The Bendix
Bendix Corporation
The Bendix Corporation was an American manufacturing and engineering company which during various times in its 60-year existence made automotive brake shoes and systems, vacuum tubes, aircraft brakes, aeronautical hydraulics and electric power systems, avionics, aircraft and automobile fuel control systems, radios, televisions and computers. It was also well known for the name Ben…
How do I know if my starter Bendix is bad?
0:597:18Is your starter bad, hear the noises or sounds a bad starter will ... - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe third sound that you'll hear is a weak or failing bendex which means that you turn the key theMoreThe third sound that you'll hear is a weak or failing bendex which means that you turn the key the starter engages.
What causes a starter Bendix to not engage?
In general, a starter that is spinning but not engaging can be caused by a faulty starter clutch, a weak car battery, sticky starter solenoid contacts or if the starter motor bendix is not catching the flywheel.
How do you test a Bendix starter?
Testing Only the Starter Motor Connect a positive jumper cable to the positive terminal of the battery. 3. Touch the free end of the positive jumper cable to the positive wire coming from the starter. The starter motor should spin and the Bendix gear should be forced out of the starter.
Do all starters have a Bendix?
A Bendix-style starter has not been used in modern vehicles for some time now because it can damage flywheels and pinion gears. This is because the starter is spun up and then engages the flywheel. Modern systems engage the pinion and then energize the starter motor.
What engages the Bendix on a starter?
The Bendix system places the starter drive pinion on a helical drive spring. When the starter motor begins turning, the inertia of the drive pinion assembly causes it to wind the spring forcing the length of the spring to change, and allowing the pinion to engage with the ring gear.
How do you fix a starter that spins but doesn't engage?
If you just hear a whirring sound like the starter motor is spinning without affecting the motor, then the solenoid is either broken, or there's a wiring issue on the starter itself. Options are: have the starter rebuilt, replace the whole thing, or see if you can track down the wiring issue on the starter.
How do you reset a Bendix?
Alternate Method to Reset the DTCs Reset Diagnostic Trouble Codes by holding a magnet over the reset of the Bendix® Trailer Remote Diagnostic Unit (TRDU™) tool for less than 6 seconds.
What are 2 symptoms that would indicate a faulty starter solenoid?
As a result, the common signs of a bad starter solenoid include:Engine Doesn't Crank or Start. ... No Clicking Noise When Trying to Start the Engine. ... Starter Spins Without Fully Engaging the Flywheel (Rare) ... Engine Cranks Slowly (Rare) ... Test the battery. ... Check That Power is Getting to the Starter Solenoid.More items...•
Should a starter Bendix be lubricated?
Lubrication of the Bendix drive is not necessary unless it is noted that the drive is rusted or exceedingly dry, or unless the drive has been cleaned with kerosene.
Can you clean a starter Bendix?
Use only clean petroleum base cleaners such as kerosene or varsol. Thoroughly clean the Bendix Drive to remove all dirt and contamination from the screwshaft threads and control nut. If the drive is exceptionally dirty, the drive pinion cup can be removed to ensure a thorough cleaning job.
How do you get your starter to engage?
Jumpstarting the battery will ensure that the starter motor receives sufficient power to engage the flywheel. Loose connections in the terminals may result in a weak click. You can resolve the problem if you tighten the wires connected to the starter solenoid and the battery.
How do I know if my starter is misaligned?
Remove the starter from the vehicle and energize it with jumper cables to determine if the starter drive is properly moving the pinion gear into the cranking position. If the starter engages and cranks the engine, then skips and spins freely, there are two likely causes: Misalignment of the replacement starter.
How do I get my starter to engage flywheel?
Jumpstarting the battery will ensure that the starter motor receives sufficient power to engage the flywheel. Loose connections in the terminals may result in a weak click. You can resolve the problem if you tighten the wires connected to the starter solenoid and the battery.
Should a starter Bendix be lubricated?
Lubrication of the Bendix drive is not necessary unless it is noted that the drive is rusted or exceedingly dry, or unless the drive has been cleaned with kerosene.
What might cause a starter motor to spin but not crank or spin the engine Briggs and Stratton?
If the starter motor spins but does not crank the engine, you likely have a problem with... Faulty or damaged battery. To address this issues, check the battery and charging system for problems.
Can you clean a starter Bendix?
Use only clean petroleum base cleaners such as kerosene or varsol. Thoroughly clean the Bendix Drive to remove all dirt and contamination from the screwshaft threads and control nut. If the drive is exceptionally dirty, the drive pinion cup can be removed to ensure a thorough cleaning job.
What happens when an inertia starter spins?
When an inertia starter spins, the pinion moves along the thread of the motor shaft and engages with the flywheel gear ring. It then reaches a stop at the end of the thread, begins to turn with the shaft and so turns the engine. The inertia of the heavy piston assembly prevents it from spinning immediately when the motor shaft turns, ...
What happens when the starter motor stays engaged?
Also, if the engine starts and the starter motor stays engaged, the engine will spin the starter so fast that it may be badly damaged. The starter motor itself has a device, called a Bendix gear, which engages its pinion with the gear ring on the flywheel only while the starter is turning the engine. It disengages as soon as the engine picks up ...
Why does a pinion return so violently?
