Any suggestions about finding a starter for my ‘56 88? The last several times after sitting a long time I turn the key and nothing happens. I have to crawl underneath and give the starter a wack and it then cranks and starts right up.

 

Why not replace the brushes in yours.

 

you might try replacing the selenoid first, and or checking the wires to clean off any corrosion.
as far as finding a new starter unit, best bet is rebuilding the original.
Parts are becoming harder and harder to find these days. its a bit of a worry.

good luck in the journey !

 

Any suggestions where I can find one?

 

Rock Auto. Here is a link to the solenoid.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...+solenoid,4188

I would also get the new brushes and bushing. Clean the armature with some 320 or 400A sandpaper and put it back together and I think you will be in business. It is what I would do.

 

I know starter/ generator shops are getting fewer and fewer but if you are in a agriculture area there will most likely be a shop that can rebuild them in house, many tractors cross over to the automotive side. My luck sending off generators and starters to some unknown address(Mexico) has been poor....Tedd

 

It sounds like the brushes are worn to the bone. Have it rebuilt before you damage the armature. The armatures are very hard to find and are very expensive. If you don't have a rebuilder near you, send it to me and I can rebuild it.

 

I'd try to rebuild the one you have. There are a couple on eBay, but they are for "parts only" and are likely no better than yours. I don't know where to find a complete working starter. If the original part number is any help, it is 1107638.

 

I just had my 63 rebuilt- restored here locally in the Dallas area. $96.00 out the door. Replaced the brushes, gear drive and solenoid. These GM starters are well engineered, after 58 years she is as good as new...I cleaned up the original wiring, insulator tube. I wrapped the 2 wires in "cool wrap" tape and covered over that with electrical tape, cannot tell the difference. Just an extra measure of protection from the heat..

 

I don't know if the 1954 would interchange. But I've got a rebuilt one from a 1954 324 that's available.

 

The 54 starter should work John.

 

Thank you Glenn. If the OP wants it I'd take $125 plus shipping from Oregon. I had a core starter that I offered up for sale a couple times with no interest. There's a rebuilder just down the street from me. I dropped it off to be rebuilt which he did. He added the missing band, he also said the solenoid was very rusty so he replaced it with a good used one from his stash. Here's some pictures of it.

 

John that is a good deal you are offering. The OP should be all over that in my opinion.

 

That is a good deal. By the way, 54-56 are the same.

 

That is not a deal. It's a steal. OP should be all over that one. I hope he buys it fast.

 

x2, then rebuild his original at his leisure.

 

I'd think obtaining such a starter as you offer up 2blu442 is unusual to say the least. Members are lucky to have people like you and the others that have offered to help this guy out with his sterter. A class act everybody!

 

Thank you. I will take it. Let me know your name/address/total amount and I will send you a check.

 

Even with shipping this is a steal. John is one of the best guys on this site.

 

Late to the party again but I need some clarification on these starters, in particular the 54-56 as mentioned in this thread. The 54-56 324 CI engine use a 176 tooth flywheel unlike the early 303 and 324 up to '53 that had a 145 tooth unit. My '54 324 needed a starter which afforded me the opportunity to do some research on the Olds starters. According to my research the large flywheel in '54-'55 takes a 1107623 while the '56 had a separate part number of 1107638. After much searching I did find a '55 unit in WI that I shipped in that works.
Of particular interest is the aforementioned starter that was offered. The part number shown comes back as a '53 Chevrolet 6 volt piece. The nose cone is reversed compared to my Olds 1107623. Am I to understand that the Chevrolet units are interchangeable with the Olds starters? To mate with the flywheel it would need to be mounted with the solenoid on the bottom as shown. What am I missing here? Can someone with more knowledge than me explain if these are interchangeable? Might have made my search a lot easier. Appreciate some education on this.

Walt

 

I have never known a Chevy starter to be used or adapted it fit a Oldsmobile mid fifties engine ever. Not saying it wont work(some of the parts have got to be the same) but it does not seem logical. And as I remember a 56 is the same as a 54-55 or at least bolts up and works the same. This isn't from a book but as I remember getting greasy in the past....Tedd

 

I think what you are missing is the Olds starter is mounted on the drivers side of the engine and the Chevy starter is mounted on the passenger side. So if you flip the Chevy starter over to the left side the solenoid is going to be on the bottom. Besides it is a 6 volt and Olds went to 12 volts in 1953. Forget the Chevy starter.

 

Thanks for the responses Tedd and Glen. My confusion lies in the fact that the starter shown earlier in this thread was referenced as being on a '54 324 albeit a 6 volt piece. That would indicate is was installed upside down on the drivers side as you stated. Just trying to ascertain if this would have worked on the later 324 engine with the 176 tooth flywheel. Perhaps @2blu442 will chime in on this subject. It took me weeks to locate a good starter for my '54 so I would be interested to know if there are alternatives for the future if I get in a predicament down the road.

 

This starter came with a 1954 parts car. I thought I removed the starter from the engine, but it has been a few years ago and I could be mistaken. I've sent a message to Tim who did buy the starter to see if he installed it on his car yet and if he ran into any issues. His starter problem has been intermittent so he hasn't changed it yet. If I goofed and sold him a part that doesn't fit his car I'll refund his purchase and figure out what the correct application is. John

 

Thanks for jumping in on this John. By the number on the case the starter is for a '53 Chevrolet and is a 6 volt piece that mounts on the passenger side of the block based on the orientation of the nose cone. The Olds starters for the 303/324 early V8's mounted on the drivers side with the solenoid on the top of the starter so the cone would be the reverse of what the Chevrolet represents. I suspect then, given your comments, that this will not work for Tim and in my particular case it will not be an alternative starter for my needs down the road. Thanks for your help.
Walt

 

Thanks for the heads-up. You are correct it is not for a 56 Olds.