does a high torque starter need more battery to work ?

[fnoblitt]

went to another wallyworld today, and after some heehawing around, they exchanged the battery. checked it before start up and it was 12.28 volts, after choke went off and car at idle, voltmeter reads 12.0 across terminals and at volt gauge inside car ! i then took the altenator off, went to auto zone and had it checked, it passed, readout said 61 amps, but didn't mention the volts. they quoted me $56.99 for a new regulator ! quess i will see if utube has a video on checking an external regulator .

 

[Jim Streib]

went to another wallyworld today, and after some heehawing around, they exchanged the battery. checked it before start up and it was 12.28 volts, after choke went off and car at idle, voltmeter reads 12.0 across terminals and at volt gauge inside car ! i then took the altenator off, went to auto zone and had it checked, it passed, readout said 61 amps, but didn't mention the volts. they quoted me $56.99 for a new regulator ! quess i will see if utube has a video on checking an external regulator .

It's a habit of mine but when I get a new battery I check it's voltage and then if below 12.6 on a standard lead acid battery I put it on a charger for a while.

After it gets to full charge, then I put it in the car.

If I then measure the battery after charging and letting the surface charge bleed off I want to see the voltage across the battery terminals go to at least 13.7V when the car gets started and is running. If it does, then I'm confident things are good. If the battery voltage stays at what it was before or goes down a little or up a little but not 1V more, then I have to dig deeper to see what is going on.

On my 68 with the original 37A alternator and mechanical external regulator I had an abnormally high voltage output and had to adjust mine internally and to do this as well as checking for the proper signals and voltages at different test points I broke out the shop manual.

It shows what terminal should show what voltage and such.

Also too on mine I was cleaning it one time and partially knocked loose the 2 wire plug on the back of the alternator and the GEN light in the dash came on. Once I wiggled the connector and fully seated it, the light went off and things have been fine since.

Jim

 

[tom3]

Might check for continuity between the bat. terminal on the alternator and the bat terminal on the horn relay.

diagram here:

Catalog

 

[McCune]

First GM application for a reduction-gear starter was on the then-new 4.3L V-6 which came in S-10s, in the 1990s

GM had gear reduction starters in the 1930s. No PM but definitely GR.

 

[natzx7]

Does your Auto Zone have a digital battery load tester you can use? I have a proffesional quality one that was very expensive about 12 years ago when they first came out, but I think they have gotten a bit cheaper. It has been correct every time I use it, it will tell you if the battery needs to be charged then re tested with definitive results. Sucks running around only to find it was a defective battery all along!

 

[fnoblitt]

i have a new battery, the regulator tested bad, ordered another one, it should be here today, hopefully that fixes everything.

 

[BOBBYA312]

Could possibly be a parasitic drain on the battery. Charge it and measure voltage. Take the neg cable off over night and measure it again. If lower, possible bad battery. If the same, probable parasitic drain. Measure amp draw between + cable and + terminal. Start pulling fuses while measuring draw till draw goes away. When draw goes away, something on that circuit is draining the battery. Look at U-Tube videos if not clear.

 

[sandlapper]

GM had gear reduction starters in the 1930s. No PM but definitely GR. View attachment 162486

but not a rather compact internal planetary gearset as the aforementioned PG260 series sports.
I can only guess how hefty that one is!

 

[natzx7]

GM had gear reduction starters in the 1930s. No PM but definitely GR. View attachment 162486

What a piece of equipment. Love the 2 oil ports. What is that plunger thing with a spring under it?

 

[McCune]

What is that plunger thing with a spring under it?

It is the mechanical relay. The Lever Presses on the button and transfers the battery power to the starter motor. The Lever also slides the drive gear forward to engage to the flywheel.