Starter generators as in early cars. Having problems

[Guest Hockeye]

Howdy, Gents and Ladies!

I have a 1916 and a 1923 Buick.

Sometimes, or usually, when I push in with my foot on the starter pedal the pedal "catches" and I have to piddle with it to get it to go the farther distance to the point that the starter motor takes over. I still do not have a good idea of just what happens from the time I turn on the ignition switch to the time the armature shaft starts to turn the flywheel.

The 1916 is "catching" worse than the 1923, and I suspect either a gear is not meshing, or maybe something is snagging on the linkage which moves the starter brushes to the starter commutator. Whew. You don't know how hard that was to say, but maybe I got y'all laughing a bunch.

I also have a 1915, 1922 and a 1924 Dodge Bros with the "Silent Start" starter generator units, and they are smooth and quiet. What's the difference?

Finally, who knows how to service/repair/rebuild these things? And who is willing to take on such a job and actually do it.

PS Anyone able to recommend some idiot's book with a chapter on "Starter Generators For Dummies" or the like?

[Guest frazer51]

Last year I finished up a 1918 Buick and was having similar problems with the starter. I would have to continue pushing the starter pedal hoping for the gears to lineup. These cars have a gear reduction for the starter so there are several gears that need to lineup for the starter to start to turn.

Since I was able to find new brushes for the starter I decided to take it apart and replace all of them, I think there were 5 brushes. Well after the new brushes whenever I pulled on the ign. switch I could hear the starter begin to " motorize" and as I pressed the pedal the gears which were now in motion would slip into position and the starter would work as it should.

After the work on the brushes was done I really think that only one of those 5 brushes was the faulty one. I hope I was able to shed a little light on the subject for you.

[jbbuick22]

Hockeye,

Check the gear that is inside the flywheel housing, it is the one that slides when you push on the starter pedal. The teeth may be squared off preventing engagement.

The 23 should be quiet when you turn on the ign. the 16 there should be a clicking

sound with the ign on ( clutch in the gen.).

JB

Buick 22-6-55 Sport Touring

[nickelroadster]

I'd say check what frazer 51 is saying. These starter-generators need to motor in order for the gears to mesh up. If you can't hear a fain't clicking, then your generator is not motoring and you should check to find the reason why.

[Guest De Soto Frank]

Believe the Starter-Generator on your D-B is always connected to the engine (Morse chain?), that's why it's less "fiddly".

[Guest Hockeye]

You guys are the greatest! Thanks! Big, big help!

Steve