Kaiser Deluxe 1953 Hydramatic - need starter motor (12 volt car)

[kingsgate]

Well, yesterday I drove my Kaiser 120 miles to visit my sister and brother-in-law. First time I have taken it for a longish trip since I bought it.

It drove just fine hitting 70mph on the highway (or "Motorway" as we call them here in England!).

But when I got in the car this morning, the starter motor isn't working properly. It spins but does not engage with the flywheel.

So, I called up the Automobile Association of which I am a member.

Their guy was very helpful. First time he'd ever seen or worked on a Kaiser though, they ain't common over here.

Took the starter off, noted that the cog is not coming foward far enough on its shaft to engage with the teeth on the flywheel.

He tried taking it apart and lubricating it, trying to "unjam" it. All to no avail. The starter is old and very worn in terms of the teetch, loads offree play where there shouldn't be any, and of course the jamming spline causing the problem.

So, I need a replacement starter motor. One further complication is that the car is now running 12 volts.

Can anyone tell me: what I need to buy for best results? And where I can buy one?

The car will have to stay on my sister's drive until I can get one, I will have to take the train back to London tomorrow and return with the part when I receive it.

Any hints, tips, pointers to options on what I can buy gratefully received!

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

Were you still using the 6 volt starter motor?  If it is a 12 volt what is maker and model type on the serial number plate attached to the unit.

[HJ-ETEX]

How charming!  A Kaiser in England!
Look, it doesn't make any difference if you are running the car on 12V. If you you crank the car too long, the starter will get hotter than on 6V.
What it sounds to me is that your starter drive is bad. Car electrical shops can rebuild or replace the drive if you can tell them what it is (even if you are over the ocean).
I was involved in producing the KF National in 1992. I was supposed to be in charge of the parking lot and we had a member come in from Florida who said he had a bad starter. We located a starter shop and I had to take his starter off and take him up to the shop. The owner instantly knew what we we had (a good sign) and said to come back that afternoon. I took the member back that afternoon ... and installed the starter but it didn't work. We brought it back the next morning and the owner said, "As soon as you left, I knew you were going to be back because I put the wrong drive on the starter." So he put in the right drive in 10 minutes and I got to install the starter a 3rd time but at least it worked this time. You don't hardly get service like that anywhere, certainly not from me anyway.   

[kaiserfrazerlibrary]

That's why I asked about make and model of starter (there is a plate on auto-lite and delco-remy types) so the rebuilding shop knows what you have.  Guts for a D-R are not unlike those in a 1951-54 6 volt chevy truck, and a-l parts interchange with late 40's-early 50's Chrysler Corporation cars.

The key with ANYTHING Kaiser-Frazer is to get the component part info and/or the interchange; many items used on K-F products swap with other makes/years.  Books may not list K-F, for example but could list Chrysler Corporation applications on the Auto-Lite numbers.  Some period interchange information will be found on the KFOCI HANDBOOK CD which is part of the New Member Package you get after you join the KFOCI as a regular or life member; associate members do not get publications and do not get the Handbook CD.  BEING A MEMBER OF THE FORUM IS NOT THE SAME AS BEING A MEMBER OF THE KFOCI

[kingsgate]

A local garage has managed to repair my existing starter motor. Fingers crossed that it stays fixed this time!

[kingsgate]

Well, I took the train down from London to Stroud this weekend to collect my Kaiser from my sister's house.

Drove it back today, hitting 78mph for a short while on the motorway (that's British for "Interstate" I guess) but most of the trip at between 50mph and 65mph.

It drove the 140 miles absolutely fine. Got 18 miles per gallon.

The heater now seems to work OK (I replaced the original water valve which was leaking) except I cannot move the "defrost" knob without using a pair of grips to pull really hard - any ideas how to free off those cable controls, anyone? I tried spraying in grease and WD40. Or do I just buy a new cable and control knob instead?

And the speedometer needle wobbles about and a loud "ticking" or grinding sound comes from the speedo - does anyone know if I can in some way lubricate the speedo drive cable or the instrument itself to cure this?

Any hints or tips from other owners on the heater cable or speedo issues very welcome!

[joefrazer]

About the speedometer, the bouncing needle is due to the cable needing lubricated. It can be removed from the back of the gauge cluster by unscrewing the connector - look up underneath the dash and you'll see where it connects. To do it right, you should also remove it from the transmission as well and then lube with clean, light oil. Let the oil run down through the casing to be sure the entire cable is lubricated.

[rialto]

Heater and defroster cables can be freed up by spraying the entire length of the cable with a penetrating oil like WD 40. Let it soak overnight then flex the cable a little then spray some more. It will probably free up. There is an oil hole in the rear of the speedometer head . It might be dry in there. This can also cause erratic needle movement.  The shop manual shows the location.

[mbflemingkf]

Ditto what joefrazer said.  I did this on my 54 cable and it completely eliminated the bouncing needle.  Also good to lube at the back of the speedo too and that helps inside at the speedo.

I used sewing machine oil (Lowe's Home Improvement) and did it without removing the cable (it is best to detach at the trans).  Put the oil in until it won't take any more.  Go watch TV and repeat about every 30 minutes until it is filled to the top and no more drains down.  As I said, it stopped my bouncing and noise immediately!

Good luck!

Mike   

[Bobm90]

Seeing as I own a 59 Morris Minor you are one of my clansmen from across the pond !! There was a member on here offering a free starter motor if shipping was paid from England, perhaps you could find the post and contact him, it may be good for mechanical parts, or at least you would have, as the English call em a "spare". Please don't hit any Morris with that big old American car.

[kingsgate]

That was me, and it wasn't a starter motor it was a 6 volt generator, which I won't need as a spare since I changed my Kaiser to run 12 volts!

[kingsgate]

Is it easy to take the speedo out to get at the oil hole? What is involved - I don't want to break, scratch or ruin anything trying to get access to it!

[rialto]

The 53 gauge cluster is not difficult to take out. I've had mine out but don't remember all the details. The 51 shop manual explains it.