engine won't turn over

[Flathill]

24 stud engine with front mounted dist. starts and after running for 15 minutes won't turn over when trying to restart it. It will turn using a wrench. Also tried hooking two 6 volt batteries up to it keeping 6 volts but increasing the ampere and still would not turn over. It is wired through a start solenoid with a push button on the dash.

[40cpe]

Is it a fresh rebuild?

[alanwoodieman]

when you use a wrench how hard is it to turn hot over verses doing the same with a cold engine? what size battery wires are you using? small dia. (12 volt) wireing will not carry the amp load you need to start a hot flathead engine

[Flathill]

Yes rebuilt a few months ago. Has been started many times and turns over good.

[Flathill]

Wires from battery to solenoid and from there to starter are very large. Like welding cable.
With the engine hot it will turn over with the hand wrench with more effect than when it is cold.

[19Fordy]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Bad condenser or coil?

[Mike in Mass]

Be patient, I went through a lot to get my 39 going . As I learned here ,check an clean all the wires/grounds . Ask questions .Lots of great people here

[AnthonyG]

What did it sound like when it stopped running after the 15 minutes. Start running rough, backfires, just stopped suddenly / abruptly, can u describe?

[cas3]

turn the motor backwards, starter drive may be stuck on the flywheel. put it in 3rd gear, rock back and fourth, or use a wrench, or grab the belt.

[B-O-B]

starter would be my guess.

[Flathill]

The engine sounds fine. It just won't turn over after running for 15 minutes and turning it off. Then trying to start the engine it doesn't turn. I would't think a condenser or coil could be the problem as these come into play after the engine is turning.
Yes, it is Starter related. Maybe the heat is affecting the starter.
May try a different starter, just don't like to remove it without checking other items. Thinking the solenoid could be a problem but why would heat affect it ?

[Ggmac]

Did you replace the starter with the new style bendix ? Any starter noises when you hit the button ?

[supereal]

Finding an engine that won't turnover when hot is often a sign of setting it up with clearance that are too tight. If the engine heats up quickly, but turns when cooled down is an indication that modern clearance were used instead of the wide correct type.

[flatjack9]

He stated that he could turn the engine over with a wrench when the starter wouldn't, so clearance should not be a problem.

[Flathill]

I was told that if the engine clearances were too tight after heating up it would not turn over using a hand wrench. Also mentioned that if the engine was too tight it would stall and stop turning at a low rpm.
It does make you think that it could of been rebuilt with not enough clearances, engine being too tight. Hope this isn't the case !
Not sure about the starter bendex used ? I'm leaning too a starter issue. Just don't understand how the hot engine keeps it from turning over.
Yes a hot engine many times won't start because of coil and condensor issues. But we are talking about a engine not turning over after being turned off after it has warmed up ?

[Upstate gearhead]

Is this an 8BA or 59AB engine. The 8BA crankshaft has oil plugs. These have to be removed and the galleys cleaned out during a rebuild. If this is not done, some oil may get through, but eventually the bearing heats up, stalling the engine. It can be restarted once it cools down. Not cleaning the galleys can lead to thrown rods.

[40 Deluxe]

Try parking on a hill and shut the engine off. Then coast down the hill and pop the clutch. If the rear wheels skid, the engine is locked up. If it starts and runs normally, clean ALL electrical connections and do a voltage drop test, especially across the starter solenoid. Then do a starter draw test.

[AnthonyG]

Could be a couple of issue going on together. U indicated the engine runs for 15 min and then the engine won't turn over. After the engine runs 15 min are u shutting it off and then trying to start again or does the engine quit running on its own after 15 min? Sounds like we're all assuming you've checked & properly cleaned all your ground connections for motor to ground & wires from starter to battery and ground are correct size and not old and oxidized? With a 6 volt system a weak ground could start a cold freshly rebuilt engine but as it heats up and gets a bit tighter if poor ground or wrong size or bad wires could prevent turnover of engine. Doesn't take much. A coil problem only would not prevent the engine turning with the starter, it might not start but should turn over.

[Flathill]

I want to make it clear, the engine runs good it does not stall. It is a 59AB -24 stud engine. After about 15 minutes if I shut the engine off and try to restart it it will not turn over. As I said before, I can use a hand wrench on the front of the engine and turn it over by hand with a lot of effort after the 15 minute warm up, but then using the start button it does not turn over.
In the spring I could try the suggestion, rolling it down hill and letting out the clutch, can not do that now, the barn is snowed and iced in !

[B-O-B]

Try by passing the solenoid & (hook/just touch the cable end) of a good fully charged 6V battery directly to the starter to see if it will turn over after running your 15 minutes. The ground end+ ( I'm assuming that you have a good ground) works best & doesn't have to be near the engine or any fuel.