Starter Help please - Steel Soldiers::Military Vehicles Supersite

poppop · 07-17-2005, 15:04

The starter on my M51 Dump was working great and just quit. I removed the starter and put 12 volts to the starter bypassing the solinoid. It ran, just slow. I figured if it ran on 12 volts the motor must be OK. Removed the solinoid and it was burned out. Installed used solinold and it would kick in. Put starter on truck and it would barely turn the motor. Batterys checked fine. Removed starter and hooked 24 volts to it on table and it ran like a top. Reinstalled it and still turns real slow. Charged batterys with no change. I then cleaned battery connections and removed ground cables from the frame and polished the frame and cable ends. Still no improvement. There is only one connection not cleaned and that is where two cables hook onto the battery post. I will do that next. Do you guys think I am on the right track or could the starter be bad and still run with no load? Also there is a starter for sale on e-bay off of a detroit motor from a duece or five ton. It looks the same as mine to me. Will that starter fit the multi-fuel engine in a five ton?

DUUANE · 07-17-2005, 15:38

with the starter removed,check the shaft that the pinion rides on for side play.too much is bad news.
under load,the rotor will eventually rub on the stator causing internal damage and slow operation,but will still spin in a bench test.re-bush it and you'll win i think.

good luck :turn:

poppop · 07-17-2005, 16:34

Thanks for the reply. I checked it for endplay while it was out and did not seem excessive. If it has to come back out I will re-bush it anyway.

M543A2 · 07-20-2005, 12:47

Is the engine grounded to the frame with a grounding strap in good condition? Have you looked at the brushes in the starter? We have a starter off a Detroit, and it looks like the ones on our 465's. I think they interchange, but I have not actually bolted one in yet, so this is just an observation that bears checking.

Regards Marti

cranetruck · 07-20-2005, 18:09

I have a starter motor w/solenoid that you can have for $50 plus shipping. It's from a LDT-465 and should fit your engine.
If you are interested, I'll test it (it's still on the parts engine).
Shipping shouldn't be too bad, I'm in Virginia.

poppop · 07-20-2005, 20:15

Hey Marti

The starter has a ground that goes to the frame and the batterys have a ground that goes to the frame. We cleaned both connections. I need to check the cables closer but they looked fine.

Bjorn

Thanks for the offer. I will do some more checking when I get a chance and take the starter to my starter man. He can check the electrics but groans everytime I mention Army truck to him. The starter runs fine on the table with no load so I really suspect a bad connection somewhere.

cranetruck · 07-21-2005, 02:52

Measure the battery voltage when cranking. Your dash gauge may be accurate enough to tell.

poppop · 07-25-2005, 20:20

I got my starter fixed today. I measured the voltage when trying to crank and it dropped to almost zero. The cables would jerk around also so I figured a short in the starter. Pulled it off and took to the starter shop along with the starter off the parts Duece I sold to Robert. Sorry Robert!!! My starter was a mess inside. I figure the starter button stuck in and my farm help did'nt notice all that extra noise. He put the two together and it cranks fine now. I asked him if he could get parts to fix these starters and he said yes but prestolite stuff was expensive. He said he could build me a Delco a lot cheaper and he had a core laying on the shop floor which looked just like my starter. I thought this info might to helpful to someone in the future.

rdixiemiller · 07-25-2005, 22:35

I was going to suggest you pull that starter off and give it a try. I have an extra on my can engine, so I am OK. I found some TM's for a Delco starter as well as a Prestolite that both fit the deuce.
I hope to get down and drag that deuce home one of these days.......
More projects than days off.....

poppop · 07-26-2005, 19:58

I understand the more projects than time concept as I have plenty backed up. I play with antique tractors as well and am Vice-president and events co-ordinator of our local club so I have too many irons in the fire. The real problem is I have to make a living at the same time.

An interesting side note. My local town has used my 151-A1 mutt to haul an officer from Fort Stewart in our local parade. A friend sent me a e-mail today with the Fort Stewart newsletter attached and they had two pictures of my Jeep in it. But these young soldiers got it wrong, as the caption said Worldwar II Willys when in fact it is a 1965 Ford Mutt. I got a big kick out of it being in the military newsletter.