So I spent half of sunday trying to troubleshoot the wiring problems (what a pigsty). I am considering of getting an aftermarket wiring kit and rewirind the truck. But that is later when I have the cash. However, I suspect that the starter is fried (or old or what not). I have removed the starter (weird design, but then again I have done with the seventies cars only). The coil pulls 1/2 ohm resistance, but when wired directly to the batery (ground to negative and other wire on the side goes to positive), nothing happens -- few sparks at hte batery terminal and that is it.
What would be a suggested course of action the cost of the new starter is 150 big ones and right now I just don't have that much money. I guess they are rebuildable, but what are the chances that it will work right after the rebuild (I am not intimidated by the rebuild, but I would want to know if it is pointless).

 

Hi, welcome to FTE!
It would help to know more about what it is you are working on: year, make, model engine, in what year make model truck, symptoms.
Wiring is one of the sticking points for a lot of builders. If there have been many busy hands at work under the dash thru the years it's probably best to rip it all out and start over. EZ Wire and Its a Snap make some good affordable harness kits in the 125-150.00 range that are worth every penny, both in what's in the kits and the savings in time and energy tracking down where those slippery electrons are leaking out.

 

Welcome to the forum!

Your profile says you have a '56 F450. Assuming it's the stock engine, you have a Ford starter that didn't change much for about 15 years. Based on what you got out of it (nothing), I'd guess the brushes are shot. There isn't much to these things, just remove the sheet-metal cover over the brushes and have a peek. If they are really worn they may have gotten wedged in crooked. Sometimes they get gummed up and stick "in".

Repair can be inexpensive if that's all it is. Sometimes the brushes' pigtails are soldered in and with the size copper braid used, it takes a mighty hot iron to unsolder/re-solder new brushes. I'd take it to a starter shop if that is the case. While you're their, have them "growl" the armature, test it for shorts/opens. You can clean up the commutator areas with a strip of fine paper wrapped around it, and a back-and-forth action. Or have the shop do it. I really doubt you're looking at more than $50 at a shop that specializes in starters, if you tell them you're not interested in a complete rebuild, just a "freshening".

edit: since you're new, you have to get used to the "missing words" game we play. Some of what is typed won't show up and you have to guess what they are! I had to change "cheap" to "inexpensive" to get it to show, etc....

 

On the profile they don't have the F600 as an option, but it has a 272 motor (stock) and everything is stock except the upper radiator hose -- one of them flexible ones.

Do you know of any starter places in San diego?

Can you explain this business of mission words game??

 

I've never run into the "missing word game" except when all or part of the word was on the "censored" list such as the popular little dog breed from Japan called ****zu (that's s*h*i*t*z*u)

 

Common in other forums as well
so let's see what they pickup *** or @ss

 

**** or *****

 

IC they can be a big PITA, or I wanted to say a big Brother