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cjallis 
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Joined: 13 Jun 2013
Location: Sheboygan
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 Topic: Allis B autolite starter question
Posted: 18 Aug 2025 at 4:29pm |
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Is there supposed to be a plate or contact on the outside of the starter where the solenoid is mounted? I don't have one but starter rebuild company says there is or should be.
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steve(ill)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: illinois
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Posted: 18 Aug 2025 at 4:53pm |
there should be a copper LUG on the side of the case about an inch from the back plate... or there will be a STUD put in that location.... Somehow the wire on the INSIDE has to be connected to an INSULATED terminal on the outside.
originally it probably had a MANUAL switch like this... If you rmove the switch you will see a brass button on the case, and a threaded hole on each side to mount the switch... If you want a SOLENOID, the button has to be changed to a STUD by the Rebuilder.
Edited by steve(ill) - 18 Aug 2025 at 4:56pm
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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cjallis
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Posted: 18 Aug 2025 at 7:27pm |
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I guess I'm confused. My starter came originally with the push style lever or solenoid like the one you have shown its mounted using 2 small screws onto the starter and there is a stud on the back side that the wiring harness is connected to. I don't ever recall seeing a plate underneath the starter switch. I think he's wrong.
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PaulB
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Location: Rocky Ridge Md
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Posted: 18 Aug 2025 at 7:46pm |
The AUTO-LITE starters are different from the DELCO starters.
The DELCO ones have a copper button for the mechanical switch to contact.
An AUTO-LITE starter will have a threaded post with a nut that hold a copper strap with a raised point on the other end from the hole foe the stud for the mechanical switch to contact. If you wish the use an electrical energized solenoid, just remove the copper contact strip. If you want to stay with the original style mechanical switch on an AUTO-LITE starter the popular DELCO switch will not work without a modification. The AUTO-LITE switchs are scarce. The only place I've found them is from the Brillman company. www.brillman.com or 1-888-274-5562 |
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If it was fun to pull in LOW gear, I could have a John Deere.
Real pullers don't have speed limits.
If you can't make it GO... make it SHINY
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cjallis
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Posted: 19 Aug 2025 at 10:27pm |
Thanks for the info. I don't have that strip now or ever. Now I'm not sure it is an Autolite starter although it looks like there was some kind of strip on at one time. Hopefully I can make it work and keep it as original as possible. Does anyone know what percent rolled off the line with autolite starters vs delcos? Did autolite make generators for Allis as well? |
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PaulB
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Posted: Yesterday at 7:24am |
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Yes: Allis Chalmers did also install Auto-Lite generators as OEM equipment. If the starter was Auto-Lite the generator also was. The same goes for all the other outsourced items like tires, rims and other things Everything was supposed to match.
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If it was fun to pull in LOW gear, I could have a John Deere.
Real pullers don't have speed limits.
If you can't make it GO... make it SHINY
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Kip-Utah
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Joined: 14 Sep 2009
Location: Southern Utah
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Posted: Yesterday at 12:38pm |
From what I've observed it seems evident that Delco was the primary supplier of starters & generators to A-C and Auto-Lite was a fill in secondary supplier. It was the same with FM magnetos vs Wico mags. A-C apparently used these secondary suppliers to supplement what they got from their primary sources. It also probably kept pricing more reasonable by not putting all of their eggs in one basket 
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HANSEN'S OLD ORANGE IRON. Showing, Pulling, & Going!!
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Eric B
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Posted: 21 hours 34 minutes ago at 4:18pm |
My '48 B came with the Autolite starter when I bought it. Just a stud with a nut that the 'fat' battery cable was attached to. It had the very common separate 12V solenoid (like all older Fords had). All that was needed was a small push button switch to activate the starter-solenoid. When the bushings became too worn in the Autolite I installed a Delco starter and had to install the rod that you kick with your foot, the heavy duty switch is like the one in the picture that Steve posted. The down side of the small 'Ford style' solenoids is that they can get stuck and not let go, leaving the starter spinning until it either the solenoid contacts let's go or you disconnect the battery.
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Currently- WD,WC,3WF's,2 D14's B. Previously- I 600,TL745,200,FL9,FR12,H3,816 LBH. Earth has no sorrow that Heaven cannot heal!
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cjallis
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Posted: 19 hours 44 minutes ago at 6:08pm |
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Thanks for all the info.
Does anyone have photos of their Delco and autolite starter connected?
My B has an original DR generator and What I thought was an original autolite starter or vice versa. Since my B came with the push rod lever style starter I'm assuming the autolite starter was not original and someone replaced the DR with an autolite. Now I'm baffled if the starter ever worked or how it could. Thoughts?
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Kip-Utah
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Posted: 7 hours 12 minutes ago at 6:40am |
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At this point in time, it’s impossible to know which components were replaced. But I’m sure that it’s possible to have a combination of an Autolite starter/Delco generator or vice versa as factory original. Our 1948 C has an Autolite starter & Delco gennie combo & I’m pretty sure it was always that way. Also both brands of starter had the mechanical push or pull rod switch. Any starter with a push button solenoid type switch has been converted. This conversion is more common with Autolite starters, because replacement switches for them are almost impossible to find. BTW…we had a rebuilder convert ours.
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HANSEN'S OLD ORANGE IRON. Showing, Pulling, & Going!!
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steve(ill)
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Posted: 5 hours 48 minutes ago at 8:04am |
this is a photo of the STRAP that is bolted to the top of the Autolite starter like Paul mentioned... THe "switch" saddles this strap so it is different than the switch that COVERS the copper "BUTTON" contact on the DELCO.... you can see the small threaded hole below the strap and retains the SWITCH when it is installed.
Edited by steve(ill) - 5 hours 45 minutes ago at 8:07am
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Like them all, but love the "B"s.
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HoughMade
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Posted: 3 hours 49 minutes ago at 10:03am |
To be clear, Allis Bs did not have a starter solenoid as manufactured, though many have been added (for some reason). They had a starter switch or "button", a physical switch that was triggered mechanically with a rod (either push or pull, depending on the model) and pushed the button on the starter. Here is my Delco version: The switch shown needs some maintenance every several years- filing the contact a bit to make sure it is making full contact, but it's not enough to be a hassle. I'm no originality purist, but I never saw the point of adding complexity for something like this.
I'm not criticizing anyone who uses a solenoid; it just never made sense to me, personally.
Edited by HoughMade - 3 hours 46 minutes ago at 10:06am
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1951 B
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