MTFCA Forum

I'm not an electrical guy, so I don't want to hook up the battery until I'm sure...
Is there supposed to be continuity to ground on this starter post?

https://www.mtfca.com/phpBB3/download/f ... &id=193285

YES. ..... The starter is a motor that relies on a switch to be engaged. It works like any other motor. Power is applied by the switch to the unit at the terminal , goes through the circuits , and needs to be grounded to the engine/trans to work.

There should be a thin brass washer on top of the special insulator & a thin brass nut to lock the stud in place.
Then the cable & a thin copper plated steel nut.

Be very careful not to twist the stud in the starter post when you install the cable. Try a thin wrench to hold the nut closest to the starter while you tighten the top nut. The stud is soldered inside the starter and is easily broken at that point or the solder joint is broken. It takes a very large soldering iron to re-attach it sometimes needing to replace other parts inside if that happens.
Norm

There should be an insulator on the inside and outside. This photo is from Lang's and is the terminal rebuild kit on Lang's website. Check your parts match. The parts are arranged from left to right (bottom/inside to top/outside). Yours should match the top of the photo.

https://www.modeltford.com/i/d/2931471l.jpg

Norm gave good advice. It's worth grinding an old wrench thinner so you have a tool to hold the inner nut. One clue that the connection may have been broken in the past is if the starter post gets hot from applying current during starting.

I've attached an article by Ron Patterson on starter post problems.

Thanks guys,

I know I didn't twist the post while removing the thin nuts (brass and copper). The thin brass washer was there also.
I thought it might be like the studs on top of a coil, soldered to something inside.

I just didn't want to have a short when I hooked it back up.

Jeff

To prevent twisting the stud, I used a dremel to cut a slot in the top of the post. I then use a screwdriver to hold the stud while I tighten the nuts, both the lower and upper.

Read the article I wrote about this problem cited above carefully.
I rebuilt Model T starters for over 25 years, 90% of the starter cores I rebuilt had this issue and solving this issue was critical to producing a quality job.
The buss bar to terminal bolt included in the terminal bolt repair kit has a Silver soldered connection which is significantly stronger than the original Ford soldered connection.
The replacement terminal bolt connection cannot be damaged like the original Ford connection, but you can tear the bolt out of the buss bar if you do something stupid like getting heavy handed with removing the terminal bolt nuts.

Moxie26 wrote: ↑

Sun Jun 30, 2024 4:32 pm

YES. ..... The starter is a motor that relies on a switch to be engaged. It works like any other motor. Power is applied by the switch to the unit at the terminal , goes through the circuits , and needs to be grounded to the engine/trans to work.

. . .... The suggestions on tightening the terminal nut "spot on " ....... The extra starter that I've had for over 20 years was obtained through a friend's estate sale and was told by the son that it was rebuilt and sold through Lang's Auto parts.
This is the starter that I had to test for continuity between the terminal post and the starter case ground. Perfect continuity. This morning, just for the heck of it, I hooked up jumper cables from 6 volt battery to the positive terminal and then tapped the case for ground... And son of a gun. It's spun like nobody's business. I suggest that you go ahead with a charged battery and then connect the starter cable to the terminal and give it a try..... ..when pressing the starter button, the starter does not turn , promptly disconnect your battery and do what you have to to fix your starter .Chances are, that you'll get a smile on your face without having to send your starter in for repair...... If I'm wrong on your starter, my apology in advance....... The bottom section of the threaded post just above the insulator looks shiny, doesn't it? I was in need of a terminal nut on my other car, used the one from this starter..... Also, removed the Bendix that was on this one, and installed on our 26 Runabout.

The Model T Ford starting motor is a high torque DC motor capable, as intended, of consuming several hundred Amperes draw depending upon normal working circumstances. Hence it should come as no surprise there is a low resistance electrical curcuit when testing with Volt/Ohm meter.
Ron Patterson

Ron Patterson wrote: ↑

Mon Jul 01, 2024 8:43 am

Read the article I wrote about this problem....

Great article. I know who you are and I appreciate you, Ron. I greatly respect your advice.
I bought the iTimer and ECCT from you early in my T days.

Your phone help back then was spot on and my T runs better than it has in its lifetime.

Thanks again,

Jeff

I think you have me confused with someone else. I have never sold a I Timer or ECCT to anyone.
Ron Patterson

Yes, you're 'Coilman' the man who rebuilds coils. I did confuse you with Mike Kossor. I hold you both in high regard.

Hey Jeff, happy 4th of July.. ... using the suggestions from the Forum,. any chance of starting your Model T with the starter? , results positive or negative?...... Hopefully your starter foot switch is in working order, would only be to your advantage if it was taken apart and cleaned to work as it should.

Unfortunately, I have not worked on it since Sunday... I still have a full-time job.
I will be working on it in the morning.