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Starter issue??

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Spins, but the bendix didn't engage. I'm thinking it must be the pull solenoid. Why else would I get 12V to the solenoid, but not to the starter? It must be shorted out.
 
There is no solenoid which forces the bendix gear to engage the flywheel, it is all mechanical. The spinning starter armature causes the starter gear to rotate and spin toward flywheel, engage and turn it. Sounds like a bad Bendix drive. Can you rotate the starter gear on the bendix? Sounds like it is stuck.
Scott in CA
 
If you grab the starter gear and turn it, does it "thread" up and down the shaft easily? If not, bendix may be bad. With the starter out, hook it up to a battery. The starter gear should move on the shaft "threads" by virtue of the centrifugal force and freely return when the electricity is disconnected. If it doesn't do these things, there is a problem with the bendix. While I am not familiar with this bendix, they frequently have a bulge near the gear which contains a rubber core that absorbs shock when it engages the flywheel. The incident you describe would typically result in damage to this core that will impede movement of the bendix along the "threads" that move the starter gear to the flywheel.
Bob
 
The bendix moves effortlessly on the shaft.
 
Spend $100 and get a rebuilt one. Or go to one of the alternatives that Frank experimented with.
 
bugedd said:
... With getting full 12V to the starter pull, the batter connection should be fine.
Click to expand...

Not necessarily. All you need is a few hundredths of an ohm resistance in the connection, and when you pull the starter, the system voltage will drop to nothing. You won't see any problems if you don't pull the starter, because the current drawn through the connection is much lower. A bad battery connection will almost never show up from a voltage test.
 
I assume you mean it moves effortlessly up and down on the "threads", locking up at bottom and top, and not that the gear spins endlessly on the shaft. If this is so, lube the "threads" with light lithium grease and put it back in the car and hook it up. Then, instead of pulling the switch on the dash, jump across the battery in and out poles (the two big poles) of the solenoid and see if it works. If that works, take the small wire off the solenoid and jump from the battery terminal to the terminal that the small wire was attached to. If that doesn't work, there is likely a solenoid problem. If it does work, the comments about poor circuitry in the switching system will be all that is left to look at.
Bob
 
Note: Bob, this is a Bugeye, that has a pull starter solenoid, not an electric one. No need for all that electronic gismo stuff like a starter solenoid, when the old pull and ye shall receive engine life....except for Budd.
Scott in CA
 
One of the most frequent causes for failure can be the connection at the starter. There are 2 styles of starters that fully interchange, but have a different brush arrangement. The early style has a cover band on the housing and has the 4 brushes on the circumference of the armature. (numbered 25022 25079, among others) The later style has no cover band and the 4 brushes contact the end of the armature. (numbered 25149, etc.)
The significance is that the early style cable connection is fragile, and uses an odd size retaining nut. It is essential that you hold the inner nut while tightening the outer. The brass stud is split inside the housing, and has an aluminum strip that attaches to the brushes. If the stud, or terminal, is allowed to turn, this strip is often damaged, and voltage to the brushes greatly diminished. It is tempting to give the outer nut "one last turn" to be sure the cable is tight, but you will likely ruin the connection. The other thing that can happen is the insulator stops, well, insulating.
The later style of starter are less prone to this problem, but it's always recommended to hold the inner nut while tightening the cable. And remember, the connection is "hot" and your wrench will ground, unless you've taken the precaution to disconnect the battery first.

I have way too much familiarity with this...... waaaay too much.

Peter C
 
The starter is a remanufactured unit, looks recent, 25149D. Anything I should test or look I before I put it back in today?
 
Today I talked with Peter C and tried a couple things. I put a screwdriver across the starter pull solenoid terminals, got a spark, but nothing to the starter. I also ran jumper cable from the negative on the battery to the engine to check for ground, nothing.
Then I listened closely, and hear a slight pop when I tried the starter at or near the positive terminal on the battery. Does this mean my battery is the issue?
 
Put it on the charger. Then test. It's the simple things. If I don't drive Bugsy for a few weeks and then it's usually a night drive 2 miles to the store, a couple of those and nothing left of the battery. Too much drain with starter and headlights and not enough time for it to charge up.
 
So was it the battery after all? Believe me I've done the same several times.
 
I'm taking a break from it, I'm a bit angry. And my 8 year old son has told me several times to walk away from something when it makes me angry. Wise kid. I'm also replacing bushings in the front end and front shocks, so that's keeping me busy for now.
 
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