Starter bendix doesn’t engage tight

AnthonyG

AnthonyG

Well-known member
Starter bendix doesn’t engage tight

Hi all, I’ve got an odd problem. If my ‘49 V8 Flathead engine hasn’t been started for long period I hear like electrical static & bendix gear jumps back & forth in short strokes. But if I roll the car in gear a tiny bit. ( rocking in gear) then try it it fully engages & starts fine. Then doesn’t act up again as long as I’m using it until next time it sits for a long period again? Thoughts
 
Re: Starter bendix doesn’t engage tight

Your description of what you hear actually sounds not like the bendix, but rather, the solenoid kicking in-out-in-out due to a low battery from sitting for a while. Odd symptoms can be difficult to diagnose, and may result from a combination of conditions. Do you have an electric clock that drains your battery? Do you have an oil pan clip on the forward end of the starter?
 
Re: Starter bendix doesn’t engage tight

starter motors in the 40's have brushes and commutators that need a good connection to work properly. sitting idle will cause problems to those that are near a critical corrosion point. and excessive wear can cause pinion/ring gear engagement. which may be why a slight movement of the ring gear temporarily fixed the problem.

if it was my car, i would pull the starter and clean the commutator and check the brushes. in addition it would provide an opportunity to possibly inspect the ring gear and the pinion on the bendix for excessive wear or damage.
 
Re: Starter bendix doesn’t engage tight

Hi Alan, car has manual battery shut off. Checked battery which is pretty new & it got a full charge. As soon as I rock it in gear or roll it w clutch in then let clutch out a flywheel moves even a tiny bit it’s full roll then starting is great. It was the same drill all winter as I do start the toys at least once per month. Each time had to rock it or roll it in gear then it’s fine if I start it like once a week.
 
Re: Starter bendix doesn’t engage tight

If I pull the starter motor is there a more modern unit that’s 12 v & hi torque in a 1 pc bolt in assembly? The ones where the mounting bolts hold the starter motor guts together are a PIA!
 
Re: Starter bendix doesn’t engage tight

Anthony, don't mess with the modern junky starter motor, according to those who have posted their experiences here on the barn. Yes, the original starter is a PITA to install if you haven't done it before, but now that you have, it should get easier with that prior experience. They are worth the effort.
The rocking in gear to free it up does describe a Bendix issue, but shouldn't be related to how long it had sat before starting, so i'm at a loss on that.
 
Re: Starter bendix doesn’t engage tight

fortyonerag said:
I'm using a Powermaster starter on my 59A. No problems so far.
Click to expand...


Hopefully it's not one of these POS's
 

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Re: Starter bendix doesn’t engage tight

If you can, have someone stand near the solenoid or use a starter jumper outside of the vehicle. Like someone mentioned above, I wonder if the solenoid is getting stuck or jammed up. You'll be able to hear it if it is.
 
Re: Starter bendix doesn’t engage tight

I would check all connections , inspect the flywheel ( make sure you look at the correct side ) and install a brace , starter to oil pan / block . Don’t assume cables are good by looking at them . Ive seen many come loose inside the end piece , either the terminal end or the solenoid/ ground end . Checking for heat is a giveaway. Im leaning towards a flywheel issue , sorry
 
Re: Starter bendix doesn’t engage tight

New starters are crap . Cheaply made with no parts available. Although the original is heavy , its almost foolproof.
 
Re: Starter bendix doesn’t engage tight

About 20 years ago, Rock Auto had a closeout sale that included brush sets and bushings for flathead starters. The prices were incredibly cheap. I bought a box of each (25 sets in a box?) and haven't worried about starter problems since.
 
Re: Starter bendix doesn’t engage tight

ford38v8 said:
Your description of what you hear actually sounds not like the bendix, but rather, the solenoid kicking in-out-in-out due to a low battery from sitting for a while. Odd symptoms can be difficult to diagnose, and may result from a combination of conditions. Do you have an electric clock that drains your battery? Do you have an oil pan clip on the forward end of the starter?
Click to expand...

Totally agree with you. My car has sat for a while as I can't drive at the moment due to a medical issue. I thought I'd better start it. I knew the battery was just about shagged and put on charge, reinstalled it an got that same sound and I knew what it was and yes my battery is definitely shagged as it wouldn't hold the charge.

GB
 
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