Need some help

[Eric T]

I have a Special Deluxe that is supposed to be positive ground. The battery cables are hooked up positive to the solenoid and the negative to the generator mount. I recently traded another car for this one and the previous owner said it was running great until a month ago. All the interior and exterior lights work. The motor turns over really slow. I have checked and cleaned the points, have good spark, replaced the coil, rotor button and had the battery tested. It was good and then I noticed how the cables were attached. I found in the manual that came with the car that the cables are supposed to be exact opposite of the way I found them unless I'm reading the diagram wrong. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Have a great day. 

[Plymouthy Adams]

this would not hinder the starting of the car...you would be wise to check cable gauge and condition of the cable ends, terminals and connection points...if it was this way and running...the unit is polarized for the negative ground...and the ammeter probably also reversed to assume this operation...you did not bother to mention if still 6 volt or upgraded to 12..am assuming 6 here and if so..cables need to be quite heavy for the current the 6 volt starter draws and still have reserve for the ignition..

[Eric T]

Thanks for the quick reply. The coil is 6 volt and so is the battery. A bunch of the paperwork that came with the car leads me to believe the car is still its original 6 volt.

[Plymouthy Adams]

check a light bulb..it will be written the voltage there...odds are it is still 6...even the 12 volt cars of later years used 6 volt coils (dropping resistor)...so that in itself is not a  true factor for saying 6/12

[Eric T]

check a light bulb..it will be written the voltage there...odds are it is still 6...even the 12 volt cars of later years used 6 volt coils (dropping resistor)...so that in itself is not a  true factor for saying 6/12

I removed a taillight bulb and its a 1158 which appears to be a 6 volt. 

[Eric T]

The battery cables are twice as thick as the other cars I own if that helps.

[Jerry Roberts]

So your cable size is good . As mentioned, make sure all of the cable ends are clean and bright . Also a cable can be mostly rotted away inside where you can't see it , from the battery acid . It will swell up some with corrosion but the wire strands will be gone . 

[Eric T]

Could my issue be the brushes are worn inside the starter and that is causing it to turn over very slow? This is the oldest and coolest car I have ever owned and can't wait to take it out for a drive. I have read everything I could find on this forum and I'm still puzzled. I will clean all the connections on the solenoid, starter and generator next.

[Plymouthy Adams]

starters turning slowly also can be the very rear bushing elongated due to wear and causing some drag on the armature/field...this will drag a battery to its knees and never allow the starter to obtain it max rotational speed during cranking..

[Don Coatney]

Do not expect a 6 volt starter to spin as fast as a modern 12 volt starter. They simply do not spin as fast by design. But starter motor speed does not indicate that they do not work well.

[Plymouthy Adams]

an amp draw test is the best indicator of the starters condition...one that I recommend...make sure you are not calculating voltage drop in the equation while doing the test....

Edited December 8, 2014 by Plymouthy Adams

[Eric T]

I think I have the issue figured out. The holder for the brushes inside the starter was broken.

[Don Coatney]

Eric T, on 10 Dec 2014 - 10:09 AM, said:

I think I have the issue figured out. The holder for the brushes inside the starter was broken.

Should look like this when not broken.

 

[Eric T]

I sure hope this cures the problem. I can't wait to take the car for a ride.

[BobT-47P15]

I presume your new ride is the one pictured as your avatar.  Got any more photos and/or pics of the interior.  Looks real

nice.  Welcome to the forum.

[Eric T]

Thanks for the welcome. I have some more pictures and will post them when I get to my laptop.

[Eric T]

Finally got it running with some help from a neighbor. The battery was hooked up backwards for a positive ground. The distributor was 180° out. After all that it started but idled a little rough. We checked the dwell and it was way off. I shut it off to set the dwell ad the starter wouldn't do anything but spin. I took it back to the place that rebuilt it and a keeper ended up breaking. Now tomorrow when I get home I can finally drive it for the first time.

[Eric T]

Sorry it's been so long since I've had an update. I installed the starter and drove it probably 30 miles. I filled it up with gas and drove it some more before parking it in the garage. We traveled to Michigan for Christmas and upon returning on the 3rd went out into the garage and it started right up. I noticed some sediment in the glass bowl so I took it off, cleaned it and when I was putting it back on I dropped it and of course it busted. I ordered a new one, installed it yesterday and now the car will not run for more than about five minutes.

[Plymouthy Adams]

it would well be that the sediments you had in the bowl are also about the tank internal filter...disconnect the line at the pump and blow back into the trunk and see if this will improve the running time...if so, you may need to drop the tank for a flushing..this test will only cost you a few minutes of your time

Edited January 25, 2015 by Plymouthy Adams

[Eric T]

I did that before and that is when it ran the best. I guess I need to drop the tank and clean it out. Should I go through the carburetor now too?

[Plymouthy Adams]

I think it would be wise to clean it out also...complete with the lines and the inlet to the fuel pump...start clean...you going to have it most all disconnected as it is anyway

[Eric T]

These are the pictures I said I would post.

 

Thank you!

[Eric T]

Still scratching my head. I cleaned the tank, checked the flow from pump to carb and all is good and clean. I replaced the plugs it seems the choke was out of adjustment and caused me to foul out the plugs. It was severely flooded so I turned it over without the plugs and let it set for 24 hours. It acted like it was going to start and nothing.

[Eric T]

I'm trying to address an interior problem. I need to replace the fabric on the post which for lack of better terms I call the door jam. What is it actually called. Thanks in advance

[casper50]

if you are asking about the piece that looks like a rope it's called windlass.