So, i've got a 1951 chevy 5-window pick up with the starter pedal still in the floor, since i bought the truck when i try to start it,the starter will grind when i hit the starter pedal, it will grind maybe three times then, catch and start the truck, but yesterday it stopped actually catching now all it does is grind, so i took it apart and looked at the flywheel and the ring gear, to make sure that the teeth weren't ground off, and the flywheel and the ring gears teeth are fine, so i cleaned them put it back together and it still is grinding, so I'm thinking it may have something to do with the 12 volt conversion, and me still using the OG 6 volt starter and solenoid, cause the thing is spinning fast as hell, but my dad told me that this happens sometimes on these old starter set ups and you have to adjust the solenoid and linkage so that the ring gear fully engages the flywheel before the starter energizes and starts to turn, but how in the world do i do that? Any advice would be REALLY appreciated!!
When you say it "grinds", what do you mean? Could it be that the starter is spinning and not engaging? or is it an actual grinding sound? The gear thing on the end of the starter is called the "starter drive", it's a one-way roller clutch. If it's worn out, it will sometimes catch, or sometimes spin freely. If that's what's happening, you need a new starter drive (or a rebuilt starter).
Well if you still have the floor pedal you don't have a solenoid ! You have a mechanical switch the pedal operates. The pedal also shifts the starter drive into engagement. Disconnect the battery and remove the bell housing bottom cover. Have someone press the pedal down while you look up into the bell housing with a flashlight and confirm the drive is fully engaging with the flywheel gear. You may have enough wear in the pedal/starter linkage that things are not engaging. The starter it's self will live just fine on 12V. And the drive may look OK but be bad in the overrunning clutch part.
Well it makes what i think is a grinding noise, but it could be spinning, i have a video of it somewhere ill try to find the link
Yeah here it is, you'll have to copy and paste this in your address bar, but it should work http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10151067769291807
The human carburetor! That is more of a grinding sound, than a spinning sound. Like he said, check the engagement.
HaHa yeah, for one reason i call it a solenoid sorry for the bad termage fellas, the starter drive is not fully coming forward and catching with the teeth on the flywheel, its starting to spin before the teeth mesh...
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