The old starter on my '48 f-1 with a '51 Flathead V-8 just clicks now, so I figured I would replace it with one of those new Powermaster gear reduction Flathead starters. I am having a hell of a time pulling the old starter off. I pulled out the two long bolts, but the old unit won't budge. Is there a bolt that I am missing?

 

Did you remove the clip that attaches to the oil pan?

 

Put the long bolts back in - til they bump into the threads. Otherwise the starter will come apart in pieces. When you get it out, put nuts on the thread to keep it together.

You have to tip the front toward the engine and up slightly as you tip the bendix out and down. The boss of the bendix has to clear the ring gear as it sits behind it in normal position. That's what usually hangs up.

 

Thanks for all the help; I was able to nudge the sucker loose. I figured it was just getting hung up on the flywheel, but did not want to damage anything by whacking it or otherwise forcing it loose!

 

If the starter was clicking the connections might just be dirty. The 6 volt system is very sensitive to dirty connections.

 

If you are going to the Powermaster, you are likely already 12v, right? You'll love that starter, they are as biug an improvement as alternators/12v is! Note that you need to do some rewiring, since the solenoid is on the starter. I actually use the original solenoid to trigger the solenoid on the starter

 

Bump this TTT, a HUGE help to me today. My Uncle and I went to pull 'Blue Death' out of the barn to spray some fertilizer and the starter was a no-go. Turns out the spring on the end of the starter shaft had broken. 65 years, it doesn't owe us a thing! Being a young(er) mechanic, I'd never seen a larger starter mounted by the bolts that hold the starter itself together. Any recommendations on where to get a spring? Any tricks to replacing this? Thanks!

 

Dennis Carpenter has the spring itself, cheapest way to fix it.

Starter Drive Spring | Dennis Carpenter Ford Restoration Parts

 

As Ross said Carpenters has them, as does Miller Obsolete, in Binghampton, NY and several others, including several vendors on ebay. do a search for Ford starter drive spring B11375.

 

Take those two bolts loose on the end of the starter and you can disassemble the bendix. Replace the spring, lubricate, and reassemble.

 

Thanks all for the help and advice! I sent my Uncle the info and he got one ordered, not sure from where. He said he was up half the night looking at random parts online because he did not realize so much was available and how much aftermarket stuff there was.

 

Uh-oh.... sounds like your uncle might want to buy some stuff and fix up "Blue Death". good!

Show us some pictures of Blue Death, please.

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...d-f5-rims.html

This is the infamous 'Blue Death!' There are a few better pics outside on page 2. She should be back in action either today or tomorrow!

And yes, she does need some work. On the short list is complete brake system overhaul, replace water pumps, rebuild fuel pump and finally get a window in the drivers door. The fuel pump draws such little vacuum that if it sits for three or more days we have to pressurized the tank to get fuel to the carb. Once its running it does fine. From there, we'll see. I'd love to restore it but lack of $, time and the fact its still used as a work truck are holding us back.

 

Any tips? I just got my replacement starter and I was told that it would fit on my '48 flathead 6. New type enclosed. It doesn't appear any larger in diameter. I tried tonight (I had 1/2 hour) and taking the old starter out was tight (spring broke), the new one I was going back and forth, tilting, and of course the two bolts came out and I spent the last hour putting together the starter again

They said at MAC parts it would fit? There must be a trick. If I slide the end down making a gap it fits on the wall on the opening.

Ideas? I won't be able to get to it for a little while since it will be a high of 37deg here in Atlanta! Thanx.

 

37°?! Heck, that's perfect working weather, no sweat and no bugs. We aren't going to hit the 30s until sometime next week.

Your description was a little hard to understand. Can you post pictures of the starter? Maybe it won't fit the six but as far as I know the starters are the same for the 6 and 8. I do know there are a couple of different designs of starters. I found this out a few years back when I was trying to cobble one good starter out of two. I took the starter out the flat 6 in my '49 F-2 and another out of a '50 F-2, both with the flat six. The main casing was slightly different and the parts wouldn't interchange. Both fit the same engine but I couldn't mix and match parts.

Post pictures of both starters side by side at a couple of different angles. Maybe one of us can see a difference that is causing your installation problem.