flywheel ring gear and bendix

rer_239

Senior Member
1. looks like there are two different starters (1/2 & 5/8 shaft) and two different ring gears. i'm trying to piece together an engine, how do i know if i have a matched set? i've got my spare engine on a stand and the starter engages the flywheel and rotates the engine okay so the gears seem to mesh, but the starter gear doesn't disengage the flywheel, don't know if there is a problem with the bendix or if its a problem with the ring gear and starter gear. any ideas?
thanks
dick
 
Once the flywheel is turning faster than the starter is spinning it the bendix should disengage, is it staying engaged after the engine starts?
 
Wiring not complete yet, but starter doesn't disengage.
If you use the starter and the engine doesn't start, the bendix will not disengage, it only disengages when the engine starts.
 
I was concerned cause the starter didn't disengage, but it must be because the engine didn't start.
Thanks
Dick
 
The 1/2" starter is for the early 28's with the multi disc clutch, it was needed for clearance between the flywheel and housing, it also had a different headless bolt to hold the bendix spring in place. You can use a 1/2" starter in a later car with the single disc clutch but not the other way around
 
Likely not, It is the sudden speed of the flywheel, upon starting that spins the bendix and causes the course threads (acme) to pull the bendix away from the ring gear. Sort of like pushing a car in gear to get it to start, When it starts and quickly pulls away, you fall away and face plant in the asphalt. You would have then retracted your hand from the rear of the car.
 
I agree with what has been said about the motor starting helping to disengage the starter but it should disengage even if the motor doesn't start. How often have we all tried tostart the motor and it didn't start for whatever reason? The starter always disengages afterwards.
The pinion sometimes jams in the ring gear for reasons best known only to itself but I think it would be worth while checking to verify that the starter shaft is not bent.
 
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