[Shotimes] Starter Question(s)

[James F. Ryan III]

If the starter was spinning then the fender-mounted "solenoid" (actually a
RELAY - but I won't waste my breath again) was good.  It's job is to send
battery power to the starter motor - which it was obviously doing.  Once the
power reaches the starter it does 2 things - makes the motor spin and
energizes a SOLENOID that thrusts the pinion gear/motor armature into the
flywheel.
That's where your problem is - but you eventually figured that out.

The "Bendix" assembly you mentioned has nothing to do with starting the
engine.  The job of the starter motor is to get the engine assembly rotating
at a few hundred rpm.  Once the engine starts, we all know to release the
ignition key.  But, there's that split second, after the engine starts, that
we still have the ignition key in Run position and therefore the starter
motor is still positively engaged to the flywheel.  The "Bendix" assembly is
just a clutch that allows the pinion gear (and starter motor shaft that it's
attached to) to freewheel once the engine has started - much like the
viscous-coupling of a belt-driven cooling fan.  The extra drag of a cooling
fan is unnecessary at speed, and the drag of the still engaged starter motor
is not good for the engine OR the starter motor.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Rob Pittman" <rob.pittman@verizon.net>
To: <shotimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2006 2:14 PM
Subject: [Shotimes] Starter Question(s)


> Well, here's the latest problem with my 1990 135K SHO.
>
> The starter will spin but not engage the flywheel.  This happens
sporadically, and becoming increasingly more frequent - to the point
starting the car is a real pain when it's shut off after being warmed up.
>
> My initial thought was solenoid, so I replaced that yesterday.  Problem
persists.  I guess it's starter time as the bendix must have gone south.
>
> After doing some reading online, I noticed that there seem to be 9-tooth,
10-tooth, and 12-tooth starters.  (Kinda sounds like they're from
Arkansas...)  Do any of the gurus on the list know which one is correct for
a 1990 SHO?  And where's a good source?
>
> As always, thank y'all for your help.
>
> Rob
>
> Rob Pittman
> rob.pittman@verizon.net
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