Starter takeapart - anybody done it?

[Rock&Roll Firebird]

Hello guys, anybody here who knows how to take the drive part off the starter unit to exchange it? Thank you.

[jopizz]

You need to compress the spring so the pin becomes visible and then you can tap it out. Put the nose of the drive in a vise and push on it. You'll see the pin that you need to remove.

John

[simplyconnected]

I know how. CLICK HERE
Follow the instructions on each page.
- Dave

[Rock&Roll Firebird]

You need to compress the spring so the pin becomes visible and then you can tap it out. Put the nose of the drive in a vise and push on it. You'll see the pin that you need to remove.

John

Thank you John, seems that should not be very complicated.

[Tbird1044]

Jiri:
One word of caution here that I didn't see covered on the post. If you move the starter gear on the drive splined shaft, you can get the starter gear locked in the engaged position. I know this, because it happened to me. The starter drive gear will only disengage using centrifugal force when the engine is started, and then retract. It's tough to get the starter back in if the gear is locked in the engaged position. To free the gear up, I mounted a 1/2" bolt in a vise and put the starter drive on the bolt. Then I used a wire wheel in an electric drill and spun the driver by putting the wire wheel against the gear. Got it up to speed and the starter gear disengaged from the locked position. Hopefully, you won't need this, but thought I would pass it along.
Nyles

[sidewalkman]

I know how. CLICK HERE
Follow the instructions on each page.
- Dave

Nice Dave, great breakdown of the procedure.

[simplyconnected]

Thanks for the complement, Scott. I once knew a gracious and beautiful woman who was from Vancouver Island. She was Howard Prout's wife, Jean Prout. I used to call her, 'a real Canadian girl.'

[ancientbird58]

ADVICE !!!!!!!! PLEASE.......make sure when or if you ever get a new starter.......that the shaft is the correct length !!! I had the unfortunate experience of putting a new one in and when I started the car........POW.....sparks flew. The problem.....shaft too short......wrong part in the right box. I was stupid for not checking to begin with and cursed for hours.........but if I can save one person the headache..........then it was worth it.

[simplyconnected]

Yeah, it's always a good idea to compare old vs new parts BEFORE you buy. I once got two McPherson struts, the numbers on the unopened boxes was right but I got two RH struts.

[Rock&Roll Firebird]

I know how. CLICK HERE
Follow the instructions on each page.
- Dave

Now, that is a **** of a procedure description! Thank you Dave, great work - will come very handy on my original starter restoration.

[simplyconnected]

I don't think there is another procedure that is more in-depth or has more pictures. Descriptions are good but the pictures tell a lot more, especially for restorers who live abroad.

Sorry it took a week before you found it because I posted about an hour after you asked. - Dave

[orwin]

retract starter drive?

Hello - I foolishly put power on my starter motor while it was on the bench. Now the starter drive is "out" and won't go back. I understand from this thread that when the motor drives the gear, the centrifugal force is supposed to make it retract.

Per Nyles suggestion, I removed the drive and put it on a 1/2" bolt in a vise and tried the wire-wheel on the drill, but no joy.

Can someone that has used this procedure successfully explain in a little more detail? Maybe with pictures? Is there a spring to make it retract when up to speed? I may be confused as to the direction of rotation.

Thanks,

John

[Tbird1044]

Here's a Youtube video that shows how it's done. May be a little different starter, but the setup is the same to get the starter gear to retract.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTmxlDXL8hc

If it didn't retract, try spinning it in the opposite direction.
Nyles

[simplyconnected]

I know how. CLICK HERE
Follow the instructions on each page.
- Dave

I was born in Chicago so I KNOW you read and understood my site regarding your starter motor. Nowadays, it seems all the Cook Co. people moved out to DuPage Co. (My sister is next door to you in Woodridge. Walgreens is based in Bolingbrook)

The very last picture tells the whole story:



This area MUST be kept clean. When it is clean, you can twist the Bendix gear by hand and without tools. It turns EASY in both directions. That big spring on the end is there for when the engine slams the gear back home.

Notice that this gear is positioned forward (into the flywheel gear). Nothing is holding it there and it is not broken. I simply turned it back by hand before installing.

It is common for these gears to be engaged when you start your engine. For example, when 'bumping' the engine, it never starts so the gear is still engaged the next time you turn the key to Start.

These starters are d@mn near bullet proof. There isn't much you can do to abuse one and, or course you can put power to the starter motor to bench test it. When you are satisfied, turn the gear back by hand.

Nyles, Squarebirds do not use a 'rachet style' gear. Our pin is at the very end under the spring. - Dave

[Tbird1044]

Dave:
When I had my starter apart and got the drive locked in the engaged position, the only way I could get it to release was to spin it up to speed.
If you look in the service manual under starter drive, page 11-21, right under Fig. 18 it clearly states in bold letters "Once the pin has dropped into place, it will NOT disengage unless the starter is mounted on the car and the engine speed reaches 310-390 RPM. It cannot be forced out of position by hand."
As I stated on my previous post, the Youtube video was not the same starter as used in our cars, however the procedure to release the drive gear is the same.
Nyles