66 Manual Starter Broken Nose Cone

[66CorsaConv]

The 66 starter removal is so much easier than my 64 PG ever was. However, the broken nose cone on the starter has me worried about "loose rivets" from what I have read on other threads here.

I have had this car for 9 years and usually when hot the starter would often not engage and make lots of noise. Then on a re-try it would engage and spin. When it was spinning the sound seemed loud and it changed as the ring gear rotated.

I had been hoping that since it lasted 9 years that it might go another 2 until I take it home and remove the whole rear powertrain and suspension for major refurbish and show clean up.

I put a red mark on a couple teeth and used a pry tool to inspect all of them. 2 are damaged beyond the obvious places where the drive gear was not engaging so many times.

As I rotated the ring gear I did not notice any movement other than rotation. If the rivets get loose, can you tell by external poking and prodding?

Timing mark to know when it went once around

From the experience of many of you others here, should I just pack it up and trailer it home now, or chance a couple more years of 200 miles per year until I'm actually ready?

Worst teeth

The nose cone has what appears to be polished contact points. Could it have been cracked and moving all these years? Or is out-of-round ring gear more likely? The "Bendix" drive gear teeth, bushing, and starter shaft appear in real good shape. I expected the drive gear to be toast.

Ideas?

[terribleted]

The starter nose may have been partially broken for a long time causing noise and your noted issues. You may indeed have a loose flywheel...in fact if it has not been changed to a bolted or other improved unit you pretty much for sure have a loose flywheel. Is it loose enough to cause your issues? Maybe? You will not be able to tell looseness in the flywheel by any manipulation that I know of in the car even if it was very bad. The test is with it out of the car and supported on a steel rod or wire or something similar you rap it with a hammer and it should ring like a bell not just go thunk. Every original flywheel I have removed in many years goes thunk with no ring whatever. Your ring gear teeth look a bit rough but might get you by for a bit. The only way to tell is to put another good starter nose in there, operate it and see what happens. Might fail or might last quite a long time?

[64powerglide]

That bendix gear is bad, as long as you are replacing the nose cone put a new drive gear in. A new one is less than $20.00.

[64powerglide]

It might get you by for quite some time.

[66CorsaConv]

Thanks. I like the out of vehicle test idea. I may put a nose cone and "Bendix" in it and try for another season. Got some major home things to get off my plate first.

[66CorsaConv]

That bendix gear is bad, as long as you are replacing the nose cone put a new drive gear in. A new one is less than $20.00.

The gear teeth don't look that bad but now that you mention, the internal sprag clutch in it may be bad.

About $40 for both parts and maybe a season or two before I pull everything. Synchros in trans weak. Shifter shaft leaks. New clutch and total flywheel check out. Replace the missing sheet metal on lower to get some heat. New exhaust manifolds ( brazed ). New heater hoses. Check all suspension and brakes.

And then a 4-wheel alignment and new ( good ) tires and wheels. I want to play not swim down the road.