Where have I gone wrong???

4

48-710

Senior Member
G'Day,
This problem is for the RHD blokes. I have fitted the engine and trans to my roadster only to find the starter motor end plate is hitting the nut that holds the pitman arm. It's all original '35 stuff and I never had the problem before I pulled it apart. I know that they run awful close but this is actually hitting. I have undone the front and rear mounts and levered the assy back as far as it will go . Still no joy. Any ideas guys?
Hoping that someone may know,
Regards,Gary
 
Are you using the same starter and pan as before? I ask as the Lucas starter is shorter bodied than the American starters. I mention the pan, as this matches the starter, round hole which is slightly bigger is American, smaller sort of egg shaped hole is for the Lucas starter. The bendix tin cover is also different, short is American, long is Lucas.
Nother possibility, the transmission mount, is it possible to fit this upside down on the 35? This, if it's offset, could be holding the back in the wrong place, making a very small gap into a nonexistent gap?
Martin.
 
Martin,
You may have hit the jackpot. I did change the pan because the drain plug was in the correct place. Also,I noticed that the hole was egg shaped making it easier to fit and remove the starter.Thanks for the quick reply.
 
Are you using a Lucas starter? This is the one that matches the egg shaped hole. If your using an American starter, it won't sit fully home on the egg shaped hole. The American starter has a larger diameter sticky out bit on the bendix end, and this won't fit the diameter of the round section of the egg hole. The bolt holes are in the same place. The egg hole can be whittled out to fit the American starter with a die grinder or similar. If doing this please clearly mark the diameter of the new big hole accurately. This hole is the register for the sticky out bit on the starter, if the hole is off location, jammed starters, chewed teeth and broken springs are a given.
This done, the starter should clear, just, it's tight in there.
Let us know how it goes,
Martin.
 
Lucas type starter, pan and flywheel should be used as a set, as should USA types. The flywheel for the lucas starter has finer teeth, as does the bendix. The register is smaller and fits the egg shaped hole as Scooder has already said. The egg shaped hole can be opened up to suit an american type starter, but the flywheel needs to be the usa type as well.

Mart.
 
Not only that...the two tapped holes that hold the starter are oriented differently - English and American, which can also create interference with one of the bolt heads and the steering box if using an American starter on English pan.
 
Easiest way out for you Gary, is to pull the starter, yes, I know..a pain in the butt, and modify the spigot on mounting face of starter to suit the smaller hole in the English pan. Then it will all work out for you, I know, cause I run that same setup in my 35.
 
Gentlemen,
Boy " O " boy we learn something new every day!!.
Martin.. I'm using the US starter because it has been rebuilt and as Mart has said the ring gear is different.
Mart.. Thanks for the info on the ring gear etc.
Brian.. Seeing that you have overcome this problem on your '35 I will attack it as you have suggested. Seeing that I'm at the rolling chassis stage at the moment I will pull the motor and check it out properly.
Thanks fellas for the replies.This internet thinggy is great isn't it.
Regards,
Gary
 
Mart,
I didn't mention the flywheel, should have to give the whole picture, sorry.
I had guessed he was using the American starter due to the clearance issue. If he was using the Lucas starter there wouldn't have been a clearance problem I thought.
Your completely correct, sump (pan), flywheel and starter are a set, and should by used together.
I have experienced on some American prewar blocks, the Lucas type flywheel (144 teeth) won't clear the inside of the bell without a bit of clearance grinding.
Brian,
When you say modify the spigot on the starter, you don't face it all flat do you? I'd just face flat down to the required diameter hopefully leaving some kind of register at the new diameter, be it just that just the strengthening webs or somesuch.
Martin.
 
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