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Issue withthe strter on my '52, F1 239 V-8 flathead starter.
Been running the truck with no issues, or any sights or sounds indicating a problem.
The starter will spin, but doesn't seem to engage.
Thinking it was the large spring on the back of the starter, pulled it down, checked and replaced it. Cleaned everything, checked the bendix gear and spring.... no apparent/obvious problem. Put it back in the truck, battery is fresh, hit the start button, motor spins, but does not engage.
The starter has not given me any problems...... started the truck, put it in the garage, the following morning went out to start the 'er up and nothing but a spinning/whinning sound.
Any suggestions?
Thanks Ray,
No heavy grease on bendix as I cleaned everything before re-installing it.
How do you check for a loose ring gear?
Is there a visual check to indicate bendix gear wear?
did you replace the entire bendix starter drive? i had a brand new (chinese) one that would not engage, despite taking it out, cleaning, lightly greasing it a couple times. i ended up putting a new spring and bolts on my old one, no problems.
just replaced the large heavy spring on the tail end of the starter, cleaned the oil/dirt off the bendix, but not the bendix or that light gauge wire coil spring.
Sounds like I need a new bendix assembly.
This can be difficult to determine. Put a couple index marks, gear to flywheel and start the vehicle several times or until the problem shows up. Check the index marks. I've spot welded the gears on a Ford tractor and a slant six Dodge truck. Both worked well afterward. If you use this procedure, ground on the flywheel.
The starter spins fast enough. I am being to think that the bendix is old, needs replacing, as the motor's rotation is fast enough, but the bendix is just not engaging.
that part does not look familiar on my starter.. I have a screw gear that throws the bendix back into the flywheel to engage the ring gear..
And the large flat steel coil spring that hangs out the end. This part does not look familar.
If the ring gear is slipping on the flywheel, you will likely need to replace both. I had this happen last year....tried to weld it, but the welds broke loose from the cast iron after a while. had to replace the flywheel.
that part does not look familiar on my starter.. I have a screw gear that throws the bendix back into the flywheel to engage the ring gear..
And the large flat steel coil spring that hangs out the end. This part does not look familar.
That part has a mating part that's inside the big spring. If you have the type of Bendix drive that's enclosed you can't get at it. When I was rebuilding my starter I found this one was cracked so I just replaced the whole Bendix.
After pulling the starter out again , I found that when you turn the "pinion assembly, towards the starter, when it bottoms out against the starter, it seems to "skip" thereby not engaging the starter shaft.
Also the the assembly does not look exactly as what is illustrated in the shope manual or the CD.
