Engine: Replacing Bendix gear on a starter

[AllstonEP]

I assume since the Bendix gear is not dropping all the way, it needs to be replaced? I tried to push it down and turn it down, without results. Where do you get a new gear? Can I assume you just push out this pin and it releases?

[gordr]

If you punch out that roll pin, you can remove the entire starter drive. The good news is, you don't have to. That is a "Folo-thru" drive, and it latches in the engaged position until the starter is successful in starting the engine. One of those three square lugs you see has a spring-loaded pin in it that drops into a hole at the end of the spiral track it rides in, to hold the pinion gear extended. If you examine it very closely, you ought to be able to see the pin, and maybe even retract it with a tool like an Exacto knife, and spin the gear back down. But you don't have to. If the starter is otherwise healthy, just install it with the pinion extended; it will mesh with the ring gear, and start the engine when called upon to do so.

They are built this way intentionally to prevent that annoying condition where a poorly-tuned engine fires once or twice, and kicks out the pinion, which then grinds on the ring gear as the starter tries to resume cranking. If you bench-test a starter, the pinion will extend and latch there, which is how it's intended to work.

This is a non-problem, but it has tripped up many people who aren't familiar with the drive type, so don't feel bad.

[52-fan]

This is a non-problem, but it has tripped up many people who aren't familiar with the drive type, so don't feel bad.

Very true. I almost changed the drive on a starter a year or so back because of this. Fortunately, I read up on the starter first and saved myself the trouble. I don't remember what the actual problem turned out to be, but I got it fixed.

[Topper2011]

I replaced mine as well and was confused by the drive "locking" in the extended position. But it works.

[AllstonEP]

Thank you!

[RadioRoy]

It's good that you asked about it before tearing it apart.