Ford 302 888 Starter motor

[75gold75]

Hi All

I have recently rebuilt My ford 302 888 and now its time to get ready for start up break in run etc.As I turn the engine over by hand to get TDC for distrubutor placement, I can hear the starter motor is still meshing with fly wheel is this normal? I always thought starter threw out gear and sprung back after.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: Ford 302 888 Starter motor

It could be a worn or broken starter bendix.Remove the starter and turn the engine to see if the noise goes away.Also make sure the shield between the engine and bell housing is not rubbing.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Ford 302 888 Starter motor

Well, if the Bendix truly is extended onto the flywheel, a few moderate taps on the starter with a hammer might free it up. if you have never cranked this engine over with the starter, how would the starter Bendix be engaged? You may be hearing something else

 

[Don S]

Re: Ford 302 888 Starter motor

I think the Ford starter would stay engaged until the engine fired and kicked the Bendix out.

 

[matt167]

Re: Ford 302 888 Starter motor

Yep. Fords do not use a regular solenoid like a GM. It should retract anyway, but it might not for those quick pops needed with timing. I wouldn't replace it because the bendix is sticking. A good parts counter person can get you a bendix repair kit and it can be fixed for a few bucks.

 

[75gold75]

Re: Ford 302 888 Starter motor

Thanks for all your comments I will investigate the old girl some more, not looking forward to lifting that bloody starter out though, just another thought could it be the timing chain I am hearing?

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Ford 302 888 Starter motor

Well, it would be odd to confuse the two sounds, since the timing chain is on the front of the engine and starter is at the back/bottom left. But even so, how fast are you spinning this engine? In order to find TDC, you shouldn't need to rotate the engine more than a few turns by hand with a dowel in the spark plug hole and watching the #1 intake valve.

 

[haulnazz15]

Re: Ford 302 888 Starter motor

Yep. Fords do not use a regular solenoid like a GM. It should retract anyway, but it might not for those quick pops needed with timing. I wouldn't replace it because the bendix is sticking. A good parts counter person can get you a bendix repair kit and it can be fixed for a few bucks.

What do you mean a "regular solenoid"? What is different about it?

 

[grewvin1]

Re: Ford 302 888 Starter motor

Check bendix unit most times cleaning and oil they work fine, cheap to replace very common and should kick out on engine start.

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: Ford 302 888 Starter motor

What do you mean a "regular solenoid"? What is different about it?

Older Ford starters were movable pole shoe type that used the magnetic field of the starter motor to move the bendix drive into position. The solenoid for this starter (as everyone calls it) was actually just a big relay, usually mounted remotely from the starter.

Pole shoe starter;


Remote starter relay;