Starter Bendix sticks

[maxeuer]

On my Lucas M35G starter motor [1098 std. engine ] the barrel&pinion/'Bendix' part repeatedly becomes stuck to the big spring washer on the driving shaft of the starter and won't move.
I only get that whirring sound when trying to start the engine.
A light tap with a hammer usually solves the problem but to do that I have to remove the starter.
Both barrel & pinion and the big spring have already been replaced.
It is a recurring problem after a couple of weeks or few months.
I do clean all moving parts though I cannot say they would be really dirty.
Would anyone have a valued opinion on this, please ?

[bigjim]

do you oil the bendix when you have cleaned it , this is a usual problem the oil picks up dirt and then sticks , clean it with brake cleaner and leave dry see if that works

[Roni]

I had the same thing happening on mine, bendix sticking to the spring. At first it was old gunk + dust causing the sticking on the spiral groves. Stripping the bendix and totally cleaning it helped for a while and then it was into a cycle of occasionally sticking, usually at the petrol station.
I was lucky to be able to remove the starter when it was stuck and noticed that there was a fine dusting of rust on the nice clean steel and the bendix to spring surface had stuck together with this. I suppose it is condensation causing this.
I tried using a CRC product "Dry Glide (http://www.crc.co.nz/Automotive-Lubrica ... 6-6546.htm)," which leaves a thin coat of Teflon, on the dismantled and freshly cleaned surfaces. Since then I have had no repeats of the problem. You need to dismantle to get the product onto all the surfaces.

[bmcecosse]

The starter shaft may be slightly bent.... As others have suggested - it must be cleaned thoroughly with brake cleaner - and then NOT oiled. The teflon will be fine if it dries in - some suggest graphite (from a pencil 'lead'). OR - is the crank oil seal leaking out oil - which is plastering the bendix - which in turn attracts dust/dirt - leading to the sticking?

[Roni]

I found the graphite didn't last long and did not stop the rust happening. The bendix still stuck to the big spring. The Dry Glide coating dries very dry. You would not know it was there, apart from the surface being slipperier. To quote from the web site-
"Ideal for lubrication in dusty environments where contaminants might interfere with conventional wet lubricants"

[maxeuer]

Never oiled or greased any parts after cleaning them.
Used graphite dust once - didn't increase the interval of failure.
Like I said before, I couldn't notice much dirt on any parts nor a bent driving shaft.
I will try the teflon next time it happens again; thank you very much for the suggestions!
What I can not understand is what makes that barrel thing stick that solid to the spring; there is even a big washer seperating them!
Now back to the old car again: dynamo regulator gave up its ghost after ½ a year after renewal; so did the brand new SU fuel pump. At least I could verify the perfect functioning of the error lights then.

[bmcecosse]

Look very carefully at the bendix - is there a crack anywhere?

[maxeuer]

I may have found the reason for the ever sticking Bendix: namely the Washer, having been fitted by me, seperating the Bendix from the main spring, being only made from mild steel with the effect that it cold welds itself to the Bendix when he is thrown back to the spring. The part does not seem to be for sale from any supplier so I just took what I thought to be fit out of my bolt/nut box.
I have now replaced it with a hardened washer hoping this will be the definite cure.
Btw does anyone have the exact size of this washer?

[myoldjalopy]

Maxeur - I too have had issues with early failure of a control box....it barely lasted a year and when I examined it, the regulator points were knackered