Yesterday my 34 Ford with french flathead was not starting anymore despite turning starter. I thought the Bendix has grenaded as it is a 6Volt starter running on 12V - not so as when I removed the starter I found the ring gear had left the flywheel. The ford starter is very violent when run with 12V so in the course of two years and 5000km the Bendix hammered the ring gear slowly off the flywheel, away from the shoulder. So I worked through the starter hole of the pan and drilled/threaded the ring gear and flywheel for a setscrew to hold the ring near the flange. Turned the engine with the wheels in 4th gear, plugs removed and was able to drill the next hole - 16 teeth from the first so 7 screws are equally spaced. Insert screw and tightened a bit. With a strong torch I heated the gear through the hole and started to give it a couple hits with a hammer. Was able to turn further and drill the next hole, insert screw, tighten and so on. Every time I heated I turned tooth after tooth and gave it some hits. Finally it jumped back onto the flywheel and I could turn and heat, hit it, turn and heat, hit it and was able to push the ring gear completely back to the shoulder where it once was. Now those 7 setscrews were inserted with Loctite and a 12V Powermaster starter fitted - this has no pulling effect on the ring gear so I hope the problem is fixed for now. Tomorrow I will find out if everything works - keep fingers crossed.
Great idea. Man that’s a lot of patience. I’d still be hooking up the driveshaft after pulling it off the replace it. How much time did it take?
Not much time needed, I started work this afternoon at 3 and was finished with everything at 8.30, had a break walking the dog and get a cup of coffee in between so probably did not need more than 3 hours to do it. The only other option would have been to pull engine and gearbox and pull the pan to get access to the flywheel. This would take me at least two days of hard work and a lot more screws to undo... As it is raining I did not want to start the car so tomorrow the forecast is sunny and I will try if it works as desired. Tack welds would not work as ring gear is steel and flywheel is cast iron.
One stick of Ni-rod will be enough for a few tacks, if you want to do that.. It will bond steel to cast. You won't want to buy much extra when you see the price.
Put some magnet on the clutch compartment of the oilpan to hold any swarf inside until I take the engine out. Weather improved, started the engine this afternoon(the new starter sounds different than the old one). Went for a ride to see my buddy who helped to shove the car into the workshop yesterday. He could not believe that it is running again ;-) No funny noises - everything works as before - so I am happy and look forward to put the supercharged engine in when the snow falls.
The Jalopy Journal
