I had the opposite experience, but it true that excessive lubrication will
hold dirt and cause the pinion to stick. This started happening on a Mini
many years ago so I cleaned it carefully and put it back. A few weeks later
it started doing it again so I took it off again and cleaned it even more
carefully. This time it only lasted a couple of weeks, then an old-timer
said "Put a drop of oil on it." "But the book says ..." I began, but he
interrupted and said "Never mind the book, put a drop of oil on it, but just
one drop, mind". So I did and had no more trouble. With the starter.
BTW the Telco I used to work for defined a drop of oil thus: "A drop of oil
is that amount pendant from a length of 15SWG wire dipped into a container
of 5SAE oil at 65 degrees F to a depth of 1/4 of an inch, and after any
excess has fallen off."
PaulH.
----- Original Message -----
From: David Lynes <cdlynes@bellsouth.net>
To: Larry Macy <macy@bblmail.psycha.upenn.edu>; mgs <mgs@autox.team.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 29, 2000 4:46 AM
Subject: Re: Starter???
> Hi Larry
>
> I saw your starter problem, and thought I would respond, since the same
thing
> had happened to my 73 Midget. You are talking about your Midget aren't
you?
>
> What has happened is you have something like oil on the spinning shaft of
the
> starter, the cog that slides up and engages the flywheel. I had mine
lubed
> with a little 30w oil, just a smidgen because I couldn't stand the thought
of
> putting it on without anything to protect the metal from the elements it
> would surely be exposed to...
>
> Anyway, what happens is the dust from the clutch falls down and mixes with
> the oil, even that tiny little smidgen, and usually its no big deal. But
> when it gets as cold as it has lately, the oil gets stiff and the dust
makes
> it even stiffer, and when you engage the starter, it either doesn't go all
> the way out, or it gets stuck and doesn't come back. I might mention that
> our usual LBC oil leak from the rear seal will also cause the same thing
to
> happen.
>
> The cog on the shaft spins out to the end to engage the flywheel, and when
> the engine catches, it spins faster than the starter, and the cog spins
back
> down. Normally a nice little design.
>
> I would suggest when you have a warm day, pull the starter off, clean out
the
> shaft and the cog thing with spray brake parts cleaner, let it dry
> completely, then either put it back in with no lubrication, or dust it
with
> some dry graphite powder.
>
> What you can do until then, I kept a really small hammer (LFH) under my
seat
> (indespensible tool), and when it gets stuck, pop the hood and tap the
> starter either on the body, or at the exposed end of the shaft, watch out
for
> the dipstick and the oil filter. And not hard enough to do any damage,
just
> a tap or two, and mine loosened up enough to work. Mine always got stuck
in
> the disengaged position.
>
> I'm willing to bet thats it, but it doesn't explain the time it didn't
even
> spin...
>
>
> David Lynes, Woodstock, GA
> 73 Midget
> 78 MGB
>
> Larry Macy wrote:
>
> > My starter is acting up in the cold. The symptoms are as follows. Last
> > week, temp in the low teens in the AM, the starter engages the flywheel
> > and stops, will not disengage. Rock the car to get it frre and try
again.
> > After several tries it finally works. This has ahappened a couple of
> > times in the last week, in the mornings. After driving the car the
> > starter works just dandy. However last night, after I went to dinner I
> > went to startt the car and nothing, no spinnig of the starter, no
> > clicking of the solenoid, nothing. Pushed it to get it started, runs
just
> > dandy. Drove home and tried it a couple of times while rolling (just in
> > case) and all was well. Got home last night and plugged in the magnetic
> > heater and slapped it on the oil pan and this AM all was right with the
> > world. Started right up.
> >
> > So anyway, there is definately something wrong. I am having a hard time
> > getting the car to start after it cold soaks for a couple of hours. I am
> > not sure if it is the starter (although the not releasing from the
> > flywheel suggests that is at least a part of it) or the solenoid, the
bit
> > about not even engaging or clicking last night.
> >
> > I know it is not the battery, I checked.
> >
> > Any ideas?? Or do I just get a new starter?
> >
> > Larry
> >
> > Larry B. Macy, Ph.D.
> > macy@bblmail.psycha.upenn.edu
> > System Administrator/Manager
> > Neuropsychiatry Section
> > Department of Psychiatry
> > University of Pennsylvania
> > 3400 Spruce St. - 1015 Gates
> > Philadelphia, PA 19104
> >
> > Ask a question and you're a fool for three minutes; do not ask a
> > question and you're a fool for the rest of your life.
>
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