Starter Bendix Problem Here, Too

hudsonguy

I've got a similar bendix clearance problem as experienced by Park W. earlier, even though the situations are slightly different.

Yesterday, on my '49 262 engine, I installed a newly rebuilt starter that was done by Ken Warner at Classic Generator in Texas. He did a beautiful job, everything appears to be done right. But now after starting, it seems that the new starter drive is not moving out of the way enough of the spinning flywheel, and it chatters like crazy as the drive gear teeth are being clipped by the ring gear. If I shut it off, and restart it, it all resets and everything's fine for a mile or two, and then the chatter returns, and I'm making a beeline for home. For some reason, the bendix 'lockout' is just not holding it well enough.

I'm using the proper mounting studs, flywheel ring gear is in great shape with no changes there, etc. I've emailed Ken (who seems to be a great guy) for any suggestions. I'm wondering if the new drive is just too stiff, and needs some lubrication? Unfortunatly, I recall that he installed a different style drive (like on a Ford tractor), so I don't think I have the option of shortening the spring like Park did.

Does that drive arbor come off the shaft with a small puller? If nothing else, I can always swap the drive with one from another starter I've got. I'd really like to make the new starter work, as it is a 12v conversion.

Any thoughts or suggestions are welcome, I appreciate the help, and since we're leaving for Kalamazoo on Thursday for the Central Regional, I need to get this resolved one way or another.

Thanks to all!
Doug

Park_W

Doug, I'm using a standard Hudson Bendix drive, so all in my recent posts on this topic are applicable to the standard stepdown Hudson drives. I did try a while back the "latching" type drive, but it too placed the pinion pretty close to the ring gear, plus the pinion diameter and pitch weren't quite the same as the originals and I didn't like the way it meshed with the ring gear. So I had the shop change it back to the standard type. If you change back to the standard type drive, here's what I did:

The standard drive unit is fastened to the starter shaft with a pin. If you push in on the outer part of the big spring you can see the ends of that pin. To remove it, take the wire-type ring retainer off the end of the Bendix unit ... that'll allow the outside big washer and the big spring to come off. Once they're out of the way you can easily remove the pin and slide the whole drive off the shaft. To get at the spring that I modified, remove the lock ring from the back side of the pinion "barrel." Now you can pull the barrel off the other part of the drive. Look down in the barrel and you'll see a large diameter spring, made of 1/16" or so spring wire. You can pull it right out. Then just trim a bit off of it and bend the cut end a bit to make it more parallel with the other end of the spring. Reassemble in revers, and you've got it.

Or, just take the thing to a shop and tell them you want them to shorten the bigger spring that's in the barrel.

hudsonguy

Park,

So you cut off roughly a half turn of that compression spring to gain about 1/4" more clearance at the gears?

Park_W

That's correct.

hudsonguy

Well, the problem with my recently rebuilt starter became pretty obvious upon removal. It has way too much end play in the shaft. Instead of .010-.020" like most of my other starters, it had at least .125"!! It would start the engine fine, bendix would lock-out that way it's supposed to, but when the car is running for a while, there seem to be forces working that draw that armature forward, taking up the free play, thus causing interference at the gears.

Luckily, just last Friday I received a 'spare' 12V starter I recently bought, so that's installed now. The Hudson is happy and ready for the Central Regionals in Kalamazoo!