Bendix issue
 

My T has a fairly new engine. It was run enough last summer to be at the point it was starting pretty easy, and running very well. As of late, since just before Christmas, every time then I try to start it, as soon as the engine shows some life it kicks the Bendix out, before it will actually start. At first I thought it might be the timing, but I have spent hours messing with the timing, advancing, and retarding all with the same result. It was suggested I increase the needle mixture on the carburetor, no change. I replace the Bendix spring with a new unused replacement, no change. The Bendix spring I took out was fine, I must have replaced it when the engine was apart. The engine is a 26/27 block (no serial number) with a Z head, Texas T distributor, and Chaffin Traveler cam. What am I missing here? Is it a sarter issue?

Re: Bendix issue
 

6 volt?

Re: Bendix issue
 

yes 6 volt

Re: Bendix issue
 

Check timing again.

Re: Bendix issue
 

If you are near someone with a spare starter, it would take a couple minutes to put it in to see if it will work. Is the transmission completely free, can you crank it easily by hand?

Re: Bendix issue
 

Jack, the car was running fine before, so the firing order, distributor/rotor location are already verified by default. I have set it to what I think is TDC, 15 degrees past the pin being perpendicular to the engine / parrallel to the ground so many times, I have had to be right on a least once. I have advanced it from that position just an nth to over and over until where it obviously is way out, of time, and done the same retarding it, in the hopes I would hit the sweet spot. I marked the rotor position with a flair on a piece of masking tape on the rim of the distributor so I can gauge how much I have moved it each time. I have done it so many times over the past 3 weeks, it cannot be timing, by dumb luck if nothing els I would have found it, but I have gone by the book starting over each time. I even took the distributor off and turned it a tooth ot two on the gear to insure the rotor was hitting the contact on the cap dead on square.
Sunnybrook, the engine turns easy by hand, and yes the transmission is free, and in free neutral. That was my next thought to swap starter motors. The one I am using came with the car, and I have no history on it. It sounds the same, but you are correct it is worth a try
thanks for your responses and input

Re: Bendix issue
 

Just keep eliminating things, the only distributor I have messed with is on a model A so I am not much help with that other than I have not had one cause this type of problem no matter how I had it timed. What took place after the last successful start might give a clue if you can remember that far back. Could there be a wire pulled loose but not disconnected?