starter noise, does the bendix stay engaged ?

[tow hook]

as i'm getting my 3b ready to fire my engine for the first time, i was cranking the engine by hand to prime the oil pump. and i heard these gears noises. after pulling the starter and turning the engine by hand again, i knew it was the starter was engaged to the fly wheel . why would the bendix stay out ? i have lubed it well, even got a new one. it's in the out ward poss. as well.  all the starters i ever saw the bendix retracted. what i am i missing ? thanks ( fyi : the engine has never run, so i have no clue as to what i should be hearing )

the bendix that i got, cause i thought mine was bad.

https://www.kaiserwillys.com/vehicle/53-64-cj-3b/electrical/starter-motors-parts/bendix-drive-gears-parts/starter-motor-drive-bendix-fits-53-71-cj-3b-5-with-key-start

thanks, hope to have this running soon.

[Bruce_W]

If you turned the drive when you installed it, or during starter installation, or if you cranked the engine with the starter without actually running it, the drive would be extended. You cannot make it retract, it takes the force of the engine to make it retract. As soon as you start the engine, the drive will retract. BW

[tow hook]

If you turned the drive when you installed it, or during starter installation, or if you cranked the engine with the starter without actually running it, the drive would be extended. You cannot make it retract, it takes the force of the engine to make it retract. As soon as you start the engine, the drive will retract. BW

thanks, i though i was loosing my mind.

[SteveKfl]

I'm certainly not as experienced with Willys as BW and all the rest, but from my other engine experiences, I'm confused why you couldn't just bump the engine in counter rotation direction via in gear rocking the vehicle, or turning the crank backwards, to take the "friction/pressure" off of the drive/flywheel engagement to allow the Bendix spring to retract the gear?  Is the alignment too tight possibly, or the drive set too deep?  Does Bendix engage and retract smoothly off of the engine?  Just suggestions I would check for before "starting the engine" and possibly finding a "starter drag" while running, but that may be just my thinking with only my one time Willys experience.  I installed a "Landrover gear reduction starter" on my L-Head that required some "fine adjustments" with the spacer plate to smooth the operation.  Just offering 'food for thought'.  Good Luck!

[Bruce_W]

SteveKfl asked: “ Does Bendix engage and retract smoothly off of the engine?”

  It should, and probably did move smoothly to the engaged position, but once there it is held there by a spring-loaded detent that is intended to keep the drive engaged during cranking. It takes more force than you can exert on it to override that detent and allow the drive to return to the retracted position. BW

[stony]

Hey Tow Hook:  Here you go.  That is a “flow through drive” and locks in the extended position until the engine starts.  Looks like it is working the way it should.

[tow hook]

thanks for all the help