Hi Everyone,

Wondering if anyone would happen to know what may be the answer to the following problem. There is a 1950 F1 that I am looking to buy. The only problem I have noticed so far is that when the starter is engaged and just before the truck turns over a large sound (sounds like a hammer hitting metal) comes from the starter area of the truck. "bong" type sound. Engine is an 8 BA on.

I am not sure how these starters operate. When engaged do they have a piston or shaft that enters the fly-wheel and then turns in order to turn the engine over.

I talked to a mechanic and he thinks the starter may need to be shimmed.

I am not mechanic but I would think if it was the correct starter for the correct engine this should not be a problem. Has anyone experianced or observed this same problem?

Thanks for your time.

 

I am no help at all, but I have a pretty funny/embarrassing story about my starter...or not about my starter...

I thought I had a starter problem a few days ago. I redid my brakes and so I brought the truck down off the stands and was gonna test drive it. I got NOTHING when I tried to turn the truck over. Not a click, not a grind, nothing. I tried jumping the battery and still got nothing. I was looking at my start solenoid and relay etc. Looking at the starter. Etc, etc, etc. I was at a loss. After about an hour of this I was sitting in the cab with my chin on my chest wondering what the heck was going on. That was when I looked at the shifter and I had left the transmission in DRIVE to test the brakes up on the stands...I put it back in park and--amazingly--she turned right over.

Does that help you any?

Tyler

 

I'm guessing your mechanic is a Chevy guy.

I'm not the flathead starter expert here, someone brighter than me on that subject will no doubt be along shortly. But I'm pretty sure shimming is not going to be the answer. That was a GM fix for their poor block machining capabilities. Since the Flathead starter, as with most Ford engines, bolts to the bellhousing, it has a much more definite clearance spec between it and the flywheel.

You're correct in your basic understanding of how the starter works. Applying electricity to the starter spins a bendix which engages a small gear on the starter motor against the ring gear on the flywheel, then spins the engine. It's possible you have worn components causing strange noises to emanate from the area. But if it works and spins and starts the engine, it may not be a big deal, other than the strange noise itself. If that's the worse thing you can find wrong and like the truck overall, I'd say buy it.

 

Thanks for your help.

Old blue is coming home.

I just need to figure out why its making this noise.

The truck starts fine.

 

NICE!!!! You bought it?!?!?! I have had mine for a couple of months and I am having fun with it...

t

 

There's a spring inside the starter that pushed and recoils the gear on the starter that gets the flywheel going. The spring may be wearing out. It's an easy and cheap fix.

When you have the truck home, call me and I'll put you in touch with a guy that can fix it.

 

A BONG type sound? Easy! Someone used a door bell button to replace the starter button. Just swap it back to an OEM starter button to cure it.

 

Too Funny!

I wish it was that easy.

Thanks 51 Panel Man. I will be stopping by your place once I get Old Blue home.

I will post pics as soon as he gets here.

Open to hear other possible diagnosis of the problem.

 

I thought that you're not getting it until early March? I guess plans changed. They guy must have needed the money sooner.

I'll be home most of the weekend working in the garage if you want to swing by. Call me first to make sure I'm not running an errand.