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By 61galaxie - 13 Years Ago
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OK, so a "search" revealed several posts/threads on tricks to get the starter back IN. How about getting the @#^$%!! thing OUT? Sheesh, my son is flying up this weekend to take his 1961 Galaxie out of storage and drive it from RI to NC. Well, I took it out of storage and when I was showing it to a mechanic friend of mine he casually mentioned "sounds like your bendix is going out." I figured I'd fix that for my son. How hard can it be? I've changed dozens of starters in my life, oughta take about 20 minutes. Weil.... I've exhausted my knowledge of swear words and the starter is still dangling. It seems to me that the bendix is fully out and the starter body is hitting the cross member and there isn't enough room. I see in some of the old posts that Ted suggested turning the wheels all the way to one side. So, I'll try that in the morning and I'll jack up the other side of the car too to let the suspension/wheels hang. Any other tips? I read one post where somebody changed the bendix while it was still in the car but I didn't understand how to do that. I've got to get this back together by Sunday. Hopefully.
Thanks.
Seth
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By rick55 - 13 Years Ago
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They are not one of fords better ideas, though as a starter motor they don't give a lot of trouble. You need the car jacked up with suspension and steering hanging down. Then it is just a matter of wriggling it around till it falls out and then try and repeat the process to get it back in. I have changed a bendix in a manual Ozzy car through the bellhousing cos I just didnt want to drop all the clutch linkage and I was working on a 4 post hoist.
If the starter motor is working fine and the is returning fully I would just leave it. The starters always sound different on a Y block which is part of their charm and to the uninitiated may sound faulty.
Regards
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By 61galaxie - 13 Years Ago
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Thanks. Your opening line made me laugh. When I showed the new/replacement bendix to my mechanic friend, he started holding it the "right" way around and I said "yeah but this one goes in the reverse direction." He just looked at me. I said "its a Ford."
But, I digress. If I can get it back together, MAYBE I'll just leave it in--- about every other time you go to start the car, it just whirrrrs but doesn't engage. I just wait and then hit the key again and she fires right up. But, I figured I was doing my son a favor if I changed it for him now. Tomorrow is a new day--- perhaps I'll hold my tongue in just the right position and it will come out smoothly. Hah! (his car has a two-speed automatic hooked up to the 292).
rick55 (2/23/2012)
They are not one of fords better ideas, ...
If the starter motor is working fine and the is returning fully I would just leave it. The starters always sound different on a Y block which is part of their charm and to the uninitiated may sound faulty.
Regards
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By lowrider - 13 Years Ago
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I think that since you started on this you should go ahead and replace it. Once those drives "give up the ghost" you are dead in the water. If the drive hangs out & doesnt return they are really difficult to remove. 61 is actually one of the "easier" ones to remove. Be happy its not a 55 or 56. Just find the right angle & the right words and Im sure you can get it out.
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By Rono - 13 Years Ago
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If keeping things original is not a big issue, one option to solve the problem permanently in the future is to change to a high torque mini starter. They are definately more expensive than a Bendix drive, but are much smaller and lighter. Rono
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By 61galaxie - 13 Years Ago
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Replace this triumph of Ford wisdom and ingenuity? Blasphemy!. Never.
But I like the other post above gently telling me I'm screwed because the bendix is extended and won't retract... Jacking the car up soon. Practicing my swear words now......
Rono (2/24/2012)
If keeping things original is not a big issue, one option to solve the problem permanently in the future is to change to a high torque mini starter. They are definately more expensive than a Bendix drive, but are much smaller and lighter.
Rono
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By MoonShadow - 13 Years Ago
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You need to pull it back and get it near vertical. It passes between the tie rod and the A frame. You need to have the steering turned just the right way but if the car is jacked up you can just push the wheel back and forth. If push and shove meet just right it almost falls out. If not you can always remove the tie rod end and drop the tie rod down. It is usually a wrestling match. I've fought some for what seems like hours. Then suddenly its out and I'm not sure why. This is one of the real adventures for Y's Guys. Enjoy. Chuck PS before you give up just think what a mechanic would charge to do the job! 
