chevy starter help

Husker44A

Well-known Member
Ok guys ive got the 51 chevy in tge shop. Having a hard time getting the starter to work. It IS 12 volt with the sol on top like a regular chevy starter. No stomp starter. Anyways is all i get is a click,zing. I removed the starter and put it in a vise. Applied 12 volts using a battery charger. Ground clamp on the body. Tounched the red clamp to the little stud on solinoid. Same thing !! Click, the bendix comes out but the armature doesnt spin. WHAT do i have to do to get this to work. I know i have 12 volts to the BIG STUD on the solinoid. Then the little stud applies power to engage the solinoid spinning the starter starting the engine. Any help ?? Heres a link to a photo as i cant upload photos from my cell phone for some reason it says to use a different format. Im using a jpeg format also. I dont know.
a181937.jpg
 
stuck/bad brushes, bad solenoid it makes a connection from the stud where the cable hooks up to another point inside that feeds power to starter motor. this is done inside the plastic cap that the terminals come through. if you are not familiar with this type of starter and repair of same I would suggest a reputable starter repair shop
 
Just to add, 51 chevy car, factory 6V system, did not come with stomp starter, they had a start button on the dash and the solenoid on top of the starter.
 
OK check it this way disconnect the battery with the battery charger apply 12v to the big post then take a screw driver and short the big to the small terminal on the engine side this should kick the starter over if it still wont spin but engages check to see if you have 12v on the small bolt at the bottom of the solenoid that has the strap type steel that goes into the housing of the starter that is what powers it to spin if you do starter probably need rebuilt if it don't probably solenoid bad hope this helps
 
I did this already by jumping the small amd big studs with screwdriver and get the same results. Also, removed the back cover exposing the brushes and to my surprise they looked NEW. SO, this leads me to beleive that the SOLINOID is to blame ??? I wonder if i can use a later chevy solinoid from lets say a 1980 small block starter ?? Should be able to.
 
70's-80's there is a short and long solenoid, you would need a long one.

Before you change the solenoid, connect the starter to a battery, as the charger may not make enough amps to make it spin.
 
Husker44a,To check the starter motor with it off,Take a pair of jumper cables to a battery, hook one to the nose ear then touch the other to the little post coming out of the starter housing.Just touch it.The starter should spin if its good.If it does spin then the solinioid is bad,If it doesn't spin the starter is bad.
 
It sounds to me like the solenoid is working but either the starter motor itself is bad, or the contacts in the solenoid are burnt and not passing current.

When the solenoid powers up, it kicks the drive gear out into the flywheel ring. At the same time it closes a set of contacts that sends power to the motor to make it spin.

If the contacts get burned, often times they won't pass the current to the starter motor. The way to check is to hook the body of the starter to the ground, and touch the hot leg directly to the lower, BIG post on the solenoid. It won't kick the drive gear out, but if the starter motor is good, it should spin up to speed.

If it doesn't spin up to speed, then the motor is bad. If it does then the contacts in the solenoid are bad.

In any case I'd take it to a shop and have it repaired all the way through. I say this because often the reason the contacts get messed up is that the windings in the motor are getting work down, etc, and it's drawing excessive amperage, thus arcing and burning the contacts.

Hope this helps.
 
Den, the motor will not spin the bendix does come out. if i touch the POS to the SMALL POST......BUT, the motor will spin if i touch the POS to the motor WIRE coming from the the motor. So, this leads me to the solenoid ??
 
Try smacking the solenoid with a block of wood when power is supplied to it, you might need a hand from someone . They often stick and a little persuasion within reason can often work miracles .
 
take the solenoid apart and clean the copper contacts in it. In fact, you can turn the copper wheel over and ust the other side of it if you want or if it's pitted pretty bad. It's just an electromagnet . Really pretty darned simple to do and not expensive at all. Keith
 
What Bob is saying is your solenoid is half dead. Once you turn the stud 180 it is new again.
Picture a "D"with the flat side being the worn part instead of an O which is what it was before wear.
 
It looks like a standard mount Chevy starter. Why not just buy a new one and make your problems go away?

