Electrical: Starter Swap 60 Lark VI Stick

[donthefonz]

is there a modern starter that I can buy at the parts store that will bolt right up to my 60 lark VI (170 Flat head 3 on the tree)? mine starts just fine when cold, the minute it gets hot it'll just crank but will not start unless you roll start it. any help would be great thanks.

[JimC]

Hey, welcome to the forum! I hope we can find your answer. Feel free to stick around for the general banter, too. It's a fairly addictive site.

As to the question at hand, I'm not familiar with a modern bolt-in equivalent. Maybe someone else here will have more insight on that. That said, starters can be fairly inexpensively (at least compared to the cost of buying a new one) rebuilt. If you can get a second starter, you'll be unstoppable. Have one rebuilt, put it on, have the other one rebuilt, put it in the trunk for a rainy day.

If you need a second starter, let me know. I recently sold a 1960 Lark VI for parts to another member in our chapter, and it had an operable starter on it, which I even unbolted and put in that car's trunk before selling the car to him. I can see if he still has the starter and give you his number if so.

[JimC]

Also, if the car is cranking, but it just won't start, that might not be a problem with the starter. If it's still physically turning the motor over (you can see the fan spinning) then your starter is fine. In that case, you'd have to start troubleshooting. It could be a lot of issues. Since it's only when hot, maybe it's a vapor lock issue. Maybe your coil is going bad, and you're not getting enough spark. There are piles of possibilities, and fortunately they're nearly all fairly easy to test. If you give us more details, we can try to help troubleshoot.

[warrlaw1]

One lesson I learned on the forum for hard starting that is really helpful: Run a separate ground cable from battery to a starter bolt and see if that helps. When the engine warms up, ground connections can change. Good luck.

[donthefonz]

It isn't the coil I've replaced it with a known good 1. the starter never "winds down like old dodge ones" when warm. that's what leads me to believe it's the starter. also change the condenser. and it will roll start pretty easy so I don't think its an electric problem however this is the first points car I've had to work on since the 80's so I'm a bit rusty.

[donthefonz]

That is so friggin simple why didn't I think of that. sent the starter to be rebuilt but i'll do that any way sure can't hurt.

[donthefonz]

If you need a second starter, let me know. I recently sold a 1960 Lark VI for parts to another member in our chapter, and it had an operable starter on it, which I even unbolted and put in that car's trunk before selling the car to him. I can see if he still has the starter and give you his number if so.
I would possibly be interested. I am a newbie so how do I get you (& only you) my contact info?

[52-fan]

The question I have is, who is donthefonz and in what part of Arkansas does he live?

[donthefonz]

I live in Melbourne

[55 56 PREZ 4D]

Are your cables new ? Are they large enough ?
If they old and look good on the outside they could be corroded inside where you can't see.
That corrosion inside is a killer.
New cables are not expensive and are available at good parts shops, it is worth the trouble to change them out.
Your old ones may be original 53 year old cables.
Whether you keep the old or install new, take the connections apart and clean them of grease, oil, paint, RUST, etc, etc, etc. Clean shiny metal.
Especially the ground connection. That ground connection at the exhaust manifold is about the worst place the factory could have picked.
If you decide to move the ground, bolt it on to a starter mounting bolt.
I had the same HARD START/HOT START problem with my car.
Rebuilt starter, new solenoid, clean, tight connections and various other attempts at fixes didn't work. MUCH frustration, time and money. I never knew if the car would start.
Finally installed new cables and it was like a new car.

[donthefonz]

Thanks 55-56-PREZ-4D for your thoughts, the cables & solenoid are new the starter is out being rebuilt when it comes back I have good braided wire that Ill run from the Batteries - post to the starter bolt (Can't believe I didn't think of that one myself). don't take me the wrong way all input is welcome but my question was is there a newer starter that bolts right up with little or no modification?

[52-fan]

I've never heard of a late starter that will bolt up. It is possible to adapt something like a modern high torque starter, but it would require the correct spacing and the teeth on the starter and flywheel would have to match. Possible, but not easy.

[55 56 PREZ 4D]

One of the "fixes" I was going to attempt on my car was a starter swap.
I contacted a guy who builds/sells hitorque starters for hi performance engines.
I can't remember the company name but will try to find it if you're interested, it may have been someone off ebay.
I think they used a ?Hitachi? starter ?
The kind with geared drive.
He claimed that he could build one for the Stude engine.
As I remember the price really wasn't too bad.
I did the cable replacement before I pursued the starter any further so never found out any more info.