PT81PlymouthPickup Posted July 2, 2022 Report Posted July 2, 2022 Like a dummy, I over tightened my battery cable connection to my starter and damaged the copper threads on a like new starter switch. ? I can't figure a way to repair it, so I ordered another one. $50 mistake Lols! Anyhow, I noticed it has a hole in the side with a brass grommet which is electrically insulated? Anyone know why that is there? I'm also trying to locate a lower contact (#687377) which is attached to the starter body. Can't seem to find one anywhere. It has a pretty big eroded area where the contacts meet. I'm thinking I could remove it and fill it with silver solder, but not sure that would be OK? Perhaps fabricating a new one might be better? Ridicule and advice welcomed! Quote
kencombs Posted July 2, 2022 Report Posted July 2, 2022 Maybe for a wire to the coil, bypassing an ignition resister. My 56 1/2T, late year was the first 12v PU. It was still a foot starter but 12v. By the time I got it there had been a lot of mods done, but my guess is that it may have had some sort of bypass as the cars did. Quote
1949 Wraith Posted July 3, 2022 Report Posted July 3, 2022 For some reason electric choke comes to mind. Quote
kencombs Posted July 3, 2022 Report Posted July 3, 2022 13 minutes ago, 1949 Wraith said: For some reason electric choke comes to mind. Possible, but I'm not sure the Sisson choke was used with a foot starter? anyone know? Quote
PT81PlymouthPickup Posted July 3, 2022 Author Report Posted July 3, 2022 After more searching, turns out it is for a trigger wire for a Sisson choke. Not much room or a provision in there for the connection. Would be interesting to see the connector they originally used. Evidently they must have used the electric chokes on some vehicles with foot starters. Quote
Young Ed Posted July 3, 2022 Report Posted July 3, 2022 1 hour ago, PT81PlymouthPickup said: After more searching, turns out it is for a trigger wire for a Sisson choke. Not much room or a provision in there for the connection. Would be interesting to see the connector they originally used. Evidently they must have used the electric chokes on some vehicles with foot starters. Would a bullet connector pop in there? Mopar used a lot of those back then Quote
desoto1939 Posted July 3, 2022 Report Posted July 3, 2022 (edited) The hole is for the wire that supplies electrical current to the sisson choke. I have this same starter switch on my 39 Desoto. So a screw goes into the hole on the side of the switch and contact the copper plate then the wire then is run around the back of the block to the screw on the top of the sission choke. To answer Young ed, my 39 desoto has the foot pedal starter and when pushing the starter push rod the it makes the electrical contact to send an electrical charge to the sisson choke. rich Hartung desoto1939@aol.com Edited July 3, 2022 by desoto1939 Quote
JBNeal Posted July 3, 2022 Report Posted July 3, 2022 20 hours ago, PT81PlymouthPickup said: Like a dummy, I over tightened my battery cable connection to my starter and damaged the copper threads on a like new starter switch. ? I can't figure a way to repair it, so I ordered another one... I'm also trying to locate a lower contact (#687377) which is attached to the starter body. Can't seem to find one anywhere. It has a pretty big eroded area where the contacts meet. I'm thinking I could remove it and fill it with silver solder, but not sure that would be OK? Perhaps fabricating a new one might be better? Ridicule and advice welcomed! At one time, a contact kit could be sourced that contained the input lug and the switch contact plate, as they were common wear items like what you have shown here. The contact on the starter motor could also be sourced for the same reason. I have seen these available as vintage Autolite parts on eBay over the years, but did not have much luck locating one this morning; VPW also did not appear to have any available. My suggestion would be to talk to your local starter rebuilder or industrial equipment repair shop about the starter motor contact, maybe remove your old one and see if they have something close or equivalent, or could source you the parts you need to repair what you have. I am not so sure soldering on that worn contact would yield positive long term results as the solder might try to mush out with use. However, it might do the trick if no replacement part is available...could be an annual maintenance opportunity in the future: the springtime starter reconditioning extravaganza Quote
PT81PlymouthPickup Posted July 3, 2022 Author Report Posted July 3, 2022 1 hour ago, JBNeal said: could be an annual maintenance opportunity in the future: the springtime starter reconditioning extravaganza Lols! I certainly don't need any more maintenance opportunities! My old buddies mom used to say: "You'll become a slave to your possessions" We didn't know what she was talking about back then, but I sure do now. Yeah! You would think those lower contacts would be easy to source? Common wear item back in the day. Somebody must be hoarding those somewhere? Quote
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