starter spring and teeth


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By davis - 16 Years Ago
i was looking more closely at my starter before i install it and saw the grooved area between the small teeth housing and the spring.
the grooves look worn. is this normal?
By simplyconnected - 16 Years Ago
Good picture, but the shadows are too dark for me to deterimine.  If the drive works ok, then leave it.  When it needs to be replaced, Starter Drives can be purchased (tee-bird.com and macsautoparts.com, both sell them).
By crenwelge - 16 Years Ago
I have never examined one that closely, but if there is any question about a starter drive, I install a new one. When they break, they are broken. It is not like other starters that you can keep trying until you get one more start out of it. And if you took it out, you know how difficult it is to get to that top bolt. You sure don't want to replace the starter more than you have to.
By charliemccraney - 16 Years Ago
I have yet to see a used one that didn't look like that. If it's working don't worry about it.
By davis - 16 Years Ago
thanks for the info.

i'll test it to see if it works before installation.
By Ted - 16 Years Ago

In most instances, the grooves to which you refer are not usually obvious to the installer because the gear engagment section or teeth of the bendix is normally compacted into or up to the spring.  With the drive itself ‘unscrewed’ from the spring as in your picture, the starter will typically be much harder to reinstall on the engine as the teeth on the starter drive will be aligned with the flywheel ring gear teeth during the installation process.  The extra movement that’s available during the installation of the starter with a bendix that’s not in the ‘engaged’ position gives more room in which to maneuver the starter during the install.  Hope that made sense.

 

Here’s a link to a prior post regarding the starter drive being in the engaged position during the install.

http://www.y-blocksforever.com/forums/Topic1924-3-1.aspx

By davis - 16 Years Ago
thanks ted and hoosier.

i read up in the manual about the locking drive and that the engine needs to spin it up to release it.

just wanted to make sure the spiral grooves on the shaft were good and were not "stripped".

i'll have to figure out the install and maybe some way to disengage it.



thanks
By mctim64 - 16 Years Ago
From what I can see in your picture, it looks better than most. It's your call.
By Ted - 16 Years Ago
davis (5/6/2009)
I'll have to figure out the install and maybe some way to disengage it.

Using the search feature on this site generates this tidbit in regards to rewinding or reloading the starter drive.

Hoosier Hurricane (12/27/2006)
Sometimes you can release the drive by holding the pinion teeth against a wire wheel and spinning it in the direction that it turns freely and ratchets.  If the wire wheel is turning fast enough it will spin the pinion fast enough to release the lock.  The pinion will not move back and forth during a spin test with the battery charger.