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Re: Jammed Starter Motor

To: Stephen Peter Mirams <mirams@bf.rmit.edu.au>
Subject: Re: Jammed Starter Motor
From: Ross MacPherson <arm@unix.infoserve.net>
Date: Mon, 14 Oct 1996 05:11:51 -0700
At 01:14 PM 10/14/96 +1000, you wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>Last night my Midget wouldn't start. Checked the obvious (battery, fuel 
>etc.) and decided to get the RACV (Roadside Assistance) out to help. The 
>mechanic said it was a jammed starter motor and he should be able to get 
>it unstuck. Anyway after rocking the car in gear he loosened a reteining 
>bolt and gave the motor a whack with a chunk of wood. To my delight it 
>started first go.
>
>Now to my questions
>
>Why did it do this?
>What is it getting stuck on?
>Is there anything you can do to prevent repeat occurences?
>

Hi Steve,
 
Most likely you have a stickey Bendix gear.  There is a gear on a spiral
splined shaft that, when the starter spins up, is driven along the shaft and
engages the ring gear by the inertia of the gear.  This alows the starter
motor to get up to speed before meshing with the ring gear and to disengage
when the starter motor stops.  Get some lube on the starter motor drive end
shaft mechanism.  Less likely is the possibility that you have a damaged
starter gear or damaged ring gear.  I don't remember what it's like on a
Midget but you probably can inspect the drive gear for excessive wear.  If
this is the first occurance of a sticking starter though I'd put my money on
a gummed up Bendix.
 
Good luck
   ___        \______           Ross MacPherson 
  / __ \ __ /       /------|)   arm@unix.infoserve.net
/  (___)---------/ (___)        Vancouver, BC, Canada
 1947 MG-TC 3528                1966 MGB-GT   


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