Nikki,
Sounds like the "Bendix drive", that big old screwie looking thing hanging
off the front end of the starter (buried in the bellhousing) is sticking.
The only real cure is to take the starter off and clean the scroll drive
and mating drive gear, and lubricate with a DRY type of lubrication, if you
use any lube at all. If you use oil it will eventually gum up and stick
again. These starters work by throwing or flinging the drive gear into the
flywheel ring gear, via the scroll drive, when the starter motor starts to
spin, using the inertia of the stationary drive gear to cause this to
happen. If the surface of the scroll is gummed up, then there is too much
friction for the mass of the gear to overcome and just spins on the shaft
without being shoved into the ring gear and turning the engine over. The
solenoid, in this case is really just a large capacity, or high current
relay ([really big] electro/mechanical switch) to handle the current for
the starter motor. On some starters (not Spitfires) the solenoid, as well
as being the relay, are actually true solenoids that pull an operating
lever which engages the starter drive gear into the flywheel ring gear
(hence the name solenoid)
Barry Schwartz (San Diego) bschwart@pacbell.net
72 V6 Spitfire (daily driver)
70 GT6+ (when I don't drive the Spit)
70 Spitfire (project)
73 Ford Courier (parts hauler, rain vehicle, getting a V6 soon!)
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