1949 buick starting problems

If the points are closed, the ammeter will show a discharge condition so that reading may be normal.

More likely, you suffer from poor grounding. Is the engine securely grounded to the frame? The motor mounts are not good conductors. There should be a ground strap or a heavy ground return wire from the engine to the frame. The starter draws a lot of current, even the slightest resistance in the circuit will cause the problems you describe. Even paint or rust around the bonding straps can cause big problems. In fact, if you have enough paint on the starter where it connects to the engine, the paint can sometimes make enough resistance to cause the motor turn slowly. Paint does not conduct electricity. Also check to make sure the battery cables are sufficient size. 12-volt style cables are too small for a 6-volt system. 2/0 battery cables are a must for 6-volt cars if you want them to start. Also check any and all connections in the starter circuit to see if they get hot when the engine is cranked. Be careful though, you can really burn yourself when you find the bad connection. It will be extremely hot. Sometimes, even a connection that visually appears to be perfect will develop some resistance; so this is a good time to double check all connections.

Happy hunting. <img src="http://www.aaca.org/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

Chuck IS correct.