Rats! The problem has reappeared!

My starter motor has a bendix that keeps jamming in the disengaged position. Today I was lucky - there were fellow Suffolk/Essex Locosters around to give me a push start. I might be on my tod next time.

Every time this happens, I take the starter off the engine, fiddle around, the bendix frees and refuses to jam again. I've stripped the bendix, checked it for burrs and rough edges, re-assembled it and it will work perfectly - for 10 or 20 tries. Then it jams again.

It was a recon item, but it was bought a few years ago so I can't really take it back. It's hardly seen any active service.

I've tried

1. Not lubricating
   
2. lightly oiling
   
3. lock graphite instead of oil
   

Seem to remember when escort mk2s were newish that starter problems were fairly common. Was your ring gear replaced when the engine was rebuilt??. Could be worn if not. Some later engines had the pre engaged starter but I believe the ring gear was different Best of luck . Rusty

We used to soak the bendix end in petrol and swill it round to get all the clutch dust out. The petrol evaporates and leaves it dry. The thin return spring sometimes gets twisted and binds up stopping it firing in, then it's usually knackered sorry. Try polishing the shaft and inside the bendix with some fine emery if the spring is alright.

I had the same problem years ago with a MK2 I owned. It was a slight misalignment of the shaft. With no load it worked fine, but after a few times it would jam the same as yours. It was the shaft bearing that was worn, as soon as this was replaced it was fine

Rusty: The ring gear is fine - as new (and is the correct type!)
Pete: It's clean, but I don't know how to get into the the place where the spring is, even when the bendix is stripped. I end up with a steel tube with plates on each end - do these come off?
Mark: I'm not sure how a shaft bearing would make the bendix jam disengaged - I'm not questioning what you're saying, just don't understand!

rgds,

David

I had a mk1 escort when I was a kid that did this.
I think it was a replacement starter motor job - just a wear thing, cleaning oiling etc. made no difference. Your recon one may just have used parts of the old bendix??
It was nearly 30 years ago however.....
Bob C

Being only 17 at the time, I didnt take a lot of notice, but I assume now that the thrust was not a 90° so loading up one side of the spiral and jamming

David, as an aside, I dont know what exhaust manifold you are using, but some 'sevenesque' manifolds will not fit with a pre-engaged starter motor.

As the poor lad found out who bought my Westfield manifold off me...

Bob - I wouldn't put it past them to use some old parts.
Mark - If the bendix was jamming when engaged then I'd agree with you...
Stu - There's loads of room under my manifold, but it's a point worth remembering as my chassis member may get in the way. I'll have to get an old starter from the scrappy to see if it will fit.

cheers,

David