put the unit on the floor, put a foot on it with the highest up and wack the shaft with a wooden mallet till the runout was gone

koates · 08-28-2019, 08:40 PM

Often starter motor shafts can become out of true or bent. To straighten the shaft correctly the starter should be dismantled and the armature set up in V blocks in a press to find the high spot and be pressed down until it is running true. Hitting with a mallet while the starter is assembled is the rough back woods way of doing it and may put stress on other starter components. Regards, Kevin.

4dFord/SC · 08-28-2019, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by koates

Hitting with a mallet while the starter is assembled is the rough back woods way of doing it ....

That was called a "Field Expedient" in the Army.

koates · 08-28-2019, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4dFord/SC

That was called a "Field Expedient" in the Army.

We are not in the army now, so we can do it correctly cant we. I was in the army 50 years ago. Regards, Kevin

08-26-2019, 08:12 PM	#1
Blastfromthepast Senior Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: NY Posts: 318	1936 starter I tried to start my car for the first time. There was a chattering noise from the starter. I removed the starter and bench tested it and it just doesn’t seem right. There seems to be a vibration in the shaft area. The drive caught my attention. I understand that it works on sentrifical force which moves the gear forward and engages the fly wheel. How does that gear free itself from the flywheel and return back to the original area away from the flywheel.

08-26-2019, 08:43 PM	#2
drolston Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Williamsburg, VA Posts: 1,627	Re: 1936 starter Just to be sure, - you had a good fully charged battery with good heavy gauge cables connecting to ground, solenoid, and starter. What "doesn't seem right"? When the engine starts and turns faster than the starter cranking speed, the sliding gear is thrown back away from the flywheel by the same spiral that sends it into the flywheel when the starter is spinning.

08-28-2019, 08:02 AM	#3
Blastfromthepast Senior Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: NY Posts: 318	Re: 1936 starter Thank you for your answer. It was confusing when I had the starter out and the gear actually turns the opposite direction on the shaft making the engine turn the wrong opposite direction but after looking at it again I saw that the shaft actually turn which then engages the gear and spins it in the correct direction. Then I figured that when the starter stops the torque that the fly wheel spins it back out of the way. At first not being that familiar with that starter it looked wrong. Thanks again for your response.

08-28-2019, 09:33 AM	#4
Kurt in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: on the Littlefield Posts: 6,156	Re: 1936 starter The flathead starter is held together with the mounting bolts to the oil pan---- to bench test it you need to put nuts on the bolts to hold the starter together

08-28-2019, 02:24 PM	#5
Blastfromthepast Senior Member Join Date: May 2017 Location: NY Posts: 318	Re: 1936 starter Hi Kurt yes that was done. It just didn't have that smooth sound. The shaft seems to be off. Maybe its the spring and drive that's causing it to wobble.

08-28-2019, 03:01 PM	#6
Kurt in NJ Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: on the Littlefield Posts: 6,156	Re: 1936 starter Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) When I used to rebuild starters, generator for A, v8, if the shaft wobbled I would put the unit on the floor, put a foot on it with the highest up and wack the shaft with a wooden mallet till the runout was gone

08-28-2019, 08:40 PM	#7
koates Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Melbourne Australia. Posts: 2,078	Re: 1936 starter Often starter motor shafts can become out of true or bent. To straighten the shaft correctly the starter should be dismantled and the armature set up in V blocks in a press to find the high spot and be pressed down until it is running true. Hitting with a mallet while the starter is assembled is the rough back woods way of doing it and may put stress on other starter components. Regards, Kevin.