Got to watch the small stuff!

[Gary Boutwell]

Working on 595 since I got the projects in the shop completed.

Retorqued the rods caps to 16 lbs and the main caps to 55 lbs.
Installed the oil pick up and replaced the oil pan.

Then engine is now ready to go, except for the flywheel, clutch and pressure plate.
When examining the ring gear, I noted there appeared to be some extra ware. Got out another one for comparison.



Sure enough, a lot of ware. Here is a closeup:



The original ring gear is on top. It is the one with part number ending in R1. The other is a newer one. As you can see the starter bendix engaging the ring gear over 62 years has really cut groves that ordinarily don't belong on this ring.

Decide to take it off the flywheel and turn it around. This is pretty common for old Chevy engines.
Beat the ring off with brass drift and medium hammer.

The ring is camphored on the inside to make pressing it on the flywheel easier.
Cut a new camphor with my 4" angle grinder, did a pretty decent job.

Now for the hard part, reinstalling the ring on the flywheel.
Think I am going to heat it up, put it in the press and give it a shove!.

Here is the flywheel without the ring.



If I can get the original ring back on the original flywheel, I will use it, otherwise to plan B--the flywheel used for comparison.

Wish me good luck!

[Virginia Mike]

Heat it up with a torch, it should drop right on.

[Rick Prentice]

has really cut groves that ordinarily don't belong on this ring

The R1 gear was cut that way from the tooling they used. Usually they cut a small angle on the gear teeth to give the starter some help meshing with the ring teeth. If you turn the ring around and the teeth are squared off, you may encounter some difficulties until the starter rounds off the sharper edges. You can kinda see where the starter teeth mesh with the ring teeth on both rings you have. It's only the outer portion of the teeth where they're rounded. Best of luck to you. Show us pics after you reverse the gear.

Rick

[Gary Boutwell]

has really cut groves that ordinarily don't belong on this ring

The R1 gear was cut that way from the tooling they used.
Rick

Rick, Just to clarify this point. Was that extra grove cut into the ring on purpose?
It looked to me (this is the first old one I have seen) that it was worn by the bendix gear.

If it is supposed to be there, I will just put it back together and not worry about it.

[Pony Master]

Does that flywheel have a chunk missing out of it? Has it been broken?

[Gary Boutwell]

Does that flywheel have a chunk missing out of it? Has it been broken?

Not that I can tell. What prompted the question? Do you see something that I missed?
Now I am really worried!

[Donny M]

Gary,
In the first picture there appears to be a semi-square section missing at about 11 "O" clock, could be the photo.

[Gary Boutwell]

Donnie,

That is in the casting. Its that way on both sides.
The flywheel in the photo is the late model.
Both the old and new flywheels are the same way.

[John *.?-!.* cub owner]

Donny, my flywheel has that piece missing also, as well as a matching one on the opposite side. made that way.

Gary, the engine stops 95% of the time at one of 2 points opposite each other, due to engine compression. Practically all the wear will occur in those 2 places form the Bendix slamming into the flywheel at those 2 places. To tell how bad the wear is, look all around the ring gear, for the 2 worn spots. The wear spots will look like the beveled edge of the ring gear has been beaten off. If you marked how it was originally installed, rotate it 1/4 turn before reinstalling. I have repaired worn ones with an angle grinder by simply regrinding the angel. I have even done it on an H with a chainsaw file, but that is a hassle. I have also done it on an assembled cub using a Dremel with an angle head.

[Donny M]

Thanks, Gary I never seen one like that. Looks rather cobbled.

[Lurker Carl]

This is what I first thought you were referring to!

[Gary Boutwell]

This is what I first thought you were referring to!

That hole and one just like it on the opposite side is supposed to be there.
Casting holes!

What I am concerned about are the extra groves on the face of the ring gear.

[Matt Kirsch]

Gary, take a look at those extra grooves. They're too regular, and they appear to be exactly the same all the way around the ring gear.

I am sure that they are supposed to be there, as Rick Prentice stated earlier.

Ring gears wear in one or two spots only, not evenly all the way around like that. The engine tends to stop in one or two different spots due to the compression of the cylinders, so the ring gear is always chewing away at those one or two different spots.

Put it back on and use it. I am sure it's correct that way.

The ring gear looks practically brand new.

[Jim Becker]

These grooves are nothing. The Bendix can't even touch that part of the ring gear.

[Donny M]

Gary,
Those grooves you circled are too similar in size and shape. Are they completely around the ring gear Looks to me like they are too perfectly matched to be wear.