Changing the pinion gear on a mini starter - help...

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shoedoos
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Changing the pinion gear on a mini starter - help...

Post by shoedoos »

Replacing a chewed up starter gear on a Proform/Hitachi style mini starter (Chevy). Disassembled the unit, had to press the cup away from the round wire clip that holds it all together.

Now putting it back and can't figure a way to seat the wire clip inside the cup and machined groove on the new starter pinion. Anybody that has done this before got tips for me?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/402900668397?e ... Bw&vxp=mtr
https://www.ebay.com/itm/231439103832
BCjohnny
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Re: Changing the pinion gear on a mini starter - help...

Post by BCjohnny »

Don't overexpand the wire clip

If you're careful you can pinch the clip in a bit tighter back into the groove with a vice or pliers if needed

With a blunted screwdriver knock the collar down over the clip 180 degs away from the gap

The collar will now sit at an angle and can be fully seated with a sharp tap t'other side
shoedoos
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Re: Changing the pinion gear on a mini starter - help...

Post by shoedoos »

Looks like I am not the only one to have experienced this pain....

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10842
shoedoos
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Re: Changing the pinion gear on a mini starter - help...

Post by shoedoos »

BCjohnny, I have tried all manner of ways to get this clip inside the cup.....yes, I have attempted your tips, unfortunately they haven't worked....thus far....
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Re: Changing the pinion gear on a mini starter - help...

Post by BCjohnny »

Well .... I don't know then ........

As the designer and manufacturer of a range of geared performance starters based on the Hitachi design 30+ years ago, I've personally installed hundreds of these clips, for my sins ....... my staff literally thousands

The process takes less than ten seconds with simply hand tools, although as with many things there is a knack, and a blunted screwdriver (preferably 'hammer through') is a must to avoid nicking the pinion shaft


Ok try this :

If you don't get the ends of the circlip 'tight' enough in before installing on the pinion shaft ...... I did say previously don't splay them too much ......

Once you've knocked the collar over the circlip 180 degs away from the gap ...... and as it's sitting at an angle 'half on' ........ a 'sharp' tap is needed as said, anything less and it won't seat, so don't be shy

Get some high leverage pliers, that you can exert some reasonable pressure through, move the return spring back slightly so you can get one plier jaw on the back side of the collar and pinch the circlip ends into the gap between the collar and recess on the shaft with the other jaw

Works every time with OE parts ...... if you've got out of tolerance aftermarket junk it may be more of a faff
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Re: Changing the pinion gear on a mini starter - help...

Post by BCjohnny »

Works every time with OE parts ...... if you've got out of tolerance aftermarket junk it may be more of a faff
Update :

For my sins I've been tasked with overhauling/modifying a few of these recently ..... mostly legacy customers ...... and over the course of the last few months it's clear that with certain aftermarket copies, successful re-installation of the clip requires getting creative

Basically the spring retaining collar has an internal lip that needs enlarging in ID somewhat to get it back over the clip and locked into place, around 10-15 thou gets it done ...... how you would do this is really non-critical, up to a point

As these particular copies come out of the factory with more clip/collar interference, around three or four times that of the OE Hitachi machine which can often initially be pushed off with mere hand pressure, the only logical conclusion is that this is designed in to stymie simple repairs

Otherwise the quality of the 'copies' generally is really quite impressive, not far off that of the OE unit and in some ways even improved, although they continue to plagued by detail and build issues which cause premature failure, as is often the case with a lot of CN product .......
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