MTFCA Forum

I have been working on T's most of my life, I have a customers car in here where the starter was slow- under power and the Bendix kept sticking at the flywheel, so I rebuilt a Bendix, replaced the starter and installed the rebuilt Bendix, car started up great, did it six times got three free starts then I walked away, went to take it for a test drive now it spun a few times and locked up the Bendix again, any ideas, Bob

betting the flywheel is pretty chewed up and there is a particular tooth or teeth that are mashed/distorted too much. If the starter shaft is bent some, which they all are, there might be just enough "wobble" at the gear that sometimes it meshes too deep at start and not, at others.

Loose bolts on Bendix spring or starter armature shaft slightly bent?

Both Scott and John hit a nail on a head with me. I fought one Bob and that is exactly what it was. Chewed teeth jammed up, and the bolts came loose where it mounted to the engine side field/front bushing cover. I believe this in turn bent the shaft.

Good Luck with it,

Hank

Any chance you are using a model A bendix spring?

I wish I would have checked the flywheel ring gear when I had the Bendix out, shaft not bent, spring is right for T , Bendix I rebuilt, bolts are tight and washers are bent to lock in, will pull out and check gear in the morning, Bob