The Ford Barn

KCW · 03-28-2025, 12:34 PM

Been having so many issues with my 26 T roadster pickup! Went to start the other day and electric starter locked up. Tried to crank and that was locked up too. Car won’t even roll out of the garage. I read this could be due to a stuck bendix on the electric starter. I removed the Bendix housing and there is a loose piece that seems like it is broken, but I’m not sure. Still can’t get the crank loose either! Photo attached. The ring in the center is loose and spins freely, also wobbling.

Thank you!

rotorwrench · 03-28-2025, 06:09 PM

The car should roll in neutral. There is a possibility of an engine or transmission problem that caused the starter problem. See if it will crank by hand in neutral. Magnet problems on the flywheel is another possibility. Things can happen with these old tech cars after so many years.

KCW · 03-28-2025, 07:16 PM

Oddly enough, the car won’t roll in neutral either. The crank seems stuck and well as the car in general. I found an old thread that attributed this to a starter issue. Hoping that’s all it is! Any other ideas would be most appreciated.

rotorwrench · 03-29-2025, 12:05 PM

Pull the starter first if you haven't already. This will allow the flywheel to turn if nothing else is wrong. Do easy things first. Pull plugs and look in cylinders if you can. The clutch in the transmission is what decouples the drive to allow hand cranking. If it won't turn and it's not the engine then the transmission is the next check. With the hogs head off a person can look in there.

stevests · 03-29-2025, 12:21 PM

You must pull the Bendix drive first - it won't fit past the field coil with it still on the
starter !

Will N · 03-30-2025, 10:52 AM

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If it won't roll when it really is in neutral, you have a problem with your drive shaft or rear end. Maybe it's not really getting into neutral because of a clutch problem? If the clutch is not releasing theoretically you still should be able to roll the car but it would cause the engine to spin over while doing so. I wouldn't force it though because you seem to have a couple of issues with this lock up that may all be interrelated. Stevests is right, you can't remove the starter with the bendix attached. You have to remove the bendix cover and remove the bendix from the starter shaft first.

A bones · 03-30-2025, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KCW

Been having so many issues with my 26 T roadster pickup!

Went to start the other day and electric starter locked up. Tried to crank and that was locked up too. Car won’t even roll out of the garage. I read this could be due to a stuck bendix on the electric starter. I removed the Bendix housing and there is a loose piece that seems like it is broken, but I’m not sure. Still can’t get the crank loose either! Photo attached. The ring in the center is loose and spins freely, also wobbling.

Thank you!

Tell us more about these "Other Problems"
Will N may be onto something

KCW · 04-07-2025, 01:15 PM

Where can I get a new Bendix spring? And are they all the same? I’ve got a 26 T Roadster. Thank you!

J Franklin · 04-07-2025, 02:35 PM

Try Snyder's, All the T springs are the same I think.

03-28-2025, 06:09 PM	#2
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 18,008	Re: Model at stuck Bendix The car should roll in neutral. There is a possibility of an engine or transmission problem that caused the starter problem. See if it will crank by hand in neutral. Magnet problems on the flywheel is another possibility. Things can happen with these old tech cars after so many years.

03-28-2025, 07:16 PM	#3
KCW Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 76	Re: Model at stuck Bendix Oddly enough, the car won’t roll in neutral either. The crank seems stuck and well as the car in general. I found an old thread that attributed this to a starter issue. Hoping that’s all it is! Any other ideas would be most appreciated.

03-29-2025, 12:05 PM	#4
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 18,008	Re: Model at stuck Bendix Pull the starter first if you haven't already. This will allow the flywheel to turn if nothing else is wrong. Do easy things first. Pull plugs and look in cylinders if you can. The clutch in the transmission is what decouples the drive to allow hand cranking. If it won't turn and it's not the engine then the transmission is the next check. With the hogs head off a person can look in there. Last edited by rotorwrench; 03-29-2025 at 12:23 PM.

03-29-2025, 12:21 PM	#5
stevests Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Longbranch, Washington Posts: 683	Re: Model at stuck Bendix You must pull the Bendix drive first - it won't fit past the field coil with it still on the starter !

03-30-2025, 10:52 AM	#6
Will N Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Pennsylvania Posts: 1,336	Re: Model at stuck Bendix Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) If it won't roll when it really is in neutral, you have a problem with your drive shaft or rear end. Maybe it's not really getting into neutral because of a clutch problem? If the clutch is not releasing theoretically you still should be able to roll the car but it would cause the engine to spin over while doing so. I wouldn't force it though because you seem to have a couple of issues with this lock up that may all be interrelated. Stevests is right, you can't remove the starter with the bendix attached. You have to remove the bendix cover and remove the bendix from the starter shaft first.

04-07-2025, 01:15 PM	#8
KCW Member Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 76	Re: Model at stuck Bendix Where can I get a new Bendix spring? And are they all the same? I’ve got a 26 T Roadster. Thank you!

04-07-2025, 02:35 PM	#9
J Franklin Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Oregon Posts: 6,585	Re: Model at stuck Bendix Try Snyder's, All the T springs are the same I think.