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Starter motor Assist Spring. Some have it and some don't??
#19 Assist Spring
Hi, This is my first time taking a starter apart for repairs, '65 327 straight bolt starter. (replacement starter). In my '63 shop manual it shows #19 Assist Spring. It goes between the collar and the armature. When I took mine apart it had no Assist Spring. I take a second one apart and the same thing, no spring.
What does the Assist Spring do?
Do all starters have Assist Spring?
Dave
Last edited by DSR; Apr 10, 2018 at 10:20 PM.
Reason: Add pictures
From: Putnam Valley, New York. Amateur Radio Operator K2NS
Assist Spring
I just looked in my 67 service & overhaul manuals and there is nothing labeled "assist spring". It might have been an early item that was found to be of no use. The only springs in a GM starter that I know of are the 2 brush springs (Leaf Springs), the return spring (coil spring) behind the solenoid plunger, and the coil spring that is part of the starter drive. I owned 3 auto repair shops from 1970 through 2015, and was fixing my own and family's & friend's cars since the 60's, and I have never seen a spring on the armature between the drive and the armature windings. I have also never seen a drive that comes apart (parts # 15, 16, 17, & 18). The drive has always been serviced as an assembly---I don't think individual drive parts were ever available---Maybe that's why I never noticed it. I have seen drives with solid collars and split collars, but I never noticed 1 with a snap ring to disassemble the individual parts. That picture must be a holdover from earlier years.
You can see the snap ring when I pull the collar against the spring. It's hard to hold back the collar agaist the spring. It might be tricky getting that snap ring off and on.
From: Putnam Valley, New York. Amateur Radio Operator K2NS
Starter Drive
That looks like it would be a bear to remove---You would need 3 hands---2 hands to compress the spring and 1 hand for the snap ring pliers or screwdriver to walk it off.
Just rebuilt a 63 & 64 starter. Both have the spring.
I just got home with a new over running clutch assembly and was happy to see that it was as Ron said complete. Two piece collar, spring and snap ring already installed. So no need to take the old snap ring off. Just slide the old assembly off the shaft.
I did notice that the gear in middle is a little longer. Do you think it makes any difference in the operation of the starter?
You can see the snap ring when I pull the collar against the spring. It's hard to hold back the collar agaist the spring. It might be tricky getting that snap ring off and on.
That retaining ring is part of the starter drive, no need to mess with it unless you are taking the drive apart, rather than replacing it.
The extra length in the gear is of no consequence.
Doug
The wear is on the end of the gear. The new gear will sit in the same spot on the shaft , I think it will be alright.
Yes it will work, no doubt. You will lose about 20% of the gear contact surface with the ring gear however. The new gear is shorter and the engagement shift lever will be in the same position. Would have the same affect as if the pins on the shift lever "stirrup" were well worn.
Yes it will work, no doubt. You will lose about 20% of the gear contact surface with the ring gear however. The new gear is shorter and the engagement shift lever will be in the same position. Would have the same affect as if the pins on the shift lever "stirrup" were well worn.
The shop manual has clearance check between the gear and the snap ring stop on the shaft. 0.010" to 0.140". But I don't understand how to do it. Power up the solenoid so the gear kicks out without the starter motor turning and measure with a feeler gauge between the the gear and snap ring on the shaft?
I had thought the gear would always get pushed out to the snap ring location, and always be in the same spot. But it's looking like I'm mistaken.
This is the part that confuses me. Checking Pinion Clearances, from 1963 GM Shop Manual. Fig. 64. How can you have clearance between the gear and thrust collar (snap ring location) when the gear hits the collar when pushed out? I guess my real question is how do you set up the starter, with the gear in the correct spot to do this feeler gage "pinion clearance check" ?
You can't flip that fork over. It's not symmetrical.
Unless you have too much wear in the fork parts, the gear should not hit the washer.
These starter motors are very forgiving, however, and will work for a while way out of tolerance. It's a matter of how long and what strange wear they cause when not set up in tolerance.
Last edited by pop23235; Apr 12, 2018 at 10:31 PM.
You can't flip that fork over. It's not symmetrical.
Unless you have too much wear in the fork parts, the gear should not hit the washer.
These starter motors are very forgiving, however, and will work for a while way out of tolerance. It's a matter of how long and what strange wear they cause when not set up in tolerance.
I think the shifter lever on the left could be flipped over, but not the one on the right. I'm not sure what years these levers/ drive housings are.
If the tolerances are off on the starter drive, what is the fix? Just install new parts that show no wear acccording to the manual. And this gives you the 0.010" to 0.140" spec. So how do I power up the solenoid to push out the gear with out the starter motor turning? So that I can see if I the gear makes contact with the snap ring retainer or not.
Dave
Last edited by DSR; Apr 14, 2018 at 11:32 AM.
Reason: Info
Starter motor Assist Spring. Some have it and some don't??
