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Intermittent start, whirring noise when it doesn’t
Hi All,
My 76 is making a strange whirring noise when it doesn’t want to start. Hot or cold it will start every 3 or 4 cranks, and it makes the noise of the attached video when it doesn’t turn over.
car runs fine once it’s going.
Feels like a starter motor issue but I’d love to hear if you’ve heard something similar and whether there is an easier path then replacing the starter.
YouTube video:
Huh. Im not home to see my service manual but has great sound troubleshooting..
it sounds like yours is cranking fine? Just after letting go it makes noise?
mine was bushing 2 bucks..here with sound after cranking
pics of starter? I would at least check bolts for tightness..watch power remove battery post prior to poking!
if inclined..pull it apart and inspect..pretty straightforward
Last edited by interpon; Jul 28, 2021 at 08:19 AM.
Not critical but just to clarify the terminology; actual Bendix drives are very old technology, designed approx. 1920 and phased out in the late 50's with a few stragglers into the early 60's. They were replaced with the "starter drive and solenoid" type starters like we have in our Corvettes. Even Ford, with it's remote solenoid system, switched to the starter drive design.
Some vendors still use the "Bendix" name when referring to a starter drive but it is incorrect. Here is a picture of the starter from my 1957 Thunderbird with an actual Bendix drive to compare, note the large spring and an absence of a starter solenoid. Very different design from the later starters. Bendix drives tended to be pretty hard on flywheel teeth. Cheers, Greg
You need to replace the starter drive (bendix is a common name for it) with a Standard Motor Products "SDN1A" available from Rock Auto for about $10 or on Amazon for about $17. This "bendix" here is a one way clutch and drive gear assembly on the starter shaft. Yours is shot because it now rotates freely in BOTH directions so it can't turn the flywheel anymore and the starter motor just spins away. You pull the stater motor off and take it apart to replace this part. Not really difficult. A few bolts and a snap ring.
I’ll do a bit of work next weekend. The weird thing is that the past 3 days it’s not missed a beat…guess it can sense the worst mechanic is going to do some repairs again!
I’ll do a bit of work next weekend. The weird thing is that the past 3 days it’s not missed a beat…guess it can sense the worst mechanic is going to do some repairs again!
replacing the staeter might be easier for you I went with a smaller high torque starter like this when I changed mine 8 years back.. it was an easy trouble free swap for me. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Starter-Fit...-127632-2357-0
Intermittent start, whirring noise when it doesn’t
