6v starter body bolts stripped?

[bradreedthompson]

Hey all,

So I'm trying to replace a worn 6v starter on my '66 while also installing a hard start relay. I tried to install it as per Muir (by grounding it to one of the body bolts for the starter) but when I try to reinstall the starter bolt it seems to be stripping out inside the starter. What have I done wrong? Is there supposed to be some play to the shaft in the starter or have I unattached something important in there by removing that bolt? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. My sweet li'l '66 really needs to get me to work tomorrow morning!

Thanks, all.

- Brad in Corvallis, OR

[Itskyle]

Hey all,

So I'm trying to replace a worn 6v starter on my '66 while also installing a hard start relay. I tried to install it as per Muir (by grounding it to one of the body bolts for the starter) but when I try to reinstall the starter bolt it seems to be stripping out inside the starter. What have I done wrong? Is there supposed to be some play to the shaft in the starter or have I unattached something important in there by removing that bolt? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. My sweet li'l '66 really needs to get me to work tomorrow morning!

Thanks, all.

- Brad in Corvallis, OR

Starter should be a snug fit.

You should be able to push start it.

If your talking about the bolt on the inside (furthest from the outside of the car), then remember that the other side of this is in the engine compartment behind the fan attached to some sort of nut.

It is possible that the threading of the nut is buggered up.

If this is the case, pick up a replacement from your friendly local hardware store. It's a metric nut, bring it in you'll want the right size, and make sure you get 10.10 quality for automotive usage.

They may talk you into a lock nut as well, that's your call, but you'll want to replace the nut anyhow. I just used the regular nut, but a new one.

If the starter isn't a snug fit, you may have a 12 volt starter instead of a 6 volt one. The diameters of the bushings and enabling gears aren't quite the same, so they won't mesh up to the flywheel in the same manner.

Good luck! Sorry I'm just getting to you on this, I'm on vacation right now.

Kyle

[bradreedthompson]

Kyle,

Thanks for the answer, man. I guess I wasn't as clear with my question as I thought, though. I'm not talking about how the starter fits into the bug. I'm talking about the starter itself. Before I installed it, I was trying to mount a hard start relay to one of the bolts that holds the starter body to the starter. It worked fine until I tried to tighten the bolt back down and it stripped really easily. I've got the starter installed and it's working great, but it does have a high whining sound that I'm concerned is something that isn't aligned just right because I can't snug up one of the bolts (on the starter itself) very tight. Not sure what to do except just keep running her and see how she goes...

Thanks again!

- Brad

[Itskyle]

Kyle,

Thanks for the answer, man. I guess I wasn't as clear with my question as I thought, though. I'm not talking about how the starter fits into the bug. I'm talking about the starter itself. Before I installed it, I was trying to mount a hard start relay to one of the bolts that holds the starter body to the starter. It worked fine until I tried to tighten the bolt back down and it stripped really easily. I've got the starter installed and it's working great, but it does have a high whining sound that I'm concerned is something that isn't aligned just right because I can't snug up one of the bolts (on the starter itself) very tight. Not sure what to do except just keep running her and see how she goes...

Thanks again!

- Brad

Oh, ok, I see. You talking about the assembly of the starter itself. Maybe some heli coil might help. I know people have used this on stripped out oil filter nuts in the engine case itself.

Other possibility is to get another starter that is bad, and just perhaps transplant the solenoid, and starter body to that new starter housing.

Either way, your going to want to fix it. Push starting a car is fun the first few times, but as a regular happenstance, is kind of embarrassing (voice of personal experience here

Kyle

[Blue Baron]

I normally mount the hard start relay up under the body behind the upper shock bolt, but it also can be put under the back seat. (Basically anyplace.)