You can get a new 3 hp gear reduction starter for those from about $50 on ebay. And they work.
 
A starter for a 1951 "Stovebolt 6" is NOT "a standard mount Chevy starter" that "You can get a new 3 hp gear reduction starter for those from about $50 on ebay."

(Mounting face AND drive differs from the newer units.)
 
Well excuse me for trying to offer a practical solution.

With the universal-type mounting on these newer starters, I'd still be willing to at least try, but then again, my head isn't stuck in 60 year old sand.
 
Hello, it is very likely that your starter will have to be overhauled. By that, I mean cleaned, parts checked, and some wearable parts replaced. If the starter is original keep it as rebuilt starters are not as good. Almost every part in your starter can be replaced and or serviced. Now for a little advise- when bench checking the starter, place the positive lead on both the solenoid terminals large and small (top large) and THEN touch the ground negative lead to the body. This prevents arching on the terminals and destroying them. The starter should operate normally, both running and engaging. If not, place the positive lead on the lower large solenoid terminal and touch the negative lead to the starter body. The starter should run but not engage. This will tell you if you have a solenoid or a starter problem. As already mentioned, these solenoid terminals can be overhauled once. If the winding is still good, you can purchase a overhaul kit which has all new terminals and a cap etc. If you have a starter problem, check the armature, brushes and field windings first etc. Always check the bushings and replace the drive if you have it down that far. There is nothing in these starters that can't be replaced and repaired. Good luck. Jonathan
 
Tim, on these Stovebolt starters there not the newer gen of machines. Where the bolts on these go horizontally and the sbc,bbc the starter bolts are vertical bolting into the block from the bottom. So, not gunna work that way. No big deal. Going to test the solenoid/starter repair today after work. I am building a 327 now but wanting to get this engine going for thw time being.
 
Thats what im thinking too. Contacts are a bit worn out. The motor does spin when jumped from the BIG POST (+) To the strap coming from the motor. When i jump from the BIG stud to small stud the bendix does come out but motor doesnt spin. Bad solenoid is my finding.
 
Husker , I have a 1953 chevrolet truck motor 6cyl that was running when i took it out of the 1953 truck i was going to restore also has the transmission you can have it if you pay the shipping to get it to you. Its been sitting in the shop for about 5 years now. actually in the way. cemail me if you want it. [email protected]
 
Ditchwitch, your probably A LONG WAYS AWAY from Western Nebraska. If you are with in 100 miles id be glad to come pick it up from you. Wheres home to you ?? Thanks for the offer.
 
Charlotte North Carolina, I have it here at work. Its yours if you want it. call if you need to 704-641-0892
 
husker If you cant solve the problem your self, and I hope you can, we sent the starter off the 1937 to G and D Auto Electric in Indianola Iowa. It now works well. Good luck
 
Husker if you just want any parts off of it , ill be glad to give them to you. Maybe cheaper shipping that way and ill just junk the rest.
 
If you put power to the little stud all that does in pulls the solenoid in and out. You need battery power to the big stud that the battery goes to to test it on the bench. Then go from the big stud to the little stud to see if it will spin up
 
Husker,that tells me that the copper contacts and copper posts in the solenoid are worn and burned.where it connects to enterjize
the starter motor.Pick up a new solenoid and put it on your starter and you will be happy. :lol:
 
"my head isn't stuck in 60 year old sand"

Aw, HECK, I'm "only" 57!

That being said, I have a 1953 GMC and a 1957 Chevy, which BOTH are the same as what the OP is dealing with, and I can tell you from experience that what I posted was correct and reasonable.
 
(quoted from post at 12:26:08 02/06/15) "my head isn't stuck in 60 year old sand"

Aw, HECK, I'm "only" 57!

That being said, I have a 1953 GMC and a 1957 Chevy, which BOTH are the same as what the OP is dealing with, and I can tell you from experience that what I posted was correct and reasonable.
wwh heck, Bob, don't forget that many people operate with "mouth in motion before mind in gear". Others think that the one thing they have seen applies universally.
 
