66' Starter Problems - Need help

[Gary N.]

I have a 66' coupe with a 327/350 Hp engine, 4 speed. I have never had any problems with the starter until recently. The starter is a matching numbers and date so I would like to keep it. The car always started just fine (many years), but started to not engage everytime and would just spin instead of engaging into the flywheel. It might engage every 5th or 6th time then not. It did not grind the flywheel at any time and when it would engage had no problem turning the engine over and starting. I thought it might be the solinoid so I took it off and apart and cleaned all the contact points and put it back together and it did the same thing. I next bought a new one thinking the old one was just bad and installed it and it did the same thing. The flywheel shows no signs of wear, but the starter gear looked like it might show a little wear. The starter gear moves back and forth easily and there is no play in the gear or amature shaft. I had another similar starter and the gear looked real good on it , so I pulled it apart and changed the amature and the gear into the original starter. Tried it again with the same results. So far no luck! The starter motor appears to be fine and turns the engine over just fine when it does engage the gear but the gear is just not engageing into the flywheel all the time. All the wireing looks fine. I have never had to shim the starter, but wonder if this might need to be done? Don't know why it should since it was working just fine for a long time.. Not really sure how to do that with out guessing anyway. Is there any chance that there could be a problem with the ignition switch, it's the original? Anyone ever had this problem? Sure could use some help or suggestions. Nothing I have done so far has had any change. By the way the battery is fine.
Hope you can help
Thanks

[Edward J.]

Re: 66' Starter Problems - Need help

Gary, What you need is a starter drive (bendix). Its a common problem with the older GM starters. it has a one way clutch when this fails the starter will kick out but the clutch mechanism is slipping.

[Gary N.]

Re: 66' Starter Problems - Need help

Ed,
Can you describe this part to me. Is it the part that is connected to the piston that goes inside the solinoid and goes down and kicks the starter gear out. if so I think it's the only part I didn't change.

[Gary N.]

Re: 66' Starter Problems - Need help

Ed,
I looked on Google and saw what the starter bendix was. When I changed out the amature with the gear it from the other starter it was all one unit with the bendix on it and that didn't seem to solve the problem.

[Edward J.]

Re: 66' Starter Problems - Need help

Gary, was the starter drive(bendix) a used one? maybe its bad. Have you bench tested the unit to see if the bendix is poping out? something like this will screw you up.The starter motors are pretty easy to rebuild. and the bendix is one of the most common parts failed. also there are some parts out there like the bendix that don't hold up well(china crap). if you replaced it get a heavy/duty one.

[Donald H.]

Re: 66' Starter Problems - Need help

I bought a correct starter and solenoid separately for my 66. I wanted to test them after I got everything cleaned up and together. I found a very helpful test on YouTube, link below. It a simple test to test the three major areas of the starter, the solenoid, starter motor and the override/overrunning clutch.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=9PWG6Il_ZJI&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D9PWG6Il_ZJI

[Gary N.]

Re: 66' Starter Problems - Need help

Don,
Thanks for the Info. "You Tube" can be a great resource and I didn't even think about it. I watched the video and will test out the starter.
Ed,
Your right, it could be a bad bendix from the old starter also. I was only looking at the gear when I changed it. I'll test the starter and see what the results are.
Thanks for your help.

[Joe L.]

Re: 66' Starter Problems - Need help

Don,
Thanks for the Info. "You Tube" can be a great resource and I didn't even think about it. I watched the video and will test out the starter.
Ed,
Your right, it could be a bad bendix from the old starter also. I was only looking at the gear when I changed it. I'll test the starter and see what the results are.
Thanks for your help.

Gary------


You cannot usually determine if a starter drive ("Bendix") is bad by looking at it. I agree with Edward that your problem sounds like a starter drive problem. The starter drive for your application is GM-discontinued. However, a replacement is manufactured by Standard Motor Products and is widely available. They are not very expensive, either. If I were rebuilding my starter I would always use a NEW starter drive.

[Gary N.]

Re: 66' Starter Problems - Need help

I tested the starter and everything seems to be functioning properly. The motor seems fine and the solinoid looks to function everytime, so I agree that the problem is problem in the bendix. It would appear that the gear in engaging into the flywheel but that the override clutch is slipping and the motor is just spinning. I found a kit to rebuild the starter with a bendix in it. It also contains brushes and other rebuild parts. If I remember I could not figure out how to get the bendix off the amature. There is a stop washer that sits in a grove to stop the gear, but I don't see how to get it off to slip the old bendix off. Any ideas? I guess I could always buy another starter and just put in the whole new armature and drive back into the original starter, but just putting in just a new bendix would probably be cheaper. I would appreciate any ideas on how to get the old bendix off.
Thanks again

[Edward J.]

Re: 66' Starter Problems - Need help

Gary, its a bit bit of a pain because the the clip is stiff and will require a flat blade screw driver or a pair of duck bill snap ring pliers.

Once you have the armature in hand slide the first washer, note there is a step on in and faces the snap ring, next find a 3/8 drive socket about the diameter of the next steel ring that surrounds the snap ring and take a small ball peen hammer and lightly tap the metal surround it will slip off,next it the snap ring. I have done this with a flat blade screw driver with a small head, find the opening of the snap ring and wedge the blade of screw driver andwith a twisting motion get it started and once its starting to move take a small pocket style screw driver and start working it off. I hope you understand these directions I think you'll get the idea once you start working on the starter.

[Gary N.]

Re: 66' Starter Problems - Need help

Thanks for the info Ed. I was able to find a video on You Tube with a guy who showed how to do it just as you said. I got a new bendix today and will put it in tomorrow. I hope that solves my problem. This has been a neat learning experience, especially if it works. Thanks for all your help.

[Edward J.]

Re: 66' Starter Problems - Need help

Gary, I am sure it will be fine. Its a great feeling to do something on the your own Corvette and a learning something as you go. never stop trying to the do your own repairs. A little research goes a long way. Never to old to teach a dog new tricks!!

[Gary N.]

Re: 66' Starter Problems - Need help

Noticed that you didn't use the term "old dog". Well it worked, so I learned how the bendix can go bad and how to replace it. Thanks for all your help. I've always been a shade tree mechanic but never did much with a starter so this was a good learning experience and satisifying since it solved the problem.