ISO 12v starter for AC WD45

That is a nice WD45!

Do you have one of these starters for sale? Preferably rebuilt as a 12v?

Delco Remy 1107951 3F24

Mighty fine. 

Why not just CLEAN and put new brushes in?  Take yours to a starter rebuild shop and have them do it if you don't think you can?  They are pretty simple, brushes and new springs.  Will last another 70 years.

While you're in there, look through the mounting hole and look at the ring gear.  Hope yours looks good.


Edited by Ted J - 07 Oct 2018 at 5:06pm

Not a problem Steve!!  I was working on old cars and tractors when I was about 8 years old, so I see them as easy.  I agree, the armature is usually the worst thing as the brushes holders fall apart and the commutator gets worn down.  The stator usually isn't a problem, but I've seen em ground into because of the bushings being GONE completely, not just worn down.
By all means Brian, if you're not sure enough of yourself, send it to Steve to get it all done up like new!  He's the guru on here for doing these!!

That is one GREAT looking WD45!!  STRAIGHT tin ALL around (ecept for a crack at the top of the right fender, a good tool box and battery box.
That bucket looks like it's NEW!!  Been sitting in a barn and not being used all it's life??!!
1 - What's at the top of the left loader frame?  Looks like a light? 
2 - What's with the muffler?
3 - What's on the throttle and hydraulic levers?  Looks like white something?
You've got a gem there, for your first tractor!!  BUT,,,,,it won't be your last ALLIS.  It's a sickness and you'll soon have more!

Brian- another way to do it... is to find a functional starter off a donor tractor, and either send it to Steve, or swap it for yours, and send yours to steve, so your machine won't be down (for want of a starter) while the other is getting rehabilitated.

For what it's worth... I'll second the note that the greatest issue with 12v conversion isn't the voltage upon electrics, but rather, the starter's rapid response to engagement... it can be hard on the mechanicals.

I believe (Steve, correct me if I'm wrong) that these are SERIES wound starters.  If that's the case, then as the starter's armature speed increases, the inductive reactance of the (commutated) armature naturally limits current flow through all the windings (and brushes), so it's not likely you'll ever 'burn out' the 6v windings on a 12v source... in order to do so, the engine cranking load would have to drag SO BAD... that there'd be something much worse to worry about.

Now, as an example of the reverse, I have a Hercules JXLD 338ci inline six on my large generator... it was originally integrated into the generator control as a 24v system, which means the starting motor was intended for 24v.  When I stripped it of it's (excess) control system, I also converted it to 12v starting.  I pulled out the starter, and took it to my local rebuilding shop, where Bill looked up all the parts, and we found (as he told me we would) that the MOTOR windings for 12 and 24v operation are identical... the only difference is the starter solenoid winding... the 12v solenoid used larger wire, and fewer turns, for more pull-in force on the solenoid.  My generator cranks just as fast on 12v, as it did on 24.

My WD... and my WC, and my B... all have been running 12v battery on OEM starters with no problems, just sprightly starts in the coldest conditions.  I suspect that one of these days I'll see a broken starter bendix spring, but I'll replace it when it does.