FNG with a flathead starter issue

The bendix is stuck on my 8ba. It has done this once before and the fix was putting it in high gear and rocking the car. It recently did it again and for the life of me I cannot get it unstuck. Any ideas? Am I just a complete idiot? Thanks for any help/ideas.

Frustrated in Indy

kcl

 

Just did this last week. There are 2 pins that are stuck inside the bendix, the flywheel spining is what unlocks them. Here's how to fix. Take the bendix off starter. Remove the snap ring that holds the gear/collar and the gear/collar off and set it aside. There is a smaller ring that holds the stuck piece (the piece that has 3 tabs that fit into the collar) to the rest of the bendix. Remove that ring and carefully spin that piece off being carefull not to lose the pins and springs. The piece with the 3 tabs has 2 small cups, like freeze plugs, on it. Knock them out from the inside of the ring, spin the 3 tab piece back down, put the pins/springs back in, then the plugs, tap them in flush. Then re-assemble the rest the reverse of how it came apart.

 

For now, loosen the two through bolts and rock it. If no go, completely unscrew them. Leave them in holes and hold onto end plates or starter will dismantle itself right before your eyes! Tilt starter towards engine and nose up to disengage and remove.
Scrutinize all of ring gear with flashlight. inspect Bendix...cleanitup with brake cleaner and look for damage to surfaces, looseness, cracked spring, etc. Replacing it is fairly cheap.

 

Do you have the front starter brace that goes between the starter and one of the oil pan bolts?

 

I dont know what set up he has in that motor, but if someone put the 1942-48 flywheel on that 8BA, they would have starter problems since the ring gears don't match up. Also, if the 8BA has the wrong starter plate (the flat part that fits between the rear of the block and the front of the bell housing adapter), that could also be the problem. The 1952-53 starter plates had a slight angle on the starter mounting surface, whereas the 49-51 would be straight up and down. Any misalignment of the starter relative to the ring gear will cause problems. Something to have a look at while going thru the bendix....Mac VanPelt

 

Here's a pic of the Bendix internals. Y-Blocks have a similar Bendix, your's probably has 2 5/8 head bolts. I was told a starter shop could spin it backwards and get it to release. You can move it by hand and lock it accidentally when the starter is out of the motor. I was going to do a tech article on this with pics.

 

Thanks for the quick replies. garagerat thanks for the picture.

 

No problem. I turned and locked my new one!!! Took the old one apart to see how it worked and then fixed the new one I jacked up. I would, however, check all the issues the other fellas pointed out. There is a reason it's locking up on you. I was foolin with the new one and made it lock cause I couldn't keep from foolin with it. At least I learned something.

 

flatheads are great cuz there simple... had same thing happen take the starter out and check it for damage ..

 

Do 8BA's use the same style as the Y-blocks then? I'd assumed they were the same as earlier ones.

If it is the later style then, as Garagerat says, the Bendix is released when the flywheel spins with the motor running (I also managed to get mine stuck 'on' while fiddling about with it ).

 

One of the bad things about 8BA's is that they lack the socket up front for the auxiliary starter...

 

Lol. They are the same basic style but have 2 5/8" hex head bolts that hold them onto the starter shaft. They release at about 350-400 rpm's I was told.

 

Yes Bruce, The auxiliary starter was a wonderful invention. I used it regularly to start my stock 36 truck years ago when the 6V battery went dead.

 

Can't you install the "aux starter" on an 8BA if there is a hole to access it?

 

You can, just use the '39-48 ratchet nut...of course the car has to have suitable access. Poking it through the radiator is usually a bad thing.

 

Well, you might get it started, but you will have to drive real fast.

 

When I was a kid about a zillion years ago I had a 50 Merc with a broken bendix. I pulled the starter out but had no money for parts. Of course that didn't keep me home. I spent the next few weeks looking for hills to park on.
The bendix was about a buck and gas cost 19 cents.

 

The centrifugal pins discussed above are used only on the Bendix variant shown...not on at least most early Ford ones. So if you can't find'em, they probably aren't there. Good to know they exist, though, and the fixxit tech is great. The pinless ones can hang from crud on the tracks, but not positively like the pin kind!