Bought a new solenoid from NAPA. $17 and I can
return it if i have to. Will slap it on after work
and see what happens. Im sure itll fix the "No
working starter problems"
 
Before even installing the solenoid, connect the "hot" jumper cable to the large bottom solenoid terminal that has the copper bus bar attached with a small screw. That gives power direct to the starter motor, bypassing the solenoid.

If it runs then, likely your solenoid IS bad.

If it does NOT run, something is wrong inside the starter motor itself, brushes not making contact/worn, etc.
 
New solenoid DIDNT change a thing !!! I can jump BIG stud to SMALL STUD and get the same thing !!... BUT, when I jump the BIG RED (12v pos) to the motor strap below. The MOTOR SPINS ??? MOTOR IS good, SOLENOID is NEW and ARMETURE comes out and i hear the motor spin but NOT engage the FLYWHEEL ?? WRONG starter maybe ?? The guy that I got it from said HE DROVE IT to where I got it from. Im LOST !! Sticking bendix maybe ??
 
Husker44A,Question,has the starter ever worked since you have had it?Maybe the plunger is missing.Or have the fork on the Bendix turned backwards,and not letting the solenoid disk make contact with the copper lugs.
 
Den, as far as I KNOW the starter worked fine
before the it was parked. I DO NOT know 100% tho. I
am getting in trade for repairing a transmission
for the guy that i got the chevy from. He got it
from a gal that won it in the BIG D court. Now,
that i have it. I cant get it to work properly.
Now, when i apply 12v to the BIG POST (+) and jump
it to the little post on the engine block side IT
SHOULD engage the bendix and run the motor. Its
kicking the bendix out as I can hear it THUD. Does
this on the bench also. BUT, when i apply power to
the motor strap the motor spins !!! Has to be
something simply stupid easy fix !!! Im just not
seeing WHERE.... More diagnostic tomorrow after
work. I can apply power to the little stud and
bendix will come out. I shoukd be able jump the BIG
STUD to SMALL STUD and the bendix SHOULD go out and
MOTOR SHOULD SPIN. Its NOT. The ONLY way i can get
the motor to spin is to apply power to the SMALL
stud coming from the motor strap itself.
 
Old, i did have BAT 12 volts to the BIG STUD and jumped the BIG STUD to SMALL stud with a screwdriver and get a THUD. SO, i know that the new solenoid works. BUT its NOT spinning the starter motor over. More diagnostic tomorrow after work.
 
Ditch, i would take take the starter and carb if its not gunna be a arm n leg for shipping to 69348. My email here doesnt work and I dont know how to change it. You can call me 1-308-763-1265. Mark. Thanks for the offer !!
 
Husker,Ok on the bench when you put power to the small stud on lt and kick the Bendix out.Check and see if the Bendix has just a small amount of free play between the end of the Bendix drive and the bushing in the nose cone(like a 1/16"-1/8" If it doesn't have any clearance thats is the problem why it won't energize the motor.The fork is bent or put in wrong.If the Bendix hits the nose it won't let the solenoid pull the plunger in far enough to energize the switch for the starter motor.
 
(quoted from post at 17:28:28 02/06/15) New solenoid DIDNT change a thing !!! I can jump BIG stud to SMALL STUD and get the same thing !!... BUT, when I jump the BIG RED (12v pos) to the motor strap below. The MOTOR SPINS ??? MOTOR IS good, SOLENOID is NEW and ARMETURE comes out and i hear the motor spin but NOT engage the FLYWHEEL ?? WRONG starter maybe ?? The guy that I got it from said HE DROVE IT to where I got it from. Im LOST !! Sticking bendix maybe ??

Bad bendix, replace it.
 
Try power to the other big stud on the solenoid. If it spins up then you have a bad solenoid which can happen
 
Husker , I just called you but i didnt leave a message. Ill take some pictures and put them on here so you can see the starter and whatever else you want. UPS come to our place 2 times a day. I will figure it out Monday morning. I wouldnt think it would be that much.
 
take the end cover off the starter and spin the armature, put a little grease in the bushing too. make sure the brushes move free against the armature, probably just stuck from sitting.
use some good penetrating oil on the starter drive and work it back and forth by hand
 

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