Found Object

[ardiesse]

The weather's miserable outside today, as it seems to be everywhere east of WA, so I decided to attempt one of the smaller tasks: repairs to the battery tray -



and after some cutting, bending and grinding to fit, -



I welded from the underneath, where the access is a lot easier.

Rob

[ardiesse]

And the weather continues to mock me.  I put on my auto-electrician's hat today: starter motor.  Quite often when I turned the key, the starter would click and spin, but not engage the ring gear.

The Threaded Fasteners Wars were not over.  One of the screws for the commutator end cover didn't budge.  I heated it, then it did budge, only to break the head off.  Once I got the end cover off, more heat, and I managed to unscrew the remains of the screw.  Internally, the starter motor seemed OK, except for one brush almost completely worn out.  Oh, and a lot of end float on the armature shaft, which wasn't helped by a loose retaining nut.  And when I pulled the armature out, the "armature brake thrust washer retainer" and "armature brake thrust washer spring" were absent.  That'd explain it.

Clearly, the last person who "reconditioned" this starter motor left a few parts out on reassembly.

I had another starter motor in the spare parts department labelled "needs brush springs".  It had never been apart, and the commutator and brushes were in way better condition, so I thought I'd transfer the brush springs over.

Advice For Young Players: Don't, if you can help it, remove the brush springs from a Bosch starter motor.  Easily out, not so easily in.  Three of the four can be installed from inside the yoke by winding them up with a screwdriver.  The field windings get in the way of the fourth.

I tested the assembled starter on the engine, which turned into a "pre-ECU ignition system" tutorial for my nephew, and in demonstrating how to set the timing by ear, I asked myself, "Why is the distributor wobbling at half engine speed?"  The shaft's bent.  Which begs the next question . . . how is it possible to bend the distributor shaft without damaging anything else?

Rob

[my8thholden]

Rob ...If the distributor shaft is bent ,and how does that happen ?? .Then its end of the line , I have got a distributor body here you can have if it helps ,I will have to check exactly which series ,..By the way ,the guy who moved in near me with his grandmas FJ I told you about ,suddenly wasn't around ,I enquired and his nurse wife got a job with RFDS,so they have moved to Broken Hill ..cheers Vern ..

[ardiesse]

Generator.

I pulled the generator apart just to see what it was like inside.  It didn't seem tooo bad, but the brushes were quite worn.  And they were too narrow for the brush holders.  Field coils OK, armature OK, rear bush quite badly worn.  I extracted the rear bush thinking I'd replace it, but the commutator end housing showed the marks where the armature shaft wore through the bush and ate into the housing; and the "replacement" bush had been pressed in, leaving a void on the thrust side.  So this commutator end housing went into the milk crate of Lucas generator parts, and I found another with a serviceable bush.

I was also going to replace the ball bearing with a double-sealed type . . . but the last reconditioner of this generator had staked the retaining screws at both ends, mooshing the heads and the threads, making removal a total pain in the rear.  The bearing seemed OK, so I greased it in-situ.

Sanded the commutator lightly, new brushes (this time for a C39), and all seems good.

Rob

[my8thholden]

Rob..Where you sanded the comutator ,dont forget to lightly scrape out the insulation ,between the plates to just below the copper ..Vern ..

[Brett027]

My understanding is that for generators you ensure the commutator insulation strips are below the copper, but not for starters. Might be wrong.

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[ardiesse]

Vern,

I made certain that the commutator segments were undercut.  For generators, it's essential, and for starter motors, it's a good idea.  For Bosch starters, it's recommended, but for 6-V Delco-Remy starters, undercutting the commutator segments appears to be optional.

Rob

[my8thholden]

I have never had a problem with scraping out the insulator strips on comutators, but have solved problems by doing it , Rob ..the dissy I offered you with my compliments has shaft and body ,no vacuum ,or cap ,rotor ,points ,condensor,clamp etc ...Vern .

[ardiesse]

Vern,

If it's got a shaft as well, then yes please.

Rob

[Brett027]

I had a bit of a read up. According to Holden, up to 1963 at least,  Lucas starters are not supposed to be undercut, Bosch starters are 1/32inch  undercut.

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[Harv]

If you get stuck for dizzy bits, give me a yell. I've got a couple here ranging from zombie-corpse to nothing-a-good-veterinarian-couldn't-save, and one emergency humpy shortcap runner.

Cheers,
Harv

[ardiesse]

Harv,

Thanks.

I've been hoovering up distributors and parts for a while, but if I get stuck, I know who to call.

Rob

[ardiesse]

The internal structure of the no. 1 body crossmember is somewhat more complicated than appears from the outside.  It only "looked" like I had to replace a 40x60 mm section of the member on the driver's side at the gearbox crossmember bolt holes.  It was completely full of dirt, so I cut out more.  That was completely full of dirt, so I cut down to where the Rare Spares repair section finishes, and guess what - full of dirt.



The crush tubes are actually part of a larger shaped U-section which is maybe a foot wide.  It goes from the first set of ridges in the floor to the point you can see here.  On the forward side, the wall of the U goes nearly the full depth of the member.  On the rearward side, the wall of the U is maybe an inch deep, except around the bolt holes.  Immediately behind the subframe attaching bracket, the wall of the U has a hump pressed into it, for greater rigidity.  And it's all spot-welded in place.

I think I got most of the dirt out now, but it took a hammer and screwdriver to loosen it.



I suppose I shouldn't be surprised at the amount of dirt that came out, but yet . . .

So how to repair it?  I have the profile of the crush tube section.  I'll make the walls of the member out of 1.6, shape to suit, drill the holes, use the gearbox crossmember as a jig, tack-weld the pieces together.  Then when satisfied with the fit, I'll finish the welds, paint it on the inside and weld it into place.  Then I'll mirror-image everything, and repeat for the passenger's side.

Rob

[my8thholden]

Rob ..I will take couple of images of dissy ,you can see what it is . ill ask DJ to post them for me , refusal would not offend ..Vern .

[DJ]

[ardiesse]

Vern,

No way will I refuse . . .

Rob

[my8thholden]

Rob ..Im going to Greengate at Killara on Tues 15th Dec for lunch , can get it to you ,if you want it before let me know ,I can give it to friend lives at Pymble i see him regularily,naturally you are welcome here ..what ever suits you ..Vern ..

[ardiesse]

This is as far as I got today: the "crush tubes", the front wall and the rear wall of the body crossmember -



It should slot in fairly easily.  Probably best to mark up and cut out the section of the crossmember, weld the bottom of the U in place, paint the inside, tack the crush tubes in place, paint some more, and graft in the complete assembly.

Rob

[zulu]

Very surgical and neat Rob, you should be nearing the end of the metal work?

[ardiesse]

"Nearing the end of the metal work"?

I wish.  I have only just started on the body shell.  Maybe I'll have the body repairs finished by the Australia Day long weekend . . .

Rob