Hey guys, my 54 cranked easily today, temp about 70. it cranked on the 3rd rotation of the starter. It would not start on Tuesday when the temp was 40 degrees. When i drove into town today to get gas, i had a hard time getting it to start. the engine was not turning over very fast and i had to stop cranking, wait for a minute and then try again to get it started. I then stalled it because i had the parking brake on. It took 2 more tries to get it going. I have a blower fan on the engine so it does drain the battery a bit. I don't know how old the battery is because i had the battery for yrs while it was in the restoration stage.. When i got home i tried to start the motor and it cranked immediately after i turned it off. After the fan stopped i pulled the battery and the voltage is 12.3 V. Since the engine was slow to turn over at the gas station, and the battery is ??? how old, i'm thinking that the battery is probably having a hard time turning the motor after running the fan and doesn't have a good reserve. When i charge the battery it will get up to about 12.9 V, but leaks down to 12.4 within hrs. I still have the 6V starter. YOur thoughts? Thanks, Put-Put
P-P, what weight motor oil are you using? Thicker motor oils will make it difficult to start in colder weather.
I'm not sure why I asked that question! 40 degrees is not that cold. If you were running your truck in cold weather every day, a good 20W oil would be the ticket. I'm thinking that maybe it is a weak battery. Or perhaps, a good tune-up is in order. Timing slightly out or valves needing a good tweaking?
Check the Battery I wouldn't think oil would be an issue in Northwest FL? Can you have someone read the voltage during a start? If it drops to 6v,or less, check the battery first. Take the battery in and have it load tested. While it is running, you should be getting about 14v at the battery with the engine at high idle. If not, the alternator may not be charging properly...this could also be discharging the battery while it sits (shorted diode). Rick
Hard Start A buncha things here : the battery cables _MUST_ be as thick as your thumb and NO ad-a-clamp repair ends ! . If they're not , BUY NEW ONES ! they'll outlast you and so will be good dollar value for the money spent . The ground cable _MUST_ be connected to the tranny , engine or starter , NOT the frame ! . this makes a huge differance . 95 % of all old vehicles have WRONG battery cables having been replaced over the years ~ measure and order up the correct length in # 0 or 1 gauge . If the battery is only showing 12.9 VDC right after charging , there's either a charger problem or the battery is nearing the end of it's service life . Most of the time , hot poor cranking is caused by the basics : bad , wrong cables , incorrectly connected , cable repair ends , dirty crusty battery posts etc. . To easily check for a bad diode in your alternator , headlights on and rev. the engine ~ if the headlights go stupidly super bright and flicker , there's an open diode . if you have an old tech , _analog_ typ (dial with needle) voltmeter , hook it across the battery and rev. the engine , AC current from a bad diode will make the needle vibrate and look blurry . To test the battery , connect the volt gauge across the battery's posts and crank the engine with the coil wire unplugged from the dizzy and grounded between anything and the engine ~ you need over 10 volts DC when cranking , if it shows 10 volts but still cranks slowly , take the starter apart and look at it , it's filthy and maybe the bushings are dry ~ _gently_ clean it all up with Electro-contact cleaner (!ONLY!) and some clean rags , then smear a bit of high temp Moly based EP grease in the bushings and re-assemble it , use toothpicks or unbent paperclips to hold the brush springs up whilst you slide the armature into place . if the brushes are less than 3/4" long , they're cheap and fairly easy to solder in new ones , no transistors in there to worry about overheating with the soldering iron . Don't be afraid to tinker with the starter , you can always exchange it for a rebuilt one if you ruin it , just re-assemble and hand it over the counter , I prefer to repair the old ones as they're usually in better shape than the rebuilts are . I hope this helps...
Thanks Nate. I think there are several items that need attention. The battery is probably going (If i recall, a newly charged battery will usually read about 13.5 V?). I think the ground is attached to the frame. And, the cable main + line to the starter is about 1/2" in diameter( probably a 4 guage wire?) I check on these on later in the week when i'm off. thanks for the super inputs!! Put-Put
Good Deal ! ...If your battery cables LOOK " normal " to you , they're the wrong ones , replace 'em both now , using the bolt on the pedal starter linkage to connect the ground cable and add a ground strap from the engine to the frame to ensure good lighting etc. Remove the battery from the truck and wash it using soap and water , allow to dry fully (set up on pencils so the bottom dries too) and add a couple of those silly looking felt battery washers on the posts , maybe you'll squeeze another year or two out of it . As mentioned , 20 minutes after you've started the engine you should be reading at LEAST 31.5 VDC across the battery posts at a high idle , if not , stop the engine and try to turn the alternator fan by hand , it should take serious effort and make the belt squeak , else it's too loose or the belt is worn out . ALWAYS do the simplest , basic repairs first as 90 % of the time , that's all it is - simple stuff .
31.5 volts? Might be just a tad high! It would make that 6 volt starter sing though...for a minute. Ha!
Whoops ! I guess 31.5 VDC would prolly make the <magic> smoke come out , huh ? Older alternators often will top out @ 13 + volts , newer & better ones will usually strive to keep it @ 14 ~ 14.7 VDC , over 14.7 and you begin to use up bulbs quickly and beat up on the cheap radio components . Always remember to do the fanbelt squeak test before ripping into the charging system .
I figured you were "fat fingering " the keyboard again!! After a hard day of finger banging on the truck, you're entitled to a few typos!! Yea, it's easy enough to put a meter on the battery and read the voltage when at rpms. It's not the charging system. I am interested in greasing the starter though, it's set up for yrs. However, i don't believe that it's the starter since it turns well when starting initially. I found the 1 awg wire today, had to go to a marine supply store to get it. I'll get it in place soon. Thanks Again, Put-Put
# 0 Or # 1 Ga. Battery Cable That's the stuff ! I make mine up in the shop using _welding_ cable as it's a bit more flexible and carries even more current than same rated battery cable does . If you want , NAPA's Belden line has pre made battery cables in # 1 Ga. , all you have to do is look in the paper catalog and order up the ones you need . They even still have the funky & cool original typ ground straps.....
Okay Nate, i have replaced the wiring with 1 guage and the battery connectors with copper units. I pulled the starter and took it apart. The brushes were about 3/8" left. The bottom brush/spring assembly was highly corroded, probably had condensation or water sit in this area. the metal strap that seals the starter has several holes in it where it is rusted through, but it's been cleaned and painted so it looks good. I have looked at Classic parts and several other sources for straps and brushes and don't see any listed. Do you have any sources for the starter components? thanks, Put-Put
Starter Parts O.K. , my Echlin book with the early listings is @ the shop and I won't be there until Monday (I'm still on Holiday) so ask me Monday and I'll look 'em up for you , O.K. ? . The commutator cover strap is a non wear item and will be found in the junk pile of an older Auto Electric Shop , take the old one with you for comparison , if the holes are not overly big , I'd say forgeddaboutit .
