so when i turn the key, all i get is a whirling noise... which i reckon is the starter motor doing its job - raa guy said it was the starter motor that was the problem... anyway got starter motor reconditioned and popped her back in...
does the same thing...
like i cant even hear the contact between the two of them, so does that mean the ring gear is chewed or the starter motor isnt working properly still?

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65 deluxe - Matilda

could be not enough power in your battery?

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67' Matic
73' S

I have spun the ring gear in one of my other cars being stupid. I doubt it would spin on a mini, so I am guessing the teeth are just chewed. Take the starter motor off and have a peek inside.

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nah new battery and jumpstarting her doesnt work

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65 deluxe - Matilda

i did that, and from my very little ring gear experience, didnt think it was too bad..
do you have to take the entire clutch housing off to get at it properly?

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65 deluxe - Matilda

It's the bendix on the end of the starter is stuck with crud, or broken.
No need to pull the cover, just disconnect starter undo its 2 bolts and remove.
If bendix is sticky spray it with degreaser, let dry and blow a bit of graphite powder into the splines.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

You beat me to this one Kev. Many people get confused when this happens especially on a Mini. They always jump to the conclusion it is the ring gear. What I alwasy find is Clutch dust deposits on the bendix splines or a broken bendix itself which jam it up and therefor starter gear does not travel on the shaft to engage with the ring gear teeth. Removal of the starter motor and washing the shaft with Kero and dryingb it up normally fixes it. One of my theories is never to use and kind of lubricants on the gear movement as it helps to accumulate and trap such dust. While you have the starter out it might pay to put a couple of drops of oil in the drive end bush with the starter standing shaft up and if bush looks to be worn... replace it.

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DID I MENTION THAT I AM THE BEST SUPPLIER FOR MINI ELECTRICAL PARTS AND REPAIRS?
"Let us remove your "SHORTS"

thanks guys... but i literally a week ago had the starter motor recond'd and they relubed it all...
and last night i thought that i'd try putting both the washers inbetween the block and the starter instead of to the right of the starter
for some reason this worked
but im not sure if its just a dodgy quick fix?

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65 deluxe - Matilda

That could be the problem , the bendix is supposed to be dry , not oiled . Oil or grease can gum the mechanism up making it not spin back far enough to engage . As the doc mentioned earlier , powdered graphite is the go .

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ahk thanks
just to make sure im putting this graphite under the bendix gear on its track?

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65 deluxe - Matilda

It's as Doc and Covertible menti9oned above, your bendix gear was jammed and not sliding along. If it's not engaging and making a racket, then it's the bendix gear. I guess when you removed it you've jarred it back into working again.
Best not to lube it up with grease as it doesn't suit the application. The mini starters slide out and in to engage the flywheel very seldomly(once per engine start), so repetitive wear isn't a big issue. Greasing up the bendix slide and spring attracts dirt and crud and will cause it to jam up (like it did for you this time). It's only the initial inertia of the starter motor spinning up that forces it out against the bendix spring on the shaft to engage the flywheel. Modern starters have a solenoid to throw this out instead (hence the piggyback design of the modern starters).
Graphite is a dry lubricant and doesn't attract dirt and grease and will stop it from jamming up. I would wash it out with degreaser and then let it dry before puffing some graphite lube in.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Or if all else fails I can sell you either one of my super Bosch Planetary geared Mini starters or a Gemini one. Then forget about that sort of problem.

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DID I MENTION THAT I AM THE BEST SUPPLIER FOR MINI ELECTRICAL PARTS AND REPAIRS?
"Let us remove your "SHORTS"

and yeah, that's dodgy - the starter will flop around and probably break the clutch housing

when you've got the starter out, put it on the floor, and make it work with some jumper leads to your battery

connect the -'ve to the bolt flange and touch the +'ve to the electrode - but put your foot on it because they jump - you can see how the bendix operates.

Worth doing to see how it all works, because it's not easy to make sense of, and therefore be able to fix, without actually seeing it in operation

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did I tell you that I won a trophy?

well that sucks...

so degrease the bendix like crazy... then blow graphite on it? and by on i mean on the track it follows

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65 deluxe - Matilda

In and around the bendix, not enough that it can blow off into the clutch , but enough to coat the slide.

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.