Brooklyn Beer

Not happy with the choice of plugs in the car right now for sure for sure. The one I pulled was fouled to check the coil wire so it can't hurt to upgrade. Everything in the distributor looks brand new so so much for assuming they would have changed the plugs too. The undersized and degraded battery wire has me looking at everything now.

Yep, tried starting off the cars circuit and the starter attempted to run on but the key shut it off. So something in there is acting up so done with that. I just had to attempt. So now am working off the test switch from battery to S switch and it spins fine and quick and no laboring. (Wiring and parts for push button start will be here next week) BUT. Now it won't fire. I have checked everything with a test light. Power through both sides of resistor, power through coil, power into distributor and power at points. Coil wire connections seem good. Wires, plugs, cap, etc are all new. points are new, clean and gaped. I drove it into the garage like this and it has run with the new ballast resistor but the starter issue kept me from looking at the stumble, breaking up and miss issue until I fixed the starter. Now I can't even get a cough with a shot of starting fluid. Only wire disconnected that was connected is the S wire to starter. Have not messed with anything else except bring the idle screws out 3 turns after screwing all the way in because they were both not matched and was running rich at idle. Again, it was running great until it started breaking up one day heading home. Pulled a plug and it was wet so getting fuel. It was also sooty. Pulled coil wire and inserted plug and got a great arc when turning over so definitely power into the cap from coil. Plugs in there are are not new as I found some motor paint on the one I pulled so about to replace those. Right now they are Champion RJ18YC. They are getting changed to AC R45S. As far as I know Champion RJ18YC is the plug recommended for snowblowers.

I took a couple vids but can't seem to transfer off the phone. I am about to go out and turn it over with the existing circuit intake and see what happens. Since it hasn't been started in a month I might just start it off the test switch. If it fires up good there I will then try it off the cars circuit.

Will not this circuit still need activated by the gas pedal? and do I not risk having the starter engaged to the engine for too long a period of time if it starts,.. being the ignition needs to be turned on. I am out there by myself with nobody to turn off the key or work the pedal while I am under the hood with the test switch. Like I said, I tested that circuit and showed 12.4 volts to the S switch terminal connector and that going through the entire existing circuit from key switch, through pedal switch, and carb switch. How much load drop could or should I expect with motor cranking. Would a starter turning drag that circuit down more then .4 volts? Looking at the fried undersized old cable that was corroded and blackened inside some I suspect the load was really below what the starter was begging for which most likely was draining the system as well.

Alright. So far a good morning. Cleaned and polished contacts and put starter back together. Put starter on piece of carpet on garage floor and hooked with jumper cables to car battery. Starter did not turn over as was happening when I removed it from car. Good to go. Took test switch as was recommended (love amazon 1 day delivery) and made a test pigtail to S terminal and hooked up test switch from S terminal to Positive of battery. Spun and actuated and retarded like a dream without any issues. Cycled it a few times with both long and short duration's. No issue at all. Reinstalled starter in car and there is basically zero ability to move starter off flywheel so if it was going to bind it is the starter issue and not mine. Hooked up new 2 gauge positive cable and insured good clean snug connections. Took test switch and attached to battery and again to S switch. No ignition turned on. Cranked starter again for short, then longer duration. Noticed no odd sounds from failure to mesh or any struggle at all from starter. This was on a 50 degree motor. Waited some time and repeated process. Again nothing odd. No drag or laboring from starter. Being I had previously tested voltage through the carb switch and to S terminal at 12.4 volts are opinions of should I just go for it through the existing (and in very good condition) existing starter circuit that was working and tested as should or should I run a test lead from the leaving side of the carb switch to the S terminal and test? Putting battery on charge right now so have time to think about it. At one time this wiring harness was a top end replacement and it has not been cut up or hacked. Still very clean and in good shape.

Thanks Gary. Did you have to do something in regards of aligning the contacts or ? I am going to give it one more shot after I clean the contacts and get the test switch. I was pulling a good 12.4 volts through the stock system to the starter trigger wire. The old battery lead looked bad and it was fried. So replacing with a 2 gauge wire. Keeping fingers crossed the starter was struggling with not getting enough juice. This is just one issue. I have to get it back to running to see if the new ballast resistor fixed the stumbling and missing.

I examined the drive gear that makes contact with the fly wheel and I don't see anything in the way of gouges in any of the teeth. Looking at the picture It seems to have stuck on the leaving side of the contacts. The starter has not much play is the way it can be moved off the flywheel but I will make sure it is pushed as far off the flywheel as the little bit of slop in the bolt holes allow. I will clean up the contacts and reinstall with new cable and then use the test switch that arrives today. One question. Would that heat that caused the contacts to stick have warped the one contact any? Should I loosen the one contact (burnt) and see if I can move it forward a hair to get equal contact on both sides or first just try and move the drive gear as far away from the fly wheel as possible. I mean we are talking a 1/16th or so at the most it will allow.