The pinion returns so violently that there has to be a strong spring on the shaft to cushion its impact. The violent engagement and disengagement of an inertia starter can cause heavy wear on the gear teeth. To overcome that problem the pre-engaged starter was introduced, which has a solenoid mounted on the motor.
Why does the piston pinion go back out of engagement?
The inertia of the heavy piston assembly prevents it from spinning immediately when the motor shaft turns, so it slides along the thread and into engagement; when the engine starts, the pinion is turned faster than its shaft, so it is thrown back out of engagement.
What does a spring do on an ignition switch?
The ignition switch has a return spring , so that as soon as you release the key it springs back and turns the starter switch off.
How does an engine start?
To make an engine start it must be turned at some speed, so that it sucks fuel and air into the cylinders , and compresses it. The powerful electric starter motor does the turning. Its shaft carries a small pinion ( gear wheel) which engages with a large gear ring around the rim of the engine flywheel . In a front-engine layout, the starter is ...
Why do we use solenoid?
So a solenoid is used - an arrangement where a small switch turns on an electromagnet to complete the circuit .
What is Bendix gear?
The name Bendix gear strictly applies to the spiral drive mechanism of an inertia-type starter . However, the term is sometimes used for the pre-engaged starter mechanism. Drive-mechanism faults can occur in two ways. The starter can spin without engaging with the flywheel , or jam in engagement.
What is a Bendix compressor?
A purpose-made Bendix spring compressor can be used to free the circlip. The Bendix gear is usually held on by a circlip recessed into the end of the buffer spring. To free it, compress the spring with a compressor tool available from most accessory shops.
How to remove ring from a spherical shaft?
Remove the ring with a screwdriver and slide the collar off the shaft.
How to check flywheel teeth?
You can often check the flywheel teeth by removing the starter motor and viewing them through the aperture while a helper turns the engine.
What position should the solenoid click into?
The solenoid should click into its engaged position.
Why does my car start with a loud howl?
Sometimes a starter turns the engine and then jams in engagement, producing a loud howl as the engine starts. Switch off at once and remove the starter for examination.
How to remove a thrust collar?
Remove the actuating lever if possible (it may not be removable). Grip the armature firmly , but not too hard , in a vice to remove the thrust collar. Use wood in the jaws of the vice to avoid damaging the armature.
How does a starter motor work?
See how the starter motor works inside below. The starter motor is powered by the car's main 12-volt battery. To turn over the engine, the starter motor requires a very high electric current, which means the battery has to have sufficient power. If the battery is discharged, the lights in a car might come on, but it won't be enough power (current) ...
What is a starter motor?
The starter motor is an electric motor that turns over or "cranks" the engine to start. It consists of a powerful DC (Direct Current) electric motor and the starter solenoid that is attached to the motor (see the picture). Starter motor. Click for a larger photo. In most cars, a starter motor is bolted to the engine or transmission, ...
What does a solenoid do on a starter?
At the same time, the starter solenoid pushes the starter gear forward to mesh with the ring gear of the engine flexplate or flywheel.
How many terminals does a starter solenoid have?
A typical starter solenoid has one small connector for the starter control wire (the white connector in the photo) and two large terminals: one for the positive battery cable and the other for the thick wire that powers the starter motor itself (see the diagram below).
Why is my starter not working?
Poor connection at the cable terminals can cause the starter not to work or run very slow too. Often the battery terminals or the ground cable connection get corroded causing starter problems (see the photo above).
Why does my starter make a noise when starting?
Another symptom is when the starter motor runs, but fails to turn over the engine. Often, this might cause a loud screeching noise when starting the car.
Why is my Mazda 3 starting no crank?
Sometimes the starter control terminal gets corroded (in the photo) or a starter control wire gets loose or dis connected from the terminal causing the starter not to work. For example, this corroded starter control terminal was the cause of a no-start, no-crank condition in the Mazda 3. We only noticed this after disconnecting the control wire connector. Cleaning the terminal and replacing the connector solved the problem.
How does Bendix work?
Operation. The Bendix system places the starter drive pinion on a helical drive spring. When the starter motor begins turning, the inertia of the drive pinion assembly causes it to wind the spring forcing the length of the spring to change, and allowing the pinion to engage with the ring gear. When the engine starts, backdrive from ...
What is a Bendix drive?
Bendix drive. A Bendix drive is a type of engagement mechanism used in starter motors of internal combustion engines.
What are the drawbacks of Bendix drive?
The main drawback to the Bendix drive is that it relies on a certain amount of "clash" between the teeth of the pinion and the ring gears before they slip into place and mate completely; the teeth of the pinion are already spinning when they come into contact with the static ring gear, and unless they happen to align perfectly at the moment they engage, the pinion teeth will strike the teeth of the ring gear side-to-side rather than face-to-face, and continue to rotate until both align. This increases wear on both sets of teeth. For this reason the Bendix drive has been largely superseded in starter motor design by the pre-engagement system using a starter solenoid .
What is the ring gear on a starter?
The device allows the pinion gear of the starter motor to engage or disengage the ring gear (which is attached to the flywheel or flexplate of the engine) automatically when the starter is powered or when the engine fires, respectively. It is named after its inventor, Vincent Hugo Bendix .
