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Posts: 18
Joined: Sun Dec 21, 2014 9:06 pm
Re: 1956 International S-112
I assume that the starter is original, but I have no way of knowing. About half the time when I turn the key the starter will grind without seeming to engage. I immediately back off the key and try again. Usually the second or third attempt will engage smoothly and the engine fires almost immediately. I decided to pull the starter and see if a little lubrication would solve the problem. The starter is near the rear of the engine compartment on the passenger side. It is connected to the flywheel housing by two bolts. The lower bolt is accessible from underneath the truck if you can manage to get your arm around the exhaust. I found the upper bolt to be harder to reach. I ended up precariously balanced on an old paint can trying to reach it with a smallish crescent wrench. I didn't have enough room to get my socket wrench in. I only encountered the two bolts each with split lock washers. There was no additional brace or shim that I have read about in some starter installations.
I disassembled the starter, cleaned some crud out of the starter gear housing, and greased the starter drive mechanism. No grease on the copper winding or brushes. Reassemble was mostly straightforward except that the spring-loaded brushes must be coaxed out of the way for the motor to slide back together. The starter housing has windows at one end that allowed a finger to reach in and slip each of the four brushes out of the way.
Thankfully, I had taken a picture of the starter before I removed the wires. I was able to test the reassembled starter with a battery, jumper cable, and an extra wire. Ground to starter housing, positive to positive attachment bolt, and finally the extra wire from positive to the start bolt. The starter jumped to life. I was pleased that I hadn't done any additional damage and the drive mechanism did seem do be operating more smoothly after some lubrication.
Reinstalling the starter was hard. I ended up using a rope hung over a rafter in the garage to support the starter's weight. Then my lovely assistant held the starter in place while I got the bolts back in place.
The truck started immediately when I turned the key. No grinding. I was excited, but after a few more starts, the starter failed to engage again. After some more reading, I have a few more ideas: check every tooth on the flywheel ring gear, replace the old 6-volt solenoid (but with what?), check clearance between the starter gear and flywheel (but how?)