Stupid is as stupid does C2 Starter

[Steve Pettit]

Out for the weekend and the starter made a terrible grinding sound when the key was turned. Thought that, since I was on a hill, I'd just go ahead and gravity start it. Worked fine, sort of, until I heard this terrible sound, bang and crack, then nice smooth running just like normal. Got to a place where I could replace starter and found that the nose had disintegrated and apparently a piece had made contact with the flywheel and exited through the bellhousing. Never expected anything like this, I know that I should have gone through the aggravation of arranging someone to pick up new starter and blocks to hold up car and done the repair in the dirt, but did not even conceive that a bump start would cause this kind of grief. Just call me bubba.

Steve

[Craig S.]

Re: Stupid is as stupid does C2 Starter

Steve - normally a bump start would work fine, it sounds like you had a bendix failure (stuck engaged and possibly frozen) which when bump started put all the force on the failed bendix, it couldn't turn due to meshing etc, and tore out the nose through the bellhousing. I would expect you may also have damaged the ring gear on the flywheel in the process.....good luck, Craig

[Craig S.]

Re: Stupid is as stupid does C2 Starter

Steve - normally a bump start would work fine, it sounds like you had a bendix failure (stuck engaged and possibly frozen) which when bump started put all the force on the failed bendix, it couldn't turn due to meshing etc, and tore out the nose through the bellhousing. I would expect you may also have damaged the ring gear on the flywheel in the process.....good luck, Craig

[Steve Pettit]

Re: Stupid is as stupid does C2 Starter

I wouldn't be surprised. I've been too aggravated with myself for being lazy and not changing it where it sat, to do a lot of exploration. Really only posted my silly tale to warn others not to make assumptions. I'd never seen anything like this before, but now I have.

Regards to all
Steve

[Steve Pettit]

Re: Stupid is as stupid does C2 Starter

I wouldn't be surprised. I've been too aggravated with myself for being lazy and not changing it where it sat, to do a lot of exploration. Really only posted my silly tale to warn others not to make assumptions. I'd never seen anything like this before, but now I have.

Regards to all
Steve

[Clem Z.]

Re: Stupid is as stupid does C2 Starter

back in the 60s i knew owners who could not get their big block corvette to turn over with the starter and tried to "bump" start them. the reason the engine would not turn over with the starter was the 3X2 carbs has leaked down and fill some cylinders with gasoline. when they tried to "bump" start the engine they bent connecting rods because the gasoline is not compressable.

[Clem Z.]

Re: Stupid is as stupid does C2 Starter

back in the 60s i knew owners who could not get their big block corvette to turn over with the starter and tried to "bump" start them. the reason the engine would not turn over with the starter was the 3X2 carbs has leaked down and fill some cylinders with gasoline. when they tried to "bump" start the engine they bent connecting rods because the gasoline is not compressable.

[Roy B.]

Re: Stupid is as stupid does, but lucky

I was driving my 55 Corvette to a local car show when the car in front took off from a light then stopped. I hit the brakes having added power brakes like I posted about weeks ago ( just about went through the windshield but was glad I added PB) Then the engine stopped and wont' restart . Two guys pushed me to the side of the road , I realized I was not getting any spark and took the Dist. cap off and saw nothing wrong ( didn't have my glasses). Had the vett towed home took the Dist out of the engine and on the beach a button fell out. Well what happened was that the original Dist. rotor has a stamped button on the rotor contact and it fell off some how and shorted the points, ( which I didn't see before not having my glasses with me) So now not being able to find the original rotor I used the replacement which today is a one piece metal affair. ( any one having the original button type rotor check to see if it's held on tight).

[Roy B.]

Re: Stupid is as stupid does, but lucky

I was driving my 55 Corvette to a local car show when the car in front took off from a light then stopped. I hit the brakes having added power brakes like I posted about weeks ago ( just about went through the windshield but was glad I added PB) Then the engine stopped and wont' restart . Two guys pushed me to the side of the road , I realized I was not getting any spark and took the Dist. cap off and saw nothing wrong ( didn't have my glasses). Had the vett towed home took the Dist out of the engine and on the beach a button fell out. Well what happened was that the original Dist. rotor has a stamped button on the rotor contact and it fell off some how and shorted the points, ( which I didn't see before not having my glasses with me) So now not being able to find the original rotor I used the replacement which today is a one piece metal affair. ( any one having the original button type rotor check to see if it's held on tight).

[Donald O.]

starter drive gears 101

The bump start did break the 'bendix'. The starter drive gear is clutched so that when the starter starts the engine and the engine rpm is higher than the cranking spedd, the starter doesn't try to slow the engine back down and allos the clutched drive gear to spin relatively freely.
For tose interested there ae basically three types of clutches, ball and socket, sprague and ratchet.
Ball and socket has a series of ball bearings around a pocketed collar with varying deptht of pockets. rotate one way ites free, the other and the balls lock up yhe collar and the starter armature.
Sprague, similar to the ball and socket excpt the sprague looks like an off center figure eight with the top and bottom of the 8 tapered to allow free movement in one direction and lock in th other.
ratchet type is just like a ratchet in your tool box and is usually found in truck starters.
End of starter drive gears 101

[Donald O.]

starter drive gears 101

The bump start did break the 'bendix'. The starter drive gear is clutched so that when the starter starts the engine and the engine rpm is higher than the cranking spedd, the starter doesn't try to slow the engine back down and allos the clutched drive gear to spin relatively freely.
For tose interested there ae basically three types of clutches, ball and socket, sprague and ratchet.
Ball and socket has a series of ball bearings around a pocketed collar with varying deptht of pockets. rotate one way ites free, the other and the balls lock up yhe collar and the starter armature.
Sprague, similar to the ball and socket excpt the sprague looks like an off center figure eight with the top and bottom of the 8 tapered to allow free movement in one direction and lock in th other.
ratchet type is just like a ratchet in your tool box and is usually found in truck starters.
End of starter drive gears 101