OK, I think I found what looks like one of the issues with the starter. I am going to emery cloth the connects as they don't seem pitted. When I removed the starter I was able to pull on the drive gear and I could hear it disengage before I took it apart. The battery cable though will go in the recycle copper pile and be changed to a 2 gauge wire.

remote starter ordered. Thankfully the weather here stinks so drive time is cut off regardless. Plenty of work time now to problem solve. 10 gauge wire for the push button to solenoid. Should I look at putting in a fuse on this line and if so, what amp can i expect to use?

Talked with the dealer IMI in CA today about the starter and he gave me the go ahead to dismantle to solenoid cover and take some pictures for him. Sounds like a stand up guy in his late 70's no less. When I told him I replaced a stock starter and followed the directions to go with one wire and not 2, he asked if I used a pigtail to connect the R as well as the S wires. I told him no because the directions made no mention of this. I never even got a splitter pigtail with the starter. Only to connect the 12 volt trigger wire. Is the R wire a return wire or ? So anyways he seemed quite interested in why this happened and instructed me what to do in regards to checking out the contacts. Thought of one thing. Being the original carb vac switch was designed for 6 volts how would it react to 12 volts? Never tested under load to see if voltage dropped when starter was engaged. Anyways, have parts ordered to just make it push button starter with key only activating ignition circuit now.

So just disconnect from the leaving side of the carb switch and leave alone. ?

Trust me, I am too. I am upgrading the battery cable to number 2 to start. Contacting starter manufacturer tomorrow to see if I get any warranty on this fried new one if not I will take it apart and see what I got. Our AC control guys will be at the job tomorrow so perhaps they have an idea on the solenoid.

Car wiring has never been my bread and butter. Would I just then disconnect the wire at the carb switch which would keep the key ignition intact and run a new lead like you say? Would disconnecting the wire into the carb switch cause problems with the ignition circuit or is that a separate deal all together?

The new high torque starter doesn't have a relay on it like a stock starter and was told it is not needed. Unless the device on the stock starter isn't a relay? Where on the 1949 model 70 would I find the relay if this above is the case. When I tested the trigger wire it was not under load from the starting system and showed 12.4 volts when I depressed the pedal and that was though the carb switch. Battery was at 12.6 volts. If the electrical system (Now has alternator for AC) was under stress turning the starter would this decrease the voltage pushed through the trigger wire to the selonoid? Or if the vacuum switch is weak would the same occur under load and not show up with the opposite? As much as I like the idea of the pedal start I am starting to see the simplicity of a push button being more reliable. (?) It never failed me in any of my other vehicles. I am assuming I would tie into the key switch going to the pedal start and just remove that wire. Then new lead to an under dash 12 volt push button with new lead to the starter selenoid. Should a fuse go in this or would the existing on the ignition already cover that. And what gauge wire would be best suited for this? Thinking I will wire this in leaving the stock wiring intact. Is there any issue that will arise with the carb vacuum switch not being used and left attached?

It was a brand new high torque starter designed for 12 volts and was told expressly for mounting on a 1949 model 70. Got it from Bobs. Battery cables are new. Might be undersized at a 6 so will upgrade it to a number 4. This system was working with the old stock starter.

Thanks. Still can't find an answer on researching where the high amp load would come from to burn the selenoid contacts shut. Nothing else in the electrical system is acting up. I thought the selenoid was just a switch that comes together to trigger the starter? Are we talking too many amps coming down the trigger wire? Alternator now and not a generator.

This was something I thought about being it has an alternator now installed. Nothing else is going weird with regards to the electrical system in the car. If it is directly linked to a 12 volt battery and only triggered to start by using that battery would an undersized battery cable cause a too high amp draw at start up? It is a stock motor so compression is not an issue for cranking. The sticking issue on the old starter was only "once in a while", while with the new it is now permanent after 30 seconds of cranking time.

Never bench tested a starter before. Procedure? Put in a vise and ground and then check by attaching battery lead?

What would cause this to happen on a brand new starter? Brand new hi torque 12 volt.

Just attach the battery lead and it's off and running now. It did not do this during install, but was becoming an intermittent issue on the old starter before the retraction spring broke and I replaced with this starter.

without trigger wire attached.

When it got stuck I switched the key off. The engine did not start as I was cycling the starter in short cranks as the engine had not been started in 3 weeks and it was cold. I did that 3 times giving 10-20 seconds between each attempt. It was on the 4th attempt it stuck and now it just turns over attaching the battery cable.

It took me about 45 seconds to run around and pull the cable. The motor wasn't running just cranking.

After new install and wiring install (existing) the starter and starter system through the pedal functioned as should. It did not turn over when installing. Worked for 3 cranks of about 6 seconds each. On the 4th crank it stuck. This is a new starter with 12 volts on the trigger wire. What would cause the contacts to fuse together? I didn't smell anything or see anything

If I just connect the battery lead to the starter now after installing new starter and attempting to start, the starter will turn over with no other wire attached. I am afraid to think the new starter fried after install and first attempt at start up when it again got stuck and continued to crank over until battery was disconnected.