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Twice over the last couple of years the last time being yesterday the Bendex jammed against the flywheel and locked up and froze the starter. The first time it happened I had to remove the starter, this last time it happened I rocked the car slightly in third gear and it let loose at which time the starter worked. What is the best way to fix this problem before I ruin the ring gear.

Thanks
Darlene and Stan

Has the car been converted to 12-volt? If so, I'd convert it back as ultimately damage to the starter and ring gear will almost certainly happen. If not, I'd remove the starter motor and check the drive.

are the gears jamming together somehow (misalignment) or is the bendix sticking and not retracting after a start attempt?

check your starter shaft that the bendix rides on for contaminants, if there is an oil leak or dirt in there that can cause the bendix to stick engaged. Clean the shaft well and lubricate with silicone spray only, any oil will attract dirt.

also make sure there are no nicks that could catch, or that the bendix is worn so it can get cocked on the shaft.

starter was checked out after the first time this happened. Car has been started many times before this happened again.I will pull starter and have it checked out again.

Thanks
Dar & Stan

You didn't mention if the car has been converted to 12v. If so rather than convert the whole car back, when you have the starter checked out inquire about converting the starter to 12v. It can be done. As Owen mentioned, there have been several instances reported in the last year where the increased torque and speed of the 12v operation on the stock 6v starter has jammed the starter or worse, cracked or broke the nose of the casting.

I don't know if starters that early could have had the Bendix replaced with the anti-kickback type introduced in the early 50s but I know Packard issued a bulletin on retrofitting some earlier starters if owners complained or problems of false starts occurred.

If it has been retrofitted and the car does false start or the starter disengages before the real start can spin the Bendix fast enough to generate the centrifugal force to get the pinion back and kickback pin set properly in its detent, the pinion can wander out of the park position. Conceivably it could jam in the ring gear. Usually it is accompanied by a horrible noise as the gears grate together but I suppose if the conditions were right it could just jam and little noise be generated.

G'day Darlene and Stan,
See you've been a PackardInfo member for some time but first posts, so

Can't help with the starter problem but I invite you to include your '41 110 in the Packard Owner's Registry. Always like to see more '41's there!