Starter Bendix bolt broken

J

JCHarvey

Junior Member
My starter wouldn't engage so I pulled it and found the outer bolt that holds the spring apparently broke off and the bolt and washer must be at the bottom of the flywheel housing.

Replacing the bolt and locking washer is easy enough but how do you retrieve the broken bolt and washer? Or is it necessary to get them out? I'm afraid they might rattle around and damage starter gear on the flywheel.
 
You will get a number of explanations on how to retrieve the bolt and if you really feel you must get it out, go for it but I'd leave it where it is. It will not be the only bolt that resides in the housing for years.
 
I took a length of drain auger and epoxied an earth magnet from Harbor freight on one end.
You can put it down the starter hole while it is out, and you’ll get the pieces out with just a couple of passes
 

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By the way, I don’t care for the tractor style bendix, so I remove the starter every 5,000 miles or so and repair or replace those bolts. It’s just maintenance.
 
Replacing the bolt and locking washer is easy enough but how do you retrieve the broken bolt and washer? Or is it necessary to get them out? I'm afraid they might rattle around and damage starter gear on the flywheel.[/QUOTE said:
Yes, get them out. Not a lot of clearance between the ring gear and housing and you'll want the peace of mind knowing you removed them
Click to expand...
 
Take a length of garden hose and tape it to a shop vac hose and after the starter is out shove it down to the bottom of the flywheel housing and you should be able to suck the washer and bolt out.
 
We had a broken bolt wedge itself onto the flywheel and we could not get a complete revolution of the motor... had to pull the motor to get the bolt out.
 
I carry a spare bolt and lock washer in my cars. I’ve been stuck a couple times as a result of failures on these parts. I’ve never tried to remove the broken parts. Almost 60 years and over 50,000 miles of driving A’s. But, do what makes you comfortable driving your A, and drive it!
 
Just curious, what are the issues with using a 'Modern' starter drive. I have never had a problem with them.
 
Chuck Sea/Tac said:
I took a length of drain auger and epoxied an earth magnet from Harbor freight on one end.
You can put it down the starter hole while it is out, and you’ll get the pieces out with just a couple of passes
Click to expand...

I am not to sure that is an OSHA approved tool. :eek:
 
To followup on getting the bolt and washer out of the flywheel housing I bought a tool with a flexible spring, internal, retractable grab hook with a magnet on the end. It was $11 at the local auto parts store. I didn't need the grab hook but might be handy down the road.

The bolt and washer came out in the 1st pass. It took all of about 3 minutes once I had the tool. I'm sure I could have fashioned something homemade as some suggested and would have worked just as well.

As easy as this is to do, not sure why you wouldn't just go ahead and get it out.

Apologize for not searching previous posts on this as this is a common issue and many previous posts with same solution.
 

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Two things to talk about: 1---try a rare earth magnet, one about the size of a quarter, put it on the ring gear, turn it around with the crank and the bolt should be attached to it when it comes around. 2--- I got some Bendix spring bolts a while back where the long bolt with the nub sticking out was too large to fit in the hole in the shaft. I had to set it up in a lathe and turn it down a bit. Only then did I put it in my spare parts in my touring box.
 
Bill Goddard said:
Two things to talk about: 1---try a rare earth magnet, one about the size of a quarter, put it on the ring gear, turn it around with the crank and the bolt should be attached to it when it comes around. 2--- I got some Bendix spring bolts a while back where the long bolt with the nub sticking out was too large to fit in the hole in the shaft. I had to set it up in a lathe and turn it down a bit. Only then did I put it in my spare parts in my touring box.
Click to expand...

I put a magnet on the flywheel like Bill said, turned the engine over and the flywheel came back without the magnet. I think the addition of a safety string is a reasonable precaution. After a few rounds, the magnet again caught the flywheel and came out. I felt lucky.
 
HI;

Got to ask this what was the tool called that you bought at the part's store, as I would like to get one myself as I have had the same problem with my car.

As most of the time I can catch it before it breaks off totally but I still would like to get one of those tools that you are talking about from the part's store, But I would also like to know as to what part's store did you buy it at and how much did it cost you to buy it.

Thanks Reggiedog
 
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