Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Hey everyone. I hope you can help me with some advice. I am restoring a 1954 Cavalier. I have the motor back in the car. It has new points, wires, condenser, rotor button and plugs. It has compression. It is getting fuel and there is fire. It still won't start. My question is related to the starter. I'm wondering if it is not turning fast enough. I don't have a comparison so I don't know. It turns slow but do all the 6 volt starters turn slow? Just trying to figure out why this thing won't start and wondering if the starter is bad. It sat up in a field for 35 years. Thanks for any help.

Starters are not as fast as modern but still turn the engine over reasonably well.

You need to verify a couple of things. One is the voltage to the coil while the starter is turning. If the starter is pulling a lot of current for some reason -- or the battery cables are replacements that are too small -- or battery is partially discharged or too small and doesn't have the capacity -- or there are bad or dirty connections then the voltage to the coil will drop. If the voltage drops much below 4 1/2 volts the spark starts to suffer and may not be reliably firing the plugs. 6v cars don't have a lot of leeway and need a good sound electrical system particularly when starting.

You didn't mention the condition of the motor other than putting it back in the car. Was it rebuilt or just cleaned up. If just cleaned, what is the compression in the cylinders -- you said you have compression but is it enough and still adequate in all cylinders. The inline 8s are known for occasionally sticking valves -- either from sitting and rust on the stems or else firing up after a long sit and using old gas. After a short run on old gas it seems to stick the valves in short order. If the compression is low from valves or rings not sealing then it will have a very hard job starting.

Even if compression is good, another thing that could have happened with the long or many trials at starting without success is the plugs have become fouled. I would check them and make sure they are not moist from fuel or have an oily coating from something else that is affecting their ability to spark.

What Howard said, even if your cables look good, doesn't mean they are good. I had a similar problem. My 47 cranks slow as all 47 's do, but it would not start. I don't think that it fired but only on a couple of cylinders, not enough to get it running. I was thinking about looking at rebuilding the Starter, but I figure changing out the cables first would be a lot easy. I built new cables put them on and if fired right up. Checking the voltages like Howard said should tell you if your cables are good or not, that is if you have the correct gauge cables.
Hope this helps.
Wes

You may have a gear reduction starter and as such it turns over the engine slower. In addition to a good starter you need a well charged battery of correct capacity, proper size cables and good grounds throughout the system. After these have been satisfied a 6-volt system will more than take care of the starting chores.

(o{}o)

You may have a gear reduction starter

The geared AutoLite starter motors were only used on the 356 engines, ending with the 23rd series. Just to reiterate what others have already said, an engine in good internal condition and good state of tune with a competent battery and properly sized cables ("O" gauge or better) and with starter motor in good condition should start almost immediately, certainly within a few engine revolutions.