VCCA Home Forums GENERAL DISCUSSION What did you do with your vehicle today? 31 Starter

It failed last week. Fortunately it happened in my shop, and not on a drive.

Pressing the start pedal released a growling noise from the starter, so I assumed that it was the "solenoid." I ordered one from FS. While waiting for it, I removed the starter and looked at the "solenoid." It looked OK, but I had the original from the PO who had the starter rebuilt. The original was not in good shape, but when I installed it, the same thing happened - growling noise. Took the starter out again (by now I've gotten pretty good at it) put the newer "solenoid" on it and bench tested. Starter spun and "bendix" through out as it should. Put the starter back in the car - same result. Next, I got my daughter to press on the starter pedal while I watched the starter. The starter spun, but the engine did not crank. Took the starter out again (I can now do it in 5 minutes). Took the "bendix" end off and looked it over. Nothing obvious until I picked it up by the "bendix" and case. The 'bendix" rotated on the shaft. That's not right. I took the bolt out of the spring end closest to the armature, slid the "bendix" back and found that the key had come out of the keyway. Not sure how that could have happened. Cleaned up the keyway and the key. Put everything back together, put it in the car and it worked.

Any thoughts as to why this happened?

I think it is due to the nature of the design and the shock load . I have had one break a bolt and another time a bolt backed out and dragged.

I have also had both bolts broken and backed off. The key is to have the special washer with tabs in good condition so the bolt can't loosen to either brake or continue to back out. Blue loctite can also help.

On mine, the tabs on the locks are in good condition. While I have had both bolts break in the past (not at the same time), this time the bolts were just fine.

The capscrew that backed out was due to my error in using the wrong length screw. The length is critical as the one I used was only 1/8" longer than the one required and it bottomed out and did not secure the spring properly.