Cold Blue Posted December 14, 2018 Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 Guys - I am new to working on these antique cars - so please have patience with me...My 6 volt starter for my 1948 Plymouth Special Deluxe was having bendix problems. So I looked and looked but couldn't find a NOS or rebuilt bendix like the one that I have. Looking in my shop manual, it said that a "follow-through" drive assembly for a '52-'54 model year could be installed. I found one, a NOS part, in super condition. I have installed it in the starter, but I have a question that I hope you guys can answer. The drive pinion gear looks to me like it will mesh with the flywheel teeth all the time. The old pinion gear was quite a ways back on the armature shaft; I could see that it would have to fly forward before it meshed with the ring gear. Is the follow-through bendix gear supposed to be meshed all the time? I wouldn't think so. But I couldn't see how it would retract enough to clear the ring gear after the engine started. I have some hope that it may be in the "extended" position..my shop manual says "When installing a starter motor equipped with a Bendix follow-through drive assembly, the drive pinion may sometimes be in the extended or engaged position. If this is the case, "hand feel" the drive pinion to mesh with the flywheel ring gear teeth before tightening the mounting bolts." I have a pic of the old pinion, and the new pinion installed in the starter. See how close the new pinion gear is to the inside of the housing assembly? I would just hate it if the new drive doesn't work correctly and damage the pinion or the ring gear....do ya'll think I'm OK? Thanks in advance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted December 14, 2018 Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 (edited) follow the reset direction in the book....it is as I read an understood that the motor when started will throw the Bendix back to its idle state...the hand feeling of the gear mesh is to ensure that it is not going to clash when tightening the mounting bolts Edited December 14, 2018 by Plymouthy Adams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Blue Posted December 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 Plymouthy - that is the way I read it too. With my very limited experience with a 70 year old starter, I just could not see how the pinion gear would somehow retract itself...guess I just gotta trust that it will??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted December 14, 2018 Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 been a long time since I have worked with any Bendix off a starter....I have reset these before install but recall it was not that fun......I worked a Bendix with issues a bit back that the man had connected the brush plate wrong and was running backwards...not sure if it was damaged before or after his hands got hold of it.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Blue Posted December 14, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 I have never worked on a starter like this..I am gonna bolt her back up and give it a try...cross your fingers for me. By the way - I think I read, in a previous post, that you are in LaFayette - would that be LaFayette Georgia? If so - my brother lives in LaFayette!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted December 14, 2018 Report Share Posted December 14, 2018 no....was talking in terms of the early telephone party lines and we were on the Lafayette exchange....we be hanging out in middle of Georgia... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Blue Posted December 15, 2018 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2018 Plymouthy - I need to put some shoulder type seat belts in my '48 for the front bench seat. I searched the Forum but couldn't find anything. Would you, or anyone else, have a recommendation on which belts to get and how/where to install them, especially the top retractor. Looks like there ain't much room on the pillar between the door and the back window on my coupe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted December 15, 2018 Report Share Posted December 15, 2018 (edited) that sir depends on a couple of factors.....have done a few of these but my approach is to repurpose factory and stay away from the generic aftermarket units. I can make recommendation, I can show a few pictures but would ask you PM me your e-mail address.... Edited December 15, 2018 by Plymouthy Adams 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Blue Posted January 18, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2019 I promised that after I installed my 6 volt Autolite starter in my 48 Plymouth that I would let everyone know how it worked out. I am pleased to report that the "follow-through" starter bendix works great! My car starts fine, with none of the "whack" sound that occurred with the original bendix. And none of the early retraction of the old bendix either. I did have to make sure that the new bendix teeth meshed properly with the flywheel ring gear before bolting her down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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