Hollander interchange - autolite 12 volt MDF 6002 starter

[Dartgame]

I found an autolite MDF 6002 12 volt starter for a good price.

Okay - I spent hours searching through old posts here on 12 volt starters, and a bunch of time looking on line.  I am trying to find out whether this will work on a '52 ply flat head "stock" (mechanically - converted to 12v) set up (146 teeth flywheel). I have found one post here that indicates that it will work on the 146 tooth flywheel for '56 and older cars, and others that are unsure or vague. Still other on line information says its for a 56 V-8 application. Another starter rebuilder website I found says the V-8 and L-6 starters can interchange.

Does anyone have a Hollander interchange book, or other trustworthy source where they can look this up and tell me what the original application is and what it will fit - does it interchange with the L-6 starter for 56 ?

[knuckleharley]

That's a whole lot like hauling a boulder home from a mountain and busting it up with a hammer because you want a rock garden. Yeah,it gets you where you want to go,but why bother when you can buy gravel and  have it delivervedv?

Your 6 volt starer will work fine with your 12 volt system. People have been using 6 volt starters with 12 volt systems ever since 12 volt batteries came out. You are doing an awful lot of working,worrying,and spending money for no gain whatsoever.

[Robert Horne]

I have a 56 12volt starter in my 38 Coupe.         I believe the starters from 57 up were different.

I ran a 6 volt starter from a 1954 for years on my 12 volt system with no problem..

[knuckleharley]

56 minutes ago, Robert Horne said:

I have a 56 12volt starter in my 38 Coupe.         I believe the starters from 57 up were different.

I ran a 6 volt starter from a 1954 for years on my 12 volt system with no problem..

Hmmm,are the 1955-56 flat 6 and hemi V-8 DeSoto starters the same starter,or are they different?

[Robert Horne]

My 56 starter came from a 6.       I believe the Desoto 6 starter is different than the Dodge 6 starter.

[knuckleharley]

10 hours ago, Robert Horne said:

My 56 starter came from a 6.       I believe the Desoto 6 starter is different than the Dodge 6 starter.

Bob,what about the DeSoto hemi V-8 starters up through 1956? Will they work with flat 6 Dodge,DeSoto,and Chrysler engines?

Anybody know? Given that there are a LOT of flat 6 starters out there than there are V-8 DeSoto engines,this could be good information for those of us with Hemi DeSotos to know.

[Young Ed]

2 hours ago, knuckleharley said:

Bob,what about the DeSoto hemi V-8 starters up through 1956? Will they work with flat 6 Dodge,DeSoto,and Chrysler engines?

Anybody know? Given that there are a LOT of flat 6 starters out there than there are V-8 DeSoto engines,this could be good information for those of us with Hemi DeSotos to know.

I believe I've got one of those that came with a 218 OD combo that Dad and I picked up. Looks like it would probably work if the solenoid didn't hit something

[knuckleharley]

1 hour ago, Young Ed said:

I believe I've got one of those that came with a 218 OD combo that Dad and I picked up. Looks like it would probably work if the solenoid didn't hit something

Thanks.

[Robert Horne]

I believe the difference in starters, like Dodge to Desoto, is the distance of engagement at the flywheel, for 6 engines.

I have not read anything on the V8 engines...

I would not be able to use a 57 six starter in my 56, either because of the engagement difference or the amount of teeth on the flywheel,

I can not remember what the main difference is...

[knuckleharley]

1 hour ago, Robert Horne said:

I believe the difference in starters, like Dodge to Desoto, is the distance of engagement at the flywheel, for 6 engines.

I have not read anything on the V8 engines...

I would not be able to use a 57 six starter in my 56, either because of the engagement difference or the amount of teeth on the flywheel,

I can not remember what the main difference is...

Thanks,but is there some reason you can't put your old starter drive with the correct tooth count on the more modern starter that uses a different starter drive?

IF you have access to a Hollander manual or a good NAPA counterman,you can ask them if the armatures are the same length,and if they are you should be able to swap starter drives and use the newer one.

This would be a lot easier than swapping flywheels.

Edited October 31, 2016 by knuckleharley

[Dartgame]

Sorry was tied up finishing installing my OD trans and the hvac system in the 52 over the weekend. Trans works well, new clutch is great. Heater is not finished, but well on its way.

I appreciate the answers so far.

Yes - I know the 6 volt starters will work and last a long time on 12 volts. However, I want to run a 12 volt starter and keep my 6 volt as a spare.

Anyone else ?

[Don Coatney]

After my 12 volt conversion on my P-15 I found that not only did the six volt starter spin faster but also the Bendix engaged faster causing a clash with the ring gear on the flywheel. I found a 12 volt starter from a 56 Plymouth. I installed new brushes  prior to installing the starter and once installed the clashing disappeared.

 

 

[Young Ed]

Anyone know what those lets stand for or mean? I've got an MDG-6001 same as what Don posted above and also a MDF-6001 which has a solenoid on top.

[Dartgame]

Hi Ed - the mdf 6002 i found does not have a solenoid on it. Never did from what I can tell. Do you see any differences in the snouts of these two ? Meaning tooth count, the gear depth relative to the nose and mounting flange, and the projection of the nose from the mounting flange ? I am thinking they are same from your picture. I think from what i have read that the solenoid version is from a v8 application. 

Edited October 31, 2016 by Dartgame

[Young Ed]

I didn't count the teeth but the rest seemed identical.

[knuckleharley]

24 minutes ago, Young Ed said:

Anyone know what those lets stand for or mean? I've got an MDG-6001 same as what Don posted above and also a MDF-6001 which has a solenoid on top.

I do not know,but I am GUESSING that MAYBE the one with the solenoid mounted on top may have came from a military truck with a floor pedal starter? They were still in production in the 60's.