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By 61galaxie - 13 Years Ago
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Thanks everyone for the tips and encouragement. I jacked the car up off both wheels today and spun the steering wheel in all sorts of directions but NO luck so far.... I think I have a real problem because the bendix is totally extended. I can, barely, get a few fingers in the bell housing and can start to spring some of the bendix forward toward the gear end of the bendix but I can't do that and move the starter around looking for the magic position at the same time. I really can't see how to get the starter anywhere near vertical given that the bendix is extended. I guess tomorrow I will try dropping the tie rod as suggested. This is ridciculous.... I've got 4 hours anc conting into changing a bleeping starter.
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By Grizzly - 13 Years Ago
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Seth, I've done one a few time on my Australian 56 Mainline. In Australia we have the steering box, clutch and gearbox linkages in that same space. I remember removing the entire clutch mechanism undoing one of the engine mounts and jacking the engine for space. I think it took 6-8 hours just to remove and reinstall. The bendix is at the end of the shaft so it needs to come around the flywheel. Stick with it. The first removal was because the bendix failed and was in permeant engagement with the flywheel. Luckily we were visiting my inlaws, still three hours drive home but I had a place with tools to fix it. Cheers Warren
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 13 Years Ago
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If you cannot remove the starter because the bendix is extended and if the starter will start the engine, bolt the starter back in place and start the engine. This will retract the bendix. Then without trying to crank to engine again, remove the starter.
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By rick55 - 13 Years Ago
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You say that every now and then the starter just whirs and the next time it engages. This suggests that the bendix is not fully extended and not retracting but may just be lacking a little lubrication.
You could use spray lithium grease on the bendix and the shaft which may help to alleviate your problem. You could do this without removing it fully from the car.
It could also have something to do with your wiring to the starter. Make sure all the connections are clean and tight and that the battery is fully charged. These starters really on the strength of the starter spinning to throw the bendix out fully. They give a lot less trouble than the rat trap Ford starters.
Regards
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By buddy - 13 Years Ago
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I spent two or three hours trying to get the starter off my 1955 Mercury. I jacked the car up so the wheels and steering linkage would drop down and turned the wheels in all positions but never could get it even close to coming out. Then I loosened the lower two bolts on the left motor mount, removed the lower bolts on the right motor mount, jacked the right side of the engine up about a inch and a half the the starter fell right out.
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By paul2748 - 13 Years Ago
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As was suggested, don't replace the starter with a stock one - get a mini high torque, they are great. I have one in my 54 powered 312 and I wouldn't leave home without it.
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By brokengate - 13 Years Ago
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Changing to mini starter as an upgrade having read about starter replacement difficulties before. Reread this thread, prior to removal as an aid. Call me lucky but starter out in no more than 5 minutes once loose. If it helps anyone, steering full left turn, passenger side only jacked, dropped front of starter down to almost vertical and out of bellhousing and rotated bendix easily toward passenger wheel and out by the tire. Seemed to good to be true, but this was a good working starter, maybe made a difference. Thought I'd type it before I forgot it, maybe help someone.
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By Taff - 13 Years Ago
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i had very little drama with the starter on my Galaxie, which was stuck in the "engaged" mode. had the car up on stands with the wheels hanging and just wriggled it out. refitting was a touch harder, as I had to lie across the motor to get the top bolt engaged. I think i used a pair of 12" extensions on my ratchet to get sufficient length. look on the bright side, kids. the starter on a small block chev has shims to align it. now THAT is a stupid idea!!
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By slumlord444 - 13 Years Ago
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That top bolt can be a bear. See a lot of starters with the top bolt missing.
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By brokengate - 13 Years Ago
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I agree with Slumlord444, my working stock starter was fine only lower 2 bolts were installed, I switched to a mini having read about starter issues. Seemed almost impossible to get the top bolt started (required on mini) and I had all front sheet metal off, keeping stock starter in case anything happens and only using lower bolts.
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By rgrove - 13 Years Ago
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slumlord444 (4/7/2012)
That top bolt can be a bear. See a lot of starters with the top bolt missing.I had posted on this a while ago. I ended up using a long peice of threaded rod, threaded into the upper bolt hole. Then you use that as a guide for the starter and install it with the bottom 2 bolts. This ensures that the upper hole is aligned (which was the problem I had trying to get the top bolt). Then double nut the upper threaded rod to remove it, and use a socket extension to install the top bolt. As soon as I had that idea and tried it the top bolt went in very easily....hope this helps
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By Frankenstein57 - 13 Years Ago
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On my 58 it popped right out, suspension hung, wheels free to turn, and I think I tilted it slightly upward and to the right.
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