Electrical: Starter engagement depth?

[52-fan]

I was going to put a new starter drive on a starter for 259. The drive was rusty and didn't move much so I thought it was no good. My brother had a new one so I was going to install it. When I examined the new starter drive I found that it did not move much more, if any, than the original one.
What I need to know is how much does this type of drive move out to engage the flywheel gear. This one only seems to move about 3/16". The starters that I have worked on in the past retracted quite a bit, but none were for Studebaker V-8s. Are both of these drives bad? When at rest do the drive parts show as much as the one in the picture?

[karterfred88]

I don't have specs on the exact movement front to back of the starter gear on the Bendix drive. It needs to retract enough to clear the flywheel teeth and when engaged extend enough so that teeth fully engage the teeth of the drive and the flywheel. That would seem to be more like 3/8" to 1/2" or more. Studebakers are no different than most other makes, the Bendix drives are all pretty much the same only minor dimensional changes. It looks like the one in the starter is stuck on as well as the one off the starter. When retracted there is only about a 1/4" between the the outer and inner shells and the pin is covered by the outer when retracted.

[52-fan]

Well, I answered my own question. I realized that I had not looked in the shop manual. Duh...The manual says that you cannot retract the drive manually. I installed the starter and yippee! The engine has never turned over this good. Now I can drive the car again and move on to some other repairs. There are plenty to keep me busy for a long time.

[RadioRoy]

Studebaker shop manuals and parts manuals are among the best.

[TWChamp]

Yes, I was going to suggest the drive probably has a pin or some mechanism to keep it engaged until the engine speed is greater than the starter speed, at which time centrifugal force will let the drive disengage and move back. I've heard of these drives, but am not sure which cars use them. When I had the starter out on my 1946 M-5 I believe it was the common plain Bendix like my Model A has.

[52-fan]

Apparently, the change to the Flo-Thru type was in 61. The starter that went out was a 1960 and had the older drive. However, both drives are exposed when at rest. The older starters I had worked on all retracted when the starter stopped spinning.

[altair]

I believe when a starter drive is at rest it is fully retracted, unless somebody has turned the gear by hand. The only way to retract it is to install in the engine and fire it, or completely disassemble the drive and reassemble in the stowed position.

[jclary]

Well, I answered my own question. I realized that I had not looked in the shop manual. Duh...The manual says that you cannot retract the drive manually.

Hey!...They say, "confession is good for the soul!" What a great comment & post! Even those of us who keep admonishing others to "Buy the Manual"...are probably guilty of not referring to it until we encounter problems.

(you're in good company)