Starter wants to fall off

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Tiger Tim
Posts: 105
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:09 pm
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Eckensviller
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 cut-off touring
Location: Thunder Bay, ON

Starter wants to fall off

Post by Tiger Tim » Sun May 26, 2019 9:01 pm

Hi all, it seems every time I get back from a drive my starter mounting screws are loose and the starter hangs with about a 1/16” gap along the top edge of the gasket. I can tighten it back down but it happens again and again. I’m not terribly worried about the starter, most starts are on the crank anyways, but I don’t like the thought of it probably losing some amount of oil every time.

What do you folks recommend to keep this from happening?

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George House
Posts: 2270
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:25 pm
First Name: George
Last Name: House
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: ‘10 Maxwell AA, ‘11Hupp Model 20, Two 1914 Ford runabouts, 19 centerdoor, 25 C Cab,26 roadster
Location: Northern Caldwell County TX
MTFCA Number: 115
MTFCA Life Member: YES
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Starter wants to fall off

Post by George House » Sun May 26, 2019 9:15 pm

Lock washers? Is it possible you or someone else mistakenly used a smaller metric screw instead of 1/4”. ?
I don’t know why I turned out this way. My parents were decent people 🤪

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RajoRacer
Posts: 4308
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:18 pm
First Name: Steve
Last Name: Tomaso
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1914 Touring, 1919 Centerdoor, 1924 TT C-Cab Express, 1925 Racer
Location: Longbranch, WA
MTFCA Number: 14972
MTFCI Number: 15411
Board Member Since: 2001

Re: Starter wants to fall off

Post by RajoRacer » Sun May 26, 2019 9:22 pm

Starter mounting screws/bolts are 5/16" - if you're using the original screws, you might consider replacing them with a good grade 5 bolt w/new lock washers - at least you can get a decent wrench on the bolts.

User avatar

George House
Posts: 2270
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 5:25 pm
First Name: George
Last Name: House
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: ‘10 Maxwell AA, ‘11Hupp Model 20, Two 1914 Ford runabouts, 19 centerdoor, 25 C Cab,26 roadster
Location: Northern Caldwell County TX
MTFCA Number: 115
MTFCA Life Member: YES
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Starter wants to fall off

Post by George House » Sun May 26, 2019 9:34 pm

I stand corrected. They are indeed 5/16”...
I don’t know why I turned out this way. My parents were decent people 🤪


Alan Long
Posts: 381
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2019 2:33 am
First Name: Alan
Last Name: Long
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1910 Canadian Touring Car and 1926 Australian built Utility
Location: Western Australia

Re: Starter wants to fall off

Post by Alan Long » Sun May 26, 2019 9:54 pm

Would the effect of using 12 Volts add to this problem?


Stephen_heatherly
Posts: 364
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2019 6:03 pm
First Name: Stephen
Last Name: Heatherly
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 26 coupe and 23 Runabout
Location: St. Louis MO

Re: Starter wants to fall off

Post by Stephen_heatherly » Sun May 26, 2019 11:55 pm

I have the stock slotted screws and lock washers and have never had a problem


Gonenorth
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Location: Danbury, WI
MTFCA Number: 30688
Board Member Since: 2008

Re: Starter wants to fall off

Post by Gonenorth » Mon May 27, 2019 6:48 am

If lock washers don't do the trick, clean the threads out and use some blue locktite. But first check your bolts for correct size and thread pattern. I have picked up several at my local hardware store that have varied from batch to batch they have received. Take an original (if you have one) and match it up to the hardware store ones. Only way to know for sure.


Norman Kling
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Location: Alpine California

Re: Starter wants to fall off

Post by Norman Kling » Mon May 27, 2019 12:00 pm

Hopefully the threads in the hogs head are not stripped. If they are good and you are using the correct size bolts, use lockwashers and tighten them more. On my first T the first tour I went on, same thing happened to my starter! I didn't know why it would not work and used the crank. Anyway the tour was a "progressive lunch" so I drove on to the next stop and left a puddle of oil on their driveway!

Your problem is serious and you need to address it before you do much more driving. You could lose a lot of oil quickly which could lead to much worse problems.
Norm


Art McTevia
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2019 11:49 am
First Name: Art
Last Name: McTevia
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1924 Runabout
Location: Medford, OR
Board Member Since: 2017

Re: Starter wants to fall off

Post by Art McTevia » Mon May 27, 2019 12:06 pm

I used allen bolts. Easy to tighten.


Topic author
Tiger Tim
Posts: 105
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 7:09 pm
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Eckensviller
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 cut-off touring
Location: Thunder Bay, ON

Re: Starter wants to fall off

Post by Tiger Tim » Tue May 28, 2019 8:45 am

Thanks all, I’ll be checking the threads in the hogshead (fingers crossed) and if they’re fine I’ll start with fresh lock nuts. Failing that I suppose I’ll try some loctite on the screws, or buy and drill some hex head screws so I can wire them.

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Mark Gregush
Posts: 4956
Joined: Sat Jan 05, 2019 1:57 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Gregush
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1925 cutdown PU, 1920 Dodge touring, 1948 F2 Ford flat head 6 pickup 3 speed
Location: Portland Or
MTFCA Number: 52564
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Starter wants to fall off

Post by Mark Gregush » Tue May 28, 2019 12:25 pm

As was said above, unless the thread in the cover are bad, all you should need it lock washers under the slotted head screws.
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup

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