Locked starter question....
 

So I have heard of this happening before many times and I have seen posts about it here on the barn a lot of times, (locked up starter).

Went to get a load wood today, pulled up to the scale house shut off the engine and could not get it restarted a few minutes later. Engine was locked up solid.

So I loosened the bolts that hold the starter in and got a short tow in order to let the clutch out and get the engine freed up. It worked, hit the button and it started fine. Tightened up the starter and used it like normal the rest of the day.

What causes this and why does it seem to affect old flatheads more than others?

thanks guys.

Re: Locked starter question....
 

If you had NOS starter, FW ring gear, and drive it wouldn't do that. Then things get worn and loose and that is when trouble starts.

Re: Locked starter question....
 

Worn ring gear; worn Bendix; Loose mounting bolts; and the thing that gets it all started is missing forward pan strap. Not the correct part name, but what it is is a short strap between the inboard starter mount bolt and the nearest pan mount bolt. The purpose of this important little gem is to prevent the starter from torquing itself away from solid contact with the ring gear. It was not used on early V8's, coming into use maybe around 1940? and continuing through the remaining years of the flathead.

Re: Locked starter question....
 

Hmm, I have an N.O.S starter, new ring gear and the small strap thing that holds the starter up and the bolts were tight.

Re: Locked starter question....
 

Easier way to unlock it is to put it in 2nd or 3rd and rock the car. you will hear it pop loose.

Re: Locked starter question....
 

I have seen modern production ring gears that do not have much of a chamfer, and same for bendixes---Ford would label them "GYP" parts----the jamming could have bent the starter shaft too

when there is not enough chamfer---or it is worn off either bendix and ring gear they can meet on the flat and jam