{Chrysler 300} starter info ..

[John Grady <jkg@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Think your  56-61 starter is shot, ?? maybe not . As part of recent 392 / 413 iron torqueflight starter “ investigation “ a side trip came up —30 year in storage F , apparent starter failure in middle of a no start issue ( that was caused by the (usual now ) bad distributor capacitor  !) . Due to time pressure   , put in another used  starter . 413 and 392 do not interchange , nose bolts oriented different 
Because or increasing rarity of Iron torqueflight B block high torque * starters , put the pulled one aside to get into later .

Symptom was after maybe 20 seconds of unhappy erratic cranking , smoke billow came  out , and no crank . Thought burned or stuck brushes “ = old tired starter .

So later opened up — despite tough rusty outside —it was like brand new inside . Nothing wrong . Contacts and brushes unworn . Spotless commutator . Took apart solenoid , big discovery . Background in EE helps me, the OEM 300 F  B block starters do not use plain copper  main  contacts .. ( the GM starter disease , click click click ) — they are plated with what I believe to be a silver contact alloy or pure silver (!!) . Best contact material there is for heavy use , also used in large three phase motor controls .(  But $ cost ,  big time — never in 2021 car ) 

So to cut to it , the silver had become covered with a grey oxide just like your wife’s silver . And so poor contact / arcs happen in that deposit . After disassembly and cleaning off with light file , shines like new silver . Smoke came from this deposit interfering with contact integrity .  Several small burn marks from “tries “ They Really need to be used once a year or so . now perfect again .  
Lesson ; if fussy after storage , click on and off rapidly to break this junk down , do not hold cranking on continuous till this issue resolves. You have nothing to lose , may save you a starter swap ,  as alternative is new starter or solenoid ( new aftermarket solenoid   I had at the  ready , had plain copper contacts !)    . I think many starters are pulled for nothing over this . I had done exactly that . Lot of work too . And iron TF starters becoming unobtanium .    

We learn every day . Love that part . 
John G 
* there are 3-4 starters that mechanically  fit iron torqueflight , 57-61 . Dodge and and Plymouth lesser cu in have bendix Ford style one wire no solenoid on top . Weak . I have seen two styles with solenoid , different lengths , the longer one  ( like the one discussed )  has the most torque , that comes original on 413 letter car . 
Common 62 up 727 starters do not fit .  
Sent from my iPhone not by choice 

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