just installed A factory rebuilt carb. on my 55 century. Some times when the engine is running the starter will try to engage, you can here it trying to engage the flywheel. Any suggestions on what would cause the starter to try to engage with the engine running? buckeye
Either a dirty, misadjusted, or vacuum-leaking accelerator vacuum switch. I don't know if anyone has posted the '55 service manual online, but there are several pages on the care and feeding of the vacuum switch. My computer skills in this area are limited, but if no one else jumps in, I will try to scan the section of the manual into my computer and post it. I assume that the copyright has expired by now. It is too lengthly for me to summarize.
The vacuum is supposed to pull a ball away from contact inside the switch. Further , the switch is grounded in side the generator . When the generator starts genning , the ground disappears . To me electricity is like voodoo. So, that's my best explanation of my understanding
You might want to check out this thread over on the AACA forum. Only 8 posts so it's a short read, but a good explanation of how the circuit works and a solution for the problem the OP had: http://forums.aaca.org/f162/gas-pedal-start-question-248885.html
Thanks for the reply. I replaced the generator with an alternator, do you think that could be part of the problem? Buckeye
http://www.rowand.net/shop/tech/PushGasToStartWithAlternator.htm This link may provide the information you are looking for with an alternator.
Yup, read that long post from the URL that 56buickboy gave. A simpler solution would be to put in a pushbutton starter switch instead of relying on a string of three things that can fail. Technology that disappeared ~60 years ago disappeared for a reason.
That's it !! ---------- Post added at 09:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:16 PM ---------- from the AACA BCA thread; ---------- Post added at 09:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:19 PM ---------- Here's another wiring diagram to make it work with an alternator EDIT; The alternator in this diagram feeds 6 volts to the specified relay. ---------- Post added at 09:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:21 PM ---------- the failure wasn't in the system, the system's component was changed. I've never had a moment's trouble with the set up in over 40 years. In fact; it is most convenient to use when you want to crank the engine from under the hood. I often crank mine from under the hood. It worked very well on Dad's '36 Buick, too. I can't imagine having a Buick that starts any other way.....
Well, I can, but in all honesty I was a bit disappointed that my '61 doesn't use this feature. In my opinion, it and the Dynaflow are two features I love about about old Buicks. I guess having one out of two still ain't bad! The first car I ever started by myself was a '58 Buick Century. Dad told me to just turn on the key and press the gas pedal. I was amazed when the 364 came to life. Magic!
I had a '51, a '54, three '55s, and a '56 with the gas pedal starter. I never had a moment's trouble with any of them. Another nice feature of the '55 was the three-position key switch. You could shut the car off with the key in the conventional manner, or you could select "off". "Off" allowed you to leave the car with a parking lot attendant and take the key with you. If you left the glove box and the trunk locked, the attendant could not get into them, and yet he had no key. The car would start without the key from the 'off" position. The beauty was that the car had only one key. Then of course was the under-seat heater. 1955 Buicks were awesome cars. The sales figures validate that.
Really? I had no idea, ...cool...I've never seen one; but that doesn't say they don't exist. I've had an affinity towards Packards and have been thinking about getting one. Do you happen to know which years that would have used those parts?
I know that Packards from 1948 through 1954 that that kind of starting system, just like the 1955 Buicks. Not sure about the 1955 and 1956 Packards. By the way, the Autolite Packards AND Delco Packards had this system.
I've got some underhood photos of a '51 or '53 Packard. I wanted to place them in my post... But, I didn't find them right away... I found them, in the last place I looked.
Here are a couple of questions for all you Buick starter gurus out there. When I disassembled my starter switch, I discovered that the plunger that holds the ball had been installed upside down. But the car started and ran with no problems. So here is my theory as to what might have happened: All the while I have owned the car the ball in the switch must have been resting ABOVE the plunger. So when the car was started the ball moved up and plugged the vacuum hole. When we tore the carburetor apart the last time (to reverse the needles to put the rubber side towards the seats rather than the floats) I must have rotated the throttle shaft which moved the ball below the upside down plunger. Since the plunger was upside down, the ball now could not move past it and plug up the vacuum hole and thats what caused a major vacuum leak when the car was running. As there is no way to rotate the plunger once it is installed in the carburetor, it must have been installed upside down. If my theory is true, I have two questions: 1. Can the car start with the ball sitting ABOVE the upside down plunger? In other words, can the car start without the ball? 2. Will the ball resting above the upside plunger cause the engine to idle a bit rougher even though it plugs the vacuum as it should? I will say that when I used to start the car I had to depress the pedal almost to the floor to engage the starter. Now I only have to move it about half way down to engage the starter. And the engine seems to idle much smoother than before and also seems to have a bit more power. <!-- google_ad_section_end -->
I've got a vacuum leak somewhere.... It just might be the starter switch..... You theory seems plausible....
