Starter problems and questions

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Dennis_Brown
Posts: 260
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2019 10:14 pm
First Name: Dennis
Last Name: Brown
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Roadster pickup
Location: Spring Hill Fl

Starter problems and questions

Post by Dennis_Brown » Fri Oct 17, 2025 10:54 pm

Found my bendix cover screw but that is minor. Removed the starter this evening and found problems.
Both locks were in place on the bendix bolts but both bolts were loose. With the drive collar bolt loose it allowed for wear on the woodruff key and in time would have sheared the key and bolt tip.
The inside of the starter is very oiled soaked. Brushes look good and the commutator needs to be polished and mice undercut.
The main problem is the terminal stud is loose on the windings. Appears from the splotches of solder by it, someone tried to solder it with a soldering gun. Looks like I will have remove the windings and clean and polish everything up good then heat up my big iron with a torch and resolver it.
Now my other question. To try to slow the oil leaking in without removing the bushings which have no play and cutting the one off and installing a seal, can the end of the bushing that rubs against the inside face of the armature be chamfered and an o-ring installed there. To me it is worth a try.
Since we moved here I have not found some of my tools and readers of my spare starters and a lot of other parts and things or maybe my memories clutch is slipping as to what they were packed in 12 to 15 years ago. Just not enough shelf space to put everything out where I would see it occasionally.


speedytinc
Posts: 4963
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First Name: john
Last Name: karvaly
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 14/15 wide track roadster. 23 touring, 27 roadster pickup, 20ish rajo touring
Location: orange, ca
Board Member Since: 2020

Re: Starter problems and questions

Post by speedytinc » Fri Oct 17, 2025 11:46 pm

Do not undercut the mica. Not done to starters. That will ruin that armature.
Seal - best to remove, shorten & add a properly sized lip seal.
If you dont have the skills, send to a rebuilder as a core for a rebuilt unit.

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AdminJeff
Posts: 1110
Joined: Wed Jan 16, 2019 6:32 pm
First Name: Jeff
Last Name: Stevenson
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1921 Touring
Location: Wilder Idaho
Board Member Since: 2017

Re: Starter problems and questions

Post by AdminJeff » Wed Oct 22, 2025 9:11 am

Dennis_Brown wrote:
Fri Oct 17, 2025 10:54 pm
....armature be chamfered and an o-ring installed there. To me it is worth a try.
Why waste any time on trying this when it may work initially but will ultimately fail? You already have the starter apart. We solved oil leaks in starters years ago with the seal. Do it once and be done with it. Heck, I'll give you a seal and a new post!

Jeff
Assistant WebSite Admin
1921 Model T Touring, 1930 Model A Roadster
Voltage Regulators, Starter & Generator Repair & Parts manufacturing
www.modeltregulators.com
www.modeltstarters.com


big2bird
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Location: Anaheim, Ca.
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Re: Starter problems and questions

Post by big2bird » Wed Oct 22, 2025 12:07 pm

What is the part # of that seal?

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jsaylor
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First Name: John
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1921 Touring, 1927 Tudor
Location: Citrus Heights, Ca
Board Member Since: 1999

Re: Starter problems and questions

Post by jsaylor » Wed Oct 22, 2025 12:31 pm

You can get the seal or a complete bushing with seal from most Parts venders - Chaffins or Langs.

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AdminJeff
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Re: Starter problems and questions

Post by AdminJeff » Wed Oct 22, 2025 1:46 pm

big2bird wrote:
Wed Oct 22, 2025 12:07 pm
What is the part # of that seal?
CR6595. I have 1000 of them.
Assistant WebSite Admin
1921 Model T Touring, 1930 Model A Roadster
Voltage Regulators, Starter & Generator Repair & Parts manufacturing
www.modeltregulators.com
www.modeltstarters.com


mtntee20
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Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 2:51 pm
First Name: Terry & Sharon
Last Name: Miller
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1920 Center Door, 1920 TTWood cab Farm Truck with cable dump grain bed, 1920 TT C-Cab with express bed, 1927 Wood body Dairy Delivery truck
Location: Westminster, CO
Board Member Since: 2017

Re: Starter problems and questions

Post by mtntee20 » Wed Oct 22, 2025 3:32 pm

Send it to Admin Jeff, get a rebuilt from him and BE DONE with it. Take comfort in knowing it's DONE and DONE RIGHT with Jeff's guarantee.

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