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Car Forum / Antique and Collectibles / Studebaker / August 2006

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6 Volt starter problems

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rkapteyn@ameritech.net - 09 Aug 2006 11:22 GMT
I receive many emails about starting problems with 6 volt cars.
Here is a standard reply that may be interesting to some members.
Some owners rip out the 6 volt stuff and install 12 volt system with
the
notion that 12 volt is better.
The 6 volt systems were fine when the cars were new and they started
fine.
Converting to 12 volts creates many headaches.

The 6 volt stater had a problem with the stator insulation swelling up
and when there is even the slightest wear on the bushings the armature
will touch the stator and that physical contact robs the power.
If you install new bushings in the starter it will normally solve the
problems
.
You can also look at the inside stator and see rub marks, you can file
these down a little on the armature also , but sometimes it is the
insulation that is rubbing
The 4 pole starter can be made by using a 6 volt Pontiac starter and
install everything from the
Stude starter and you will have to drill a hole for the locating pin.
This is really not necesarry. An original starter should work fine.
The Pontiac starters are rare and expensive.
You can not install additional poles in yours as far as I know.
An other problem is that the battery cable is of a too light a gauge
wire.
You can buy heavy #1 or #0 gauge battery cables at a tractor supply.
Autozone and Napa also have these.
On my own 6 volt cars I installed a ground cable from the positive of
the battery ( these cars are using the positive post of the battery as
ground and the negative feeds the car) directly to one of the bolts
that hold the starter in.
That really help cutting down the resistance.
Any comments, corrections or suggestions are invited.
SilverStude - 09 Aug 2006 12:06 GMT
> I receive many emails about starting problems with 6 volt cars.
> Here is a standard reply that may be interesting to some members.
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
> That really help cutting down the resistance.
> Any comments, corrections or suggestions are invited.

 I have to agree with routing the ground cable to the starter bolt.  It
made the starter spin like 12 volt.   Ray Fichthorn told me about that
one...
  My original setup had the positive post forward and the ground was
connected to the front of the water manifold.  I flipped the battery
around, used the old ground wire to connect the negative post to the
starter solenoid, since the length was right and fabbed a new ground
cable from 00 welder cable.    Fabulous change...
Jerry Forrester - 09 Aug 2006 15:12 GMT
But but but, You have just ruined that car by not keeping it original just
like Studebaker Corp. intended. Just imagine all the points you are going to
lose when you have it judged at a Studebaker meet.

Signature

thanks,
Jerry (stirrin the pot) Forrester
check out my ebay store....
http://stores.ebay.com/CHROME-CHROME-CHROME

> > I receive many emails about starting problems with 6 volt cars.
> > Here is a standard reply that may be interesting to some members.
[quoted text clipped - 39 lines]
> starter solenoid, since the length was right and fabbed a new ground
> cable from 00 welder cable.    Fabulous change...
zoombot@cox.net - 09 Aug 2006 17:14 GMT
Yes, Jerry - but some of us are Studebaker DRIVERS, not Studebaker
SHOW-ERS.
Jerry Forrester - 09 Aug 2006 20:01 GMT
<G>

Signature

thanks,
Jerry Forrester
check out my ebay store....
http://stores.ebay.com/CHROME-CHROME-CHROME

