New starter bushings and brushes

[marc silva]

I just finished installing new bushings and brushes in a starter that I am going to use as a backup. When I put the power to it in the vice, it spins slowly.It doesn't seem right to me. I am used to a 12 volt v 8 starter just "coming to life" when you put the power to it. I have done a lot of them. Is it because it is a 6 volt starter? It spins freely and everything on the inside looked real good when I opened it up. I just wanted to make sure the bushings and brushes were new so that in the event I needed to use it or someone I was touring with needed one,we could just bolt in on and go. I didn't try it before I took it apart. Any ideas?

Thanks for your advice, Marc

[Big hammer]

Are you checking it with 6 volts? It could be a12 volt starter? Try spinning it with 12 volts

[Herb Concord Ca]

Can you pull the armature in and out? If you not, the armature is too tight. To fix this you will need to push the end plate bushing out a bit to get this clearance.
A good starter will spin to about 4000 rpm.

[Tom Wesenberg]

Yes, what Herb said. Even if you can push and pull the shaft a little bit see if you can turn the shaft freely by hand. If you are using jumper cables to spin the starter, they need to be the gauge of welding cables. I almost never have to replace the bushing on the brush end, but the drive end bushing will wear much quicker, and if it wears very much the armature will drag on the field pole shoes. The end play should be .005" to .020", and the armature should turn easily by hand.
Let us know what you find.

[Marco Tahtaras]

What are you using for a power source? Is it a fully charged 6v battery?

[Mike V. Florida]

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The problem could be that the brushes are not making full contact.

[marc silva]

The end play is about 20 thousandths, the 6 volt battery was fully charged and I even tried a quick hit with 12 volts and no change. Still very slow, the bendix gear doesn't even begin to move on the shaft. Could heating the field coils while soldering on the new brushes do anything to them? The wrapping on them still looks good..no visible damage from heat. The brushes look like they are making good contact.

[Mike V. Florida]

All you did was replace the bushings and brushes, the bushing not straight, causing drag?

[marc silva]

I just figured it out. The brushes were clocked incorrectly on the end plate. Spins like crazy now. Thanks to all of you for your input! Now I have some more experience with the Model A that I can share. I just love it when I learn something new about these cars.I had no idea that would make a difference and I didn't think of looking before I took it apart. Now I know.

[Russ/40]

Originally Posted by marc silva

The end play is about 20 thousandths, the 6 volt battery was fully charged and I even tried a quick hit with 12 volts and no change. Still very slow, the bendix gear doesn't even begin to move on the shaft. Could heating the field coils while soldering on the new brushes do anything to them? The wrapping on them still looks good..no visible damage from heat. The brushes look like they are making good contact.

Recheck your brush positions. Sounds like you have shifted them around one position.

[Russ/40]

OOOps, you already found it. I did the same thing with mine. Thats how I knew.