Tried to start my D-14 a while ago - click.
Tried again - click.
Sounded like a low battery just making the solenoid click. But the solenoid was getting HOT. So I checked for voltage when it clicked (closed the starter current path)and the meter would jump to 11 odd volts. So, I had 11 volts to the 6-volt starter and things were heating up. It WASN'T a low battery. And even the less-than-12 volts still should make the 6-volt starter wiz. Took the starter off and noticed it could use new brushes so I removed them. Then I noticed the small grooves between most of the commutator contacts were filled with copper/carbon from the brushes. Cleaned out the grooves, installed new brushes and the thing now fires up fine. Who'd a thunk that starter would only last 50 years before needing cleaning.
Tried again - click.
Sounded like a low battery just making the solenoid click. But the solenoid was getting HOT. So I checked for voltage when it clicked (closed the starter current path)and the meter would jump to 11 odd volts. So, I had 11 volts to the 6-volt starter and things were heating up. It WASN'T a low battery. And even the less-than-12 volts still should make the 6-volt starter wiz. Took the starter off and noticed it could use new brushes so I removed them. Then I noticed the small grooves between most of the commutator contacts were filled with copper/carbon from the brushes. Cleaned out the grooves, installed new brushes and the thing now fires up fine. Who'd a thunk that starter would only last 50 years before needing cleaning.
