WTB Chrysler (autolite) MCH 6101 or MCH 6106 starter

[Jack Bennett]

Located in western Washington state. Working on a truck with a 1951 Dodge 218 CI, Flathead 6 cylinder engine from a Pilothouse pickup.

Want to buy a starter for the engine which has a floor (stomp) type starter MCH 6106 starter on it now.

But, since the starter is bad, I’d rather replace it with a MCH 6101 (solenoid) type starter, but will buy either if available.

These are both 6 volt, 9 tooth starters.

Jack

[Jack Bennett]

Thanks for the PM’s I have received regarding my quest for a starter for my 1929 Fargo/1950 Dodge engine.

I bowed to the urgency to restore life to my dead engine and bought a new MCH 6101 starter from a eBay merchant.

I am now remaking the truck floor boards to accommodate a foot pressed, solenoid activated starter.

Jack

[Jack Bennett]

Later this morning I will go to the place where the starter rubber meets the (proverbial) starter road.

I mentioned earlier that I bought a new MCH 6101 starter as a replacement for the MCH 6106 starter, which the Fargo as originally equipped.

The most noticeable difference between the two starters is the absence, on the MCH 6101, of the lever, switch and yoke, which are depressed by foot pressure to move the starter bendix forward and engage it with the gears on the engine flywheel.

Instead, the MCH 6101 is equipped with a bendix, as is the MCH 6106, which relies on the rotation of the starter armature to spin the worm gear and throw the starter gear forward. 
Both are 6 volt starters, both appear to be identical in every respect other than mentioned above, and both have characteristics which many find undesirable and promp conversion of the 6 volt electrical system to 12 volts, and inclusion of a alternator to replace the finicky generator and cutout relay.

That characteristic can present itself in many ways such as a low CCA and the relatively short expectancy of battery life when loaded without a charging source.

I have found another that I believe one who stays with a 6 volt system rather that doing a more attractive 12 volt conversion.

Having a brand new (not rebuilt or refurbished) starter makes trouble shooting a lot easier, and my heartburn at the minute is a bendix which refuses to engage, and a starter motor which just runs like a motor, and has forgotten its job is to engage the flywheel and start the engine.

I have fretted over having to send a defective starter back, enduring the expense of return postage and the wait until a new starter arrived.

So, I put a battery tester on the battery and (hope) to have found my problem with the starter spinning, but failure of the drive gear to engage, may be a characteristic of the 6 volt system, rather than a problem with the starter or it’s built in bend is.

In a while, having the starter on a charger all night, I will be able to determine if a low battery voltage will be sufficient to power rotation of the motor, but lacks the amount of uuuuuuuummmmmmppppphhhhhh it requires to throw the bendix forward and engage the drive gear and flywheel statutes gear.

More will follow shortly……………….

Jack