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How do I bench test this Autolite starter? It is off of my 356 Clipper Custom. I will secure it in a bench vise; then connect a battery to it with + lead to starter body and - lead to the large terminal on switch; but what are the other connections? There are two small terminals in addition to the large battery terminal. I did this many times, many years ago, but for the life of me I can not recall how to do the bench test. I have a remote starter switch I can use. Thanks in advance for your help.

(o{I}o)

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Guscha, I think this test is for a later design starter and switch. Thanks for trying. How do you always find this stuff, and so quickly too. Keep them coming.

(o{I}o)

The two small terminals are the solenoid coil. Looking at them head on, one on right goes to start switch (wire 20) and one on left is grounded--either thru the generator if still as original or if problems encountered with intermittent start, directly to ground via instructions in service letter of 6/15/42 and later.

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John, Would this help?http://www.packardclub.org/wiring/1946-47wiring-su8cyl-Clipper.JPG

It looks like the one wire goes to the starter switch and the other to the lower left terminal on the overdrive relay.
I like that crinkle finish!

Quote: Believe that's the regulator and is showing the solenoid ground thru generator armature & windings which was a safety circuit of sorts done till start of 24th series. It may have been changed on the car via the service letter mentioned above and later reminders if there was intermittent solenoid problems.

Thanks Guscha, HH and clipper47. I'll remove the starter and try your test suggestions. Earlier, I had disassembled the starter for cleaning and lubrication. There was no wear, just 20-odd years of oil and dirt accumulation. I tried the starter for the first time yesterday. It will turn the engine, but does not seem to be engaging the drive completely into the flywheel. I think I got the drive fork reversed. It has a slight offset and I probably guessed wrong. I want to check the operation of the starter to see if it is fully deploying the drive before disassembling it again. I'll let you know what I find.

(o{I}o)

Guscha, you did it again! How wonderful an ad. For a time at the Blackhawk Museum we had an early Winton with a compressed air starting system. What I could never figure out is how it turned the engine in the correct direction. Seems to me it could have just as easily pushed everything in reverse rotation. Must have been a one way clutch in there somewhere.

(o{I}o)

Pierce-Arrow used air starters as well for a number of years.

Guscha

The air streams in the cylinders and pushes the piston down. There is an air distributor and a system of brass tubes to make sure the air is going to the right cylinder at the right time. There is also a compressor running off the engine and a storage tank

I once has the system demonstrated to me by an owner of a large Winton. He claimed that the system would hold almost full pressure over the entire winter. He also claimed the engine would start on the second revolution the following spring. Since he was a Winton owner I took his statements with a large grain of salt......

Regards


John Harley

Guscha

I just deleted a dumb post that I wrote before I opened that link.
Congratulations-that was fast work finding that information.

Regards

John Harley