> Yes, Jerry - but some of us are Studebaker DRIVERS, not Studebaker
> SHOW-ERS.
dwcars - 10 Aug 2006 01:23 GMT
After installing the cables as suggested, check every electrical connection
in the ignition circuit.  Disconnect wire by wire  and clean the contact
surfaces and lugs.  Then reconnect snugly.  The car will start like a 12
volt car.  Good clean connections are extreemly important!!
>I receive many emails about starting problems with 6 volt cars.
> Here is a standard reply that may be interesting to some members.
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
> That really help cutting down the resistance.
> Any comments, corrections or suggestions are invited.
Jim Turner - 10 Aug 2006 02:11 GMT
Yep, I used 00 welding cable on my 52 ragtop with a 289 and a flight 0
matic. I also left it 6 volt pos. ground. I like the idea of the ground
cable going to the starter bolt!
Mine cranks over fine, especially since I figured out what was draining the
battery if I didn't start it for a week or 2.
When I had the radio converted to am/fm, I had an extra converter installed
for a cd changer. The converter that keeps the 24 hour juice to the cd
changer was sucking the battery down, and if I did not leave it on a trickle
charge during the week. I had to put a charger on it.
I installed a cheap on off switch to the cd changer, and even after 2 -3
weeks, she'll fire right up.
I'm going to try the cable to the starter bolt, makes a LOT of sense!

Jim (who needs 12 volts) Turner
northernstude - 10 Aug 2006 19:59 GMT
Is there any benefit to the original style flat weave ground cables?  I
replaced mine when it corroded away with a size 1 cable and I have had
trouble starting when the engine is hot ever since.  Are the flat weave
cables still available?

> I receive many emails about starting problems with 6 volt cars.
> Here is a standard reply that may be interesting to some members.
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
> That really help cutting down the resistance.
> Any comments, corrections or suggestions are invited.
John Poulos - 10 Aug 2006 21:44 GMT
They usually will flow more current and I just bought one at my FLAPS.

> Is there any benefit to the original style flat weave ground cables?  I
> replaced mine when it corroded away with a size 1 cable and I have had
[quoted text clipped - 35 lines]
>>That really help cutting down the resistance.
>>Any comments, corrections or suggestions are invited.

Signature

JP/Maryland
Studebaker On the Net http://stude.com
My Ebay items:http://www.stude.com/EBAY/
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me@notanywhere.net - 11 Aug 2006 03:03 GMT
On 10 Aug 2006 11:59:04 -0700,  you wrote:

>Is there any benefit to the original style flat weave ground cables?  I
>replaced mine when it corroded away with a size 1 cable and I have had
>trouble starting when the engine is hot ever since.  Are the flat weave
>cables still available?
farm tractor supply maybe???

1 is TOO SMALL.. try a 0 or 00

we need watts.. and every time you double the voltage, you can
half the wire size.. and the converse..
so, whatever your car would take on 12 volt.. GET 2 wire sizes
bigger for 6 v..
the flat braid was...like an inch wide and 3/16 thick or so?
roll that into a ball and see how big a wire you got..

go to a welding supply store and have them make you the length
you need and have THEM crimp on the ends..
    --Shiva--
Kenneth Robinson - 11 Aug 2006 03:24 GMT
Farm suply store have the flat ground cables.
> On 10 Aug 2006 11:59:04 -0700,  you wrote:
>
[quoted text clipped - 16 lines]
> you need and have THEM crimp on the ends..
>     --Shiva--
Gordon Richmond - 11 Aug 2006 10:30 GMT
>On 10 Aug 2006 11:59:04 -0700,  you wrote:
>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>     --Shiva--
>    

I just recently made up a pair of 00 (double ought) battery cables for a Diesel
application. Got wire and pre-loaded solder-on lugs from the local AG store.

Just strip the insulation off the wire, heat the lug with a propane torch until the solder
plug inside melts, insert the wire and twist it around a bit. You know it's done when the
molten solder visibly wicks up the wire. I added some wire solder to the mix, because I
had it.

Heat-shrink over the end later, too.

IMHO, a properly-done solder joint has the lowest resistance to current flow, and stands
up better to corrosion than a crimped joint.

Look in a Farm & Fleet, or similar business that caters to the ag or heavy-duty truck
market, and you should find the same products I used. And they aren't outrageously
expensive, other than the wire, which is currently high due to the very high cost of
copper. Ten feet of wire and the four terminals cost me about $100, and better than $80 of
that was wire.

Gord Richmond
 
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