starter?

Tried to start the galaxie today and sure enough all I get is a clicking sound form the solenoid. If I turn the motor over by hand I can hear the bendex turning. Is the normal?

Try LIGHTLY tapping on the starter with a SMALL hammer and see if the bendix kicks back out. Then try and start it again.

Also clean your battery cables etc. Mine does that if the battery posts are dirty or not tight. Same with the other connections.

What year is your car, if it's a 64 or older with a big block or 62 and older with a Y block, it uses a bendix starter with an inertia style drive and once the the starter drive engages it will not return to the park position untill the engine starts. Once the engine starts and the drive starts spinning, the inertia force will propel it back to the start position. Sounds like you have a dead battery or bad connection.

NOT NORMAL.

Your bendix is stuck in the out position.

You need to rebuild your starter or get a new one... Simple.

FE, i get that same clicking when my battery cable isn't tight or it's corroded. One of the more irritating sounds is get in all ready to go somewhere and hear that rapid click click click like a card on fast moving bicycle spokes or something without the metallic ting. Can't think of how to describe it. Sometimes I've even gotten smoke from the cable connection.

Of course i get out, twist the cable down on the battery, get in, start it and go instead of doing it the proper way and clean it. Eh, I'll do it when I get back. LOL

Originally Posted by FEandGoingBroke

NOT NORMAL.

Your bendix is stuck in the out position.

You need to rebuild your starter or get a new one... Simple.

NOT SO SIMPLE...IF IT'S A BIG BLOCK, IT'S VERY NORMAL

FE, you ever work on a pre 65 big block starter? If you did you would know that there is no spring to return the starter drive to the pre start position, as I said, once the starter is engaged the drive stays engaged untill the engine fires, the inertia from the spinning ring gear will pop the drive back to the pre start position..and by the way the drive is not stuck in the "out" position it's actually in the "in" position as the drive engages from the rear of the ring gear.

However, if it's a small block then Yes, the starter needs work as this is not normal.

Here's what one looks like stuck in the engaged position
eBay Motors: FORD LONG SHAFT REBUILT STARTER 332-428 MID 50s-60s (item 110265297693 end time Jul-02-08 12:27:15 PDT)

I think you both are digging too deep instead of suggesting the simple things first but at least it's a simple starter problem that doesn't have a lot of different things it could be.

I'm sure with all the suggestions now though, that he will find the problem...whatever it may be.

Originally Posted by chornak

If I turn the motor over by hand I can hear the bendex turning. Is the normal?

Shotrod, I am just answering the question in the first post, not knowing if he has a big or small block, there are two different answers.
1. If the starter drive stays engaged on a small block after an attempt is made to start it, then it is not normal
2. If the starter drive stays engaged on a big block after an attempt has been made to start it, then it is normal and I was trying to explain the difference and the only thing hitting it with a hammer will do is make noise. I don't want to see him replace the starter when it is performing as designed.
Either small block or big block I don't believe the problem is the starter, just getting voltage to it.

Wow. I didn't mean to start a fire storm. I just want to start the Galaxie. HA HA. Anyway, it is a big block, 352 to be exact. I'll get out there tomorrow and check all the connections. Tonight while at work, which is the only time I can think, I remembered the last time I drove the car I stopped at a light and saw some smoke from the passenger side fender. At first I thought maybe some oil got on the manifold because I just put new valve covers on. But maybe my starter cable got too close to the exhaust.