The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts '52 Gmc COE w/ 302, starter engagement problems

Sorry in advance for the long post. I'm having some trouble with the starter on my 302. Being a coe, it has the push button starter. Sometimes, when trying to start the engine, the starter will spin the motor for 1- 1 1/2 revolutions then disengage. You can hear the starter still spinning after it disengages from the engine. Thinking the engine was hitting enough to throw the bendix out I pulled the center wire off the distributor with no change in the action of the starter. I would think that if everything was working the starter should spin the motor continually.
As a matter of background, this truck has been converted to 12v negative ground. I didn't do the conversion so I don't know how the starter was addressed. The starter will also sometimes stick "out" in the engaged position. In researching this on the forums I see that Spanky (the PO) had the same problem. Usually a sharp rap to the starter will jar it lose, but sometimes I have to loosen the bolts to get the starter to disengage. I did remove the starter and oil the bendix per the manual. This helped but did not solve the sticking.
I don't know if the two problems are related to the conversion or not. I do know that when converting to 12 the starter should have been changed and fly wheel band to match. Is there anyway to count the teeth on the starter and the fly wheel band to see if they match. If anyone has any other ideas, I'm all ears.
Scott

If it turns a complete revolution, your tooth count is right. GM starter drives were notorious for doing what you describe. A new starter drive will probably fix it. The starter not disengaging is probably the solenoid.

Crenwelge,
By the starter drive do you mean the gear that engages the fly wheel? I guess a starter shop could replace that, or is that a DIY project that I can get from the parts house?
Scott

If your comfortable taking the starter apart you should have no trouble changing the starter drive. The starter drive is the part that engages the flywheel. Make sure you purchase a good quality drive. While you have it apart check the brushes and bushings in the starter also. Don
If you do a search I think Denny Graham has pictures of his starter when he had it apart and rebuilt it.

Don, I'm always comfortable taking things apart, it's the putting things back together that get dicey sometimes.
Any recomendations on where to find a quality drive gear? Thanks for the info, I'll let y'all know how it goes.
Scott

Ok, in researching this issue a little further I found that a COE starter uses a dual coil solenoid. This replaces the foot lever on the starter on a conventional truck. The solenoid moves a lever on top of the starter to engage it, just like the foot lever. One coil is called the "Pull" coil, that actually pulls the lever back. (Might be "Push" I don't have the repair manual in front of me, but the concept is the same) When the starter energizes it cuts the "Pull" coil off and switches to the "Hold" coil.
I guess it is possible that there is a problem with the "Hold" coil on my starter. If that's the case I'd better take it to the auto electric shop and have the coils looked over and a new drive gear, brushes etc. put on. I need to rig up a remote start button so I can watch all this happen. If the lever moves a little or a lot when disengaging might tell me something... Thinking out loud here...
Any one got any thoughts about this? Thanks,
Scott