Canadian Valiant with Direct Drive Starter

-
Ian McCrimmon

Ian McCrimmon

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2018
Messages
145
Reaction score
115
Location
Calgary AB
So after figuring out my wiring issues with the HEI retrofit I set about setting the timing.
First thing was to determine if the harmonic balancer ring has slipped at all.
So I pulled the rad and fan blade for working space and put a wrench on the balancer to turn it over by hand and measure TDC by measuring piston travel.
Good news is there is minimal timing chain slack. Bad news is the starter bendix is engages and won't retract. There is no battery in the car so it must be a mechanical issue.
So I pulled the starter and noticed the bendix is out farther than I would anticipate. So far that it engages the flywheel all the time.
Looking at replacement units on Rockauto confirms that mine is not retracted the same. Am I correct in this assumption?
So the question is why and can I rebuild/repair it? I can't justify over $100 for it.

20191220_100258.jpg


20191220_103703.jpg


bendix.jpg
 
Ian McCrimmon said:
So the question is why and can I rebuild/repair it?
Click to expand...

That looks like it's been sitting for quite some time.

First thing I would try is start spraying WD 40 inside of it, spraying it in, in every opening you see. Can you work it by hand?
 
Well first thing I thought was build up of some kind. But impatience got the better of me and I figured out how to pull the bendix apart. I only lost the spring and peg for a few minutes LOL.
It flew apart once I pulled the snap ring out and twisted the grooved sleeve apart so I can't what the issue was but I suspect the little peg came out of alignment somehow and kept things from retracting. Not to figure out how things go back together!

20191220_113904.jpg


20191220_114733.jpg
 
And is there a way to kit bash a mini starter together with the smaller 9 tooth pinion gear?
 
Those ones needed the engine to fire in order to kick the bendix back in. When you crank it,it snaps out, when engine fires, it kicks it back in. So if it was cranked and didnt fire, it would still be in the engaged position.
Make sense?
a wooden dowel and a small hammer will return it, just have to rotate it the other way..

at least those drives are serviceable. Well, they used to be....
 
Well it's a 65 225 but Made in Canada so we have the direct drive starter.
And I did pull it apart but it wouldn't retract even tapping it with a small autobody hammer.
I did thing that maybe it needed something to kick back into place but once I removed the bendix from the starter it still wouldn't retract. Once I get things back together I will update. But would still like a mini starter-they are cheap at pick n Pull!
 
So here is the state I am in. There are three raised spiral tracks (for lack of a better term).
The spring loaded pin can ride on any of the three tracks.
Track one terminates in a hole. If the pin follows this raised track (retracts) it ultimately will fall into the hole.
Track two has a raised shoulder. After a ¼ turn or so the pin sits against this shoulder and won't travel (retract) any farther.
Track three will allow full range of travel with a shoulder (as indicated) that allows the bendix to remain retracted.
So how do I orient the pin? I can't find any diagrams anywhere showing how to re-assemble this bendix.

20191220_140408.jpg


20191220_140452.jpg


shoulder.jpg
 
I suspect it was oriented with the pin set up to sit in the raised shoulder (elsewise why is it there?) but in that position it cannot possibly retract any further as it can't travel past that stopper.
 
Tooljunkie said:
Those ones needed the engine to fire in order to kick the bendix back in. When you crank it,it snaps out, when engine fires, it kicks it back in. So if it was cranked and didnt fire, it would still be in the engaged position.
Make sense?
a wooden dowel and a small hammer will return it, just have to rotate it the other way..

at least those drives are serviceable. Well, they used to be....
Click to expand...

Actually the more I dig into this the more it starts to make sense. When you say it kicks back in I think it's centrifugal force that causes it to re-set once engine rpms increase. I think it's called a folo-thru bendix.

Case Starter Bendix removal - Yesterday's Tractors
 
If you look inside the female spiral, if all three runs are identical then it doesent matter how you clock it. If one has a recess then thats where the pin detents. its been a few years since i took one apart, im guessing its from the industrial slant 6 that i recall them being used.
 
Agreed! Well at least I learned how to disassemble a direct drive starter and a folo thru bendix!
I checked the brushes while I was in there and there is lots of length in all 4 so I buttoned everything back together and re-installed the starter.
 
I realize this is a real Dead thread as he last post was well over a yr ago, but we’re you able to find a replacement? And where from? I’ve been looking for months for a starter for my 66 Canadian built valiant with no luck, I’ve tried rock auto but I can’t seem to get lucky there lol nothing seems to end up like the picture
 
Wow thanks for the reply, I reached out to to the wrecker you suggested, there fairly certain they have the starter I’m looking for, so fingers crossed I can have my car running again by Canada day
 
check out a Massey tractor starter. Was brought up once that they used the same style starter. They may have used these forever and still stock 'em. Quite often if one track has an extended land, it was used for assembly and never really uses that portion after its assembled.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top