430 starter

[tp tbird]

I got my rebuilt engine in my 1959 bird 430 convertible and tried to turn it over ,but it only barley moved very slow one turn and slow,slow.I didn't put a new starter in,so my question is anyone know if maybe the starter is draging or bad?Also is there supose to be a gasket on the starter and bellhouseing?If I need a starter anyone know if they can be rebuilt or get a new one from the parts places?I have done so much work on this car it seems neaver ending,as my son says money pit,lol.Tom

[bcomo]

Tom:

My starter did that, so check these things first. May sound dumb, but we often overlook the obvious stuff.

1. If the engine has been out for a long time, does the battery have a good charge?

2. Make sure that the ground straps going to the block from the solenoid on the fender, and the one from the block to the frame have a good tight connection with no grease under it. One of mine was almost corroded right through it. That cost me $65 for a tow home at night.

3. Make sure that the positive lead has a good connection to the starter from the soleniod. Mine was corroded under the sheath at the connection to the starter.

T-Bird HQ sells a rubber gasket for the starter, but I don't think that it's a necessary item -- at least mine doesn't have one on it -- never did.

T-Bird HQ also sells the starter at $100 including the drive.

If you have to pull the starter, it will definitely not be fun on a 430 now that it's all bolted together. Let me know if you need to talk about that -- if it gets to that, hope not.

[tp tbird]

Thanks for the information,I did charge the battery and have the plugs out and new starter and ground cables .I am jumping from the starter cable to battery just to turn it over as I don't want to try to start it yet .It seems to have good spark at battery,I did not get new battery cables yet.I thought useing jumper cables to the starter cable should work,it turns slow, to like it trying to, to no turn.The last thing I want to do is remove the starter ,I took the starter out when I got the car and know what a bitch it is,I do have split pipes on it so that does help somewhat.I can't remember if I had the exhaust manifold off or not when I took it out I did have the engine raised a little as I remember.Tom

[bcomo]

Take a hammer and whack the end bell on the side of the starter a few times. Give it a few good shots.

Then try it again and see if there's any difference. If the brushes are sticking, pitted, or not making good contact, that will sometimes let you know if that's the problem.

If you're getting good ground, and good positive connection to the starter, then I would say that the starter needs to come out.

If you have to pull it, what I had to do was:

1. Drain some radiator fluid, and remove the top hose.

2. Remove lower motor mount nuts.

3.Disconnect both sides of the exhaust pipes from the manifold flanges. (I did not remove the exhaust manifolds) You have separate exhaust pipes -- but if it is the stock system, you would have an H-Pipe connection between the head pipes, so that both sides have to be disconnected.

4. Disconnect the tranny linkage, and throttle linkage at the top.

5. If you have A/C, you will be jacking the engine up untill the bell housing rams against the A/C shroud. If no A/C, then you have a little room to play with.

I forgot if I had to disconnect the Idler Arm bracket and drop that down for the starter to clear it. Maybe you won't have to if you have no A/C and can jack the engine higher than I could.

Hope that it doesn't come to removing the starter.

[KULTULZ]

Hey Guys!

The easiest way out of a situation such as this is to perform a starter draw test (GOOGLE). Follow directions explicitly (has to have good battery-not jump) and this may get you around having to pull a starter to either have it tested or removing for no good reason.