Ken/Wa

Member
I have a 1950 sidemount dist 12v. Last time I was over to my tractor on the coast, my
battery barely turned over my tractor. I put the charger on it overnight. The Next
morning it did the same, so I went into town and bought a new battery, since the old one
was 11 years old. It did the same thing. I checked the ground and all connections, and
nothing. After I scratched my head for a while, I tapped the starter with hammer, and it
turned over and started. My question is there a test to check for solenoid vs starter. I
see this site has both parts. I have the shop manual. Also, I used to search archives,
but I have not done it for awhile, and can not figure out how. Did they change it?
Ken
 
I would take the starter motor and solenoid to an auto electric shop. They can check and repair the starter motor if needed. I would not buy a new starter motor.
 
See tip # 43 to " shade tree" test the starter.

To test the solenoid, just jump around it.

If you do need a starter and if yours is OEM, have it rebuilt.

BTW, I've been working on old cars and tractors for over 50 years and I can count the number of defective solenoids I've seen on one hand.
75 Tips
 
Thanks Bruce. I will do the starter test when I get back from Alaska. I used to do that on my old 6 volt Allis Chalmers tracter. It is sad to forget stuff I used to know.I was hoping it might be the solenoid, since it was cheap and easy. I think my starter is OEM. How do you tell? I will read up on starter removal.
 
Yea, I took my Allis Chalmers starter to a place yesrs ago, but that starter wss easy to take out. I will read up on removal when I get back home.
 
They are easier to take out than put back in. Have some 5/16 nuts ready to put on the long bolts to keep the whole thing from coming apart. When installing, I find it easier to use a headlight. You need to but the starter drive up and over the flywheel. Remember they were installed at the factory that way and if it came out it will go back in.
 
" I will read up on starter removal. "

The starter has 3 major exterior components; front plate, barrel & rear plate. The 2 bolts that hold the starter on to the bell housing go through all three components & hold it all together. To remove the starter, unscrew the bolts out of the block & put a nut on one of them. Otherwise, the starter comes apart. Not fatal, but not fun either. (tip # 36 at the link below) Then, loosen the two bolts holding the oil filter canister to the block, (it does not need to be removed) remove the dipstick, and keep the starter close to the block while pushing the front of it down and lifting the back up. Sometimes you have to remove the drain petcock as well.The bendix is behind the flywheel; your job is to get it over the flywheel.

Caution: while the starter is off, resist the temptation to screw with the bendix. If you extend the bendix, and it is not the OEM bendix w/ the big spring, you will have a hard time getting the starter installed.

To install the starter, keep it close to the block while pulling the front of it up and pushing the bendix back into the hole. The bendix has to go behind the flywheel; your job is to get it over the flywheel.

Lastly, while the starter is off, polish the block & all starter mating surfaces w/ sandpaper to insure a good electrical ground. First, clean the mating area between the barrel and rear plate. Then, clean the mating surfaces where the aluminum rear plate meets the bell housing. The starter's ground circuit is not only through the two long bolts but from the barrel to the rear plate & then to the bell housing as well.

" I think my starter is OEM."

Clean up the case & look for a Ford logo and/or part number.

But.......

You could have a good quality OEM-style replacement that can be rebuilt. I'd do exactly as Harold suggested: take both the solenoid & starter to your local rebuild shop. If you have a good starter core, they will tell you.
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75 Tips
 
Thanks again. It is probably not as hard as other things I have done to the tractor over the years, such as removing both trumpets, rebuilding the steering box, ect. My problem is I have neourophy in my hands and feet. The tractor has aged better than me.
 

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