Bacon slicer starter re-fitting

[Neil]

Hello, 

I'm new here and new to Sevens. I bought a 1928 Chummy earlier this year and am enjoying getting to know it. It starts readily on the handle (its previous owner changed from mag to coil ignition) but the starter motor is feeble and barely turns over despite a good battery, so I've removed it and cleaned up the commutator and brushes as per the advice in the Woodrow manual. But refitting the motor is not proving to be as straightforward as its removal! 

The nearside set screw that secures the starter to the crankcase will engage a couple of threads then bind - I don't want to force it and risk stripping the crankcase threads. The set screw will go in and out quite happily without the motor, and the offside one engages fully with the motor in situ. But as soon as the motor is on, it won't tighten (or rather, it begins to get tight too soon) I've tried fitting it without the backplate as that presses up onto the bulkhead, but it's no better. The hole in the bulkhead for the nut on the back of the motor didn't line up well so I've enlarged it slightly - still no good... 

Is this a Chummy thing, or is it a case of 'the nut behind the spanner'? Any advice on this would be received gratefully!

Neil Stanford
York

[Hedd_Jones]

You could relieve the majority of the setscrew from the head say to the thread, or just above the thread, that would give you more clearance (aka wiggle room), it sounds to me like either the hole centres are different enough to bind, or perhaps the hole(s) in the case isn't tapped square.

If it were me, I would still like a full diameter portion at the case, motor housing interface. So as to give a better shear connection there.

Option 2 is fit a stud, assuming you can get the bacon slicer casing over it (which might not be possible).

[Parazine]

Are you sure the starter is sitting firmly on the crankcase, with no small gaps? There should be a small peg adjacent to the N/S bolt and that can require encouragement to fit into the holes in the crankcase and starter housing. Make sure all is correctly aligned before tightening as the BSF threads in alloy are very fragile.

Are you sure the bolt is straight and not bent slightly?

Other than that, if all is correctly set up, you may need to ease the hole in the starter housing. Most of mine have been re-drilled to accept 3/8" threads but I wouldn't go that far, just a little easing may help if it's an alignment problem.

[Neil]

Thanks Hedd, that's a good tip. I'm wondering how the last chap got it together!

[Hedd_Jones]

if he was an american, judging by the youyube car resto vids I watch, he will have used a Milwaukee 'Top Fuel' ugga dugga rattle gun, and will not have noticed it binding.

[Neil]

Thanks Hedd, that's a good tip. I'm wondering how the last chap got it together!

[Neil]

Well, it's back together after a lot of wiggling and double-checking. But it still won't start! I've checked the invoices that came with car and the starter was 'refurbished, £60' 3 years ago. I'll have to take it all off again tomorrow and work out what's going on.

[Ruairidh Dunford]

Try earthing it directly to battery with something like a jump lead. If that improves things make a permanent heavy duty earth connection.

Check the foot switch has not become too dirty, or expanded too much to make a good connection, it can be cleaned and/or closed if so.

[Neil]

Thanks Ruairidh, I'll give that a go.

Neil