Indentifying a voltage regulator

Hey everyone. I'm finally getting around to trying to get my old girl to run and bought a battery today. Was planning on getting a voltage regulator too, because the Jeep wouldn't start when I pulled the battery out of my truck to try in the Jeep. It's either the starter or the regulator. The starters a no go at the part stores, so I figured I'd try for the regulator. Nope. Have to order it and it would be 50 to 100 dollars depending on which one I choose. Looking at this regulator, it doesn't look any different than a 15 dollar one off one of the old Broncos I used to own. Any ideas what part number this might be? Thanks for the help!
Dave

 

I think your right Howard. Sure glad he didn't order that regulator. The solenoid for the starter can be of many types. You really have many choices.

 

why not try and just jump it with a screwdriver , positive battery cable at the solenoid to the little terminal in front to test it . looks like a regular ford starter solenoid to me 60's 70's 80's

 

Yup, looks that way to me, also 12 bucks at the most at your local freindly FLAPs. Wally world may even have them.

As for the starter itself, go for the Toyota starter for the '66 Landcruiser. Darn near a direct bolt-in replacement part.

 

While I am thinking of it, is that electrical system already converted to 12 volt, or is it a late enough flat-head to be 12 volt from the factory?

 

battery appears to be 12v
why put an L-head in ?

 

IIRC he said it came swapped in from the PO.

 

Hey. Thanks guys for setting me straight. Yeah your right. Starter solenoid. Don't know why I always get those mixed up. So I got a new battery today. Been saving my pennies for that one. I remember when they were sixty bucks. Now 120. Crazy. So if I cross the battery side red wire on the solenoid with the starter side red wire on the solenoid with a screwdriver or something, it should turn the starter? Or is it the battery side wire to the bolt on the front of the solenoid?

 

You're right. The PO did swap in the L-head. Before I was able to get the old girl to my house, I figured that I had better look for another engine for it being that the L-head only has 60 horse and 80 pounds of torque. So I got a Buick V-6 from a place in Denver. They got the V-6 from a trade from another Jeep guy that wanted a 283. Anyway, come to find out when I finally got my Jeep home, I found a small day timer in the glove box that showed when the PO bought the Jeep, and had the engine rebuilt, how many miles were on it then, etc. the engine only has 13,000 on the rebuild and the whole Jeep has only 57,000. Wow! Now I'll just hang on to the V-6, and get the old girl going, and see how the little L- head does. I know it won't be a power house by any means, but that's not what I want anyway. Just to be able to get out of its own way in town, and be able to get around well in the woods in low range.

 

Looks like a regular Ford solenoid. All it does is connect the two big posts together when power is applied to the small post. SOlenoid coil (from the small post) is grounded through the base bracket to the body. Normally the small post is labeled "S" and is connected to the starter switch. Apply +12V to the small post, the battery will be connected to the starter and it should crank.

 

Okay I'll give it a shot. Before it starts, should I put any oil down the spark plug holes for lubrication? I've heard of guys doing that. I was gonna take the coil wire off the distributor and crank it some to make sure good oil gets to the top of the motor. The oil still looks clean. If I remember right in the day timer notes I found in the glove box, the oil has been changed a thousand miles or so ago. But I don't think it's been run in maybe a year or two. The gas smells fresh in the tank.

 

Have you tried just turning the key? Apparently so. Do you have a multimeter and know how to use it? Just go backwards from the starter cable and see where the voltage stops.

Divide and conquer. Go stepwise backwards till you find the problem. Don't throw parts at the problem. Do some simple, unambiguous, and free tests.

You can use your jumper cable and jump from the battery positive directly to the starter cable. The starter should crank. If it does not, then there's something wrong with the battery or battery connections, or the starter is bad. Corrosion on the clamps is common. Make sure the posts and clamps are clean and tight. A battery cable/post cleaner is a good thing to have: www.amazon.com/Battery-Post-and-Terminal-Cleaner/dp/B002PS7QRK

Nextt I'd see if the starter cable goes hot when I turned the key to start (or pressed the starter button, depending on how it's set up). If there's no voltage to the starter cable, then see if the small post goes hot when you turn the key. If the small post goes hot and the big post does not, this would indicate a broken solenoid. You can also then remove teh solenoid from the firewall, clean the bracket base to make sure it gets a good ground, and try it again.

 

Jump a wire from the big post the red battery cable goes to over to the small terminal post . Hook it up to the small terminal and just touch it to the big one. If the starter does its thing, then follow the small wire from the terminal through the dash and see where it goes. Chances are there is a push-button on the dash between the ignition switch and the solenoid. The '48 CJ2A I drove while in the Navy back in the early '70's was set up that way.

 

Make sure that the motor isn't seized. If you put the jeep in 3rd gear high range, you should be able to move the jeep and turn the engine while pushing the front bumper and watch an see if the engine turns. This will actually turn the engine backwards, but if the engine doesn't move, it is common for the starter to engage the flywheel and not release.

I've jumped out a solenoid like yours with a long handled pair of slip joint water pump pliers. Use the tips of the handles to get across the solenoid. The starter in the picture has an external solenoid, which is mouted on the firewall. I would take the starter out of the jeep and pull it apart to see what the armature looks like. Once you get the starter out, there is two long screws that will allow you to remove the end of the starter so you can see what condition the armature and brushes are in. If you do this before you scorch the windings in the armature from trying to turn a seized engine, you can polish the armature with some emery cloth and replace the brushes. You can easily test the starter out of the jeep as well. If the motor is seized from sitting like mine sat for 20 years, that is another story.

Only 2 or 3 bolts to remove the starter.

Let us know how you make out.

 

Alright. Picked up a starter solenoid today and asked for one for a 69 Bronco. The one for the Jeep was $45 to $55. The Ford was $18. My oldest son is interested in old cars like I am, so he has been excited to get the old girl running too. We got home and put the new solenoid in and the new battery. Cranked it and the engine turned, but the starter is toast. It sounded like lots of grinding going on in it internally. I grabbed the belt on the fan, and was able to turn the engine, so it should be fine. I took the starter out and the part that engages with the flywheel, the teeth are pretty worn. I would imagine from the sound coming from the inside, that it needs completely rebuilt.
So, my options are to rebuild it, or get a high torque replacement, or one for a Landcruiser. I'm not sure if the starter is even right for it because the engine was originally the OHV 4 cylinder, but has been changed to the L Head. Maybe they are interchangeable? I'll attach a picture in another post. I'm not sure on cost for a Landcruiser starter, but a replacement high torque starter is around $200 if I remember correctly. A rebuild kit is around $100 I believe. Just looking forward to getting it going. It's been ten years since I've had an old 4x4, and have been patient this long. I can be patient a while longer.
P.S, thanks Nick for the eye about the hood latch. It was backwards. Got it turned around.

 

Ya forgot the stump water and holding your first two fingers of your left hand up in front of your eyes.

 

Rock Auto Parts http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/x,carcode,1440435,parttype,4152 Either one will work and both are cheaper than the rebuild kit for the Jeep one, even without a core.

You may have to do a little grinding on one of the holes, other people can chime in on this one.

Take a look at the teeth on the flywheel through the hole the starter was in, turning the engine over by the crank and look at them all.

 

Here's a couple pics of the starter. Look at the flywheel teeth to make sure they're not damaged?