Pickup restoration part three

[davidmiles]

Cheers Bob, I went to start the motor up this morning and the starter motor was jammed on again. Ive had the pinion jammed in mesh with the starter wheels cogs, and I freed it up by turning the nut at the front of the starter motor using an adjustable spanner, but this is different to that, this one is the starter staying on during ignition and subsequent running of the engine, the starter motor sounding very loud, this time rocking the car back fourth in 2nd gear didn't free it, so out with the starter for a clean in meths.[frame][/frame]

[davidmiles]

miserable contrast to yesterdays sunshine and T-shirt weather, raining all day, I'm going to be cycling to work this afternoon, still three days off after today to get this motor sorted out[frame][/frame]

[kevin s]

I have never seen a bendix painted before!

I would sugest you get what's left of the paint of the gear teeth as it will affect the way they engage / disengage with the ring gear.

Also check the starter mounting lugs for cracks and if the engine backplate has been painted make sure this is not preventing the starter mounting firmly.

kevin

[Neil MG]

Yes the paint will not have helped, but shouldn't cause too much of a problem. When you pull the bendix gear down towards the motor it should spring back instantly. You can clean out all the grooves with a pencil, scribbling as much as possible. The idea is to lubricate the mechanism with graphite from the pencil. Keep moving the bendix up and down and scribbling until the gear returns smoothly. Once cleaned up it will stay free with use. Do not be tempted to use any oil as this may lead to sticking as it attracts dust from the clutch. You can buy graphite powder to lubricate it, but I usually find that the pencil works well.

[Neil MG]

Just re-read your post. If the starter stays on then you have a problem with the ignition switch. The solenoid will only get power with the key held against the spring in start position. If the motor is getting power once the key is released you need to replace (or repair) the ignition switch.

[mogbob]

David
Just adding to Neil's observation and good advice....if the Bendix gear doesn't " spring back instantly " then you may have a broken return spring.
It's not an easy one to spot, visually but dead easy...once apart....when the spring comes off in more than one piece, like mine did.
It is possible to buy a repair kit / replacement spring for a lot of Starters but most people buy a new /exchange starter motor.
A special Starter Motor spring compressor is required to dismantle/ reassemble.It's under very strong compression.Don't mess around with anything other than the correct tool if you value your eyes, limbs and good looks.
Bob

[davidmiles]

Kev, Neil & Bob, thanks for your help here guys, you know, sometimes you can be too close to a problem and you need friends, like you, to help look at the wider picture. The Starter Motor is quite new, It was rather oily and a clean up may do the job. But the starter switch might be the key, no pun intended, the switch is acting odd, running the starter on the first position, the ignition warning light has stopped working, so I need to get in there and see what's going on, with three rest days in front of me I can get stuck in, images to follow....

[Matt]

I have a starter motor bendix compressor - its in Haywards Heath if you ever feel the need to use one

[kevin s]

If i remember corectly you also fitted a new starter solenoid?

If so don't dismiss this, unfortunatelly the quality of replacement parts is very patchy nowdays.

[davidmiles]

thanks you, a kind offer, and Kevin I'll bear that in mind, the parts can be a little, questionable can't they, made by the lowest bidder and all that. The clock out, and the ignition warning lamp and main beam warning lamp had come adrift, I'll check the bulbs and replace these into their sockets, must have shaken loose.[frame][/frame]

[davidmiles]

starter switch, how do you know if it's the culprit, the wires are all in place and it looks all innocent...[frame][/frame]

[davidmiles]

this could be my main problem, the earth for the whole clock setup, I need to get in there with some wire wool and remove that paint.[frame][/frame]

[davidmiles]

a good steel wooling later and both sides are nice clean metal making a good earth for the clock[frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

[davidmiles]

we have both lights up at ignition switch turn to second place, the starter motor sounds good, but wait, what's this, the starter motor still going (no engine startup at the moment, re-occurance of Carb problem) with the ignition key switched to off. I had to disconnect the battery lead touching only the insulated cable. (lucky I hadn't tightened the connection) Not good. It would appear my problem lies in my starter switch. So before I can set too with sorting out my Carb, I have to sort this switch[frame][/frame]

[davidmiles]

just to check if the solenoid is playing up I removed the red and white wire connection at the Solonoid and put the ignition switch to start, then touched the red cable to the battery to see if it tried to start the starter motor bypassing the switch, nothing, so I think this narrows it down to my starter switch.[frame][/frame]
Blast of WD 40 into the lock barrel of the starter switch, good play around in there with the key to get it sloshed inside it. Red/White reconnected to the solenoid, red terminal touched to battery and even with the Ignition keys in my pocket the starter motor started up.

[mogbob]

David
It's a damn good party trick to start the vehicle with your keys in your pocket but as they say "that can't be right !"
I think ESM are going to get a call from one of their near neighbours before the week is out ?
It shouldn't break the bank and will help with trouble free motoring.
Bob

[davidmiles]

you're right Bob they're not expensive, one on order from ESM, should arrive tomorrow morning. In the meantime I want to prepare for the re-starting of the engine so I can finish fine tuning the new carb. I purchased this feeler gauge and a set of new spark plugs, the packaging on the gauge says it's in metric! the Morris manual says the spark plug gap should be 0.025, I guess they mean 0.025 of an inch? the Gauge does .20 and .30 but that's got to be of a mm [frame][/frame][frame][/frame]

[mogbob]

David
0.025 " is 0.635 mm... so the 0.05 mm will be too small.I'd go for the next one up and tap the plug on some wood ( Very gently ) to narrow the gap down.
Use the old plugs as a rough approximation.You can still get Imperial feeler gauges but obviously they are not as common as metric.
The old trick was the cardboard thickness of a "fag packet ".Never having smoked, I've no idea what the thickness of a fag packet is in reality !!
Bob

[chesney]

Yeah, 25 thou is in inches, so an imperial one is better, although 25 thou is pretty much 0.5 metric I think. You could also do with the specific gap tool for gapping plugs!

[davidmiles]

thanks Bob and Chesney. Oh dear I've made a mess of this, the ignition switch arrived, but I'd failed to note it doesn't come with a lock barrel and keys,(shown bottom left of frame) a separate item code. Never mind says I, I'll use the lock barrel from the broken one. Wrong.They are two different components, the plastic barrel is integral with the surround, it broke upon attempting to remove it. The locks and keys I have (shown right of frame) are door one's, differing in design to ignition one, back on the phone to ESM to order a lock barrel and key.[frame][/frame]