Starter/Bendix Stuck in Flex plate issue. M998 1988

HMMWV M988 1988 w/ 6.2 NA
Started the truck one day, drove it a couple miles, parked it.
Went out to start it and as soon as I turn the ignition to run, I hear sparks flying / arcing.

I crawl under the truck and see the Negative terminal on the Starter is MELTED OFF. (original HMMWV starter, not a civvy)
I remove the dust cover on the bell housing and see the Bendix is stuck in the flex plate. So....it never retracted after starting last time and I drove it around like that, burning up the starter.


I now have a newly rebuilt starter and now the truck wont start and my KDS Smart start box isnt cycling the glow plugs as it should. Wait light comes on for a few seconds, and I can hear clicking coming from under the dash.

I tried cranking the engine a few times with no luck. Didnt start... a few hours go by and I get back to working on it.

I thought I smelled something electrical cooking, looked around thinking something was in the burn barrel outside was stinking the place up - wrong.
I go back under the truck and the bendix is stuck in the flex plate again! and the starter is pretty warm, and the solenoid HOT. I could hear a hissing sound coming from what I believe was the solenoid... removed the batteries as fast as i could, but it had been I sure hope I didn't just cook a $600 starter.... FML...

I do have a shim on the starter FYI, maybe I should remove it? This sucks.

If I burned up the starter, anyone know how much parts cost to rebuild one? I do have 2 cores now I guess....

This site has been a wealth of info, thanks for the help.

JMF20 said:

............. I go back under the truck and the bendix is stuck in the flex plate again!

Click to expand...

If the engine did not fire after cranking the bendix may remain engaged in the flex plate. Not a problem, since it will retract as soon as the engine starts, next time.


Read this post and further down to #44

gringeltaube said:

If the engine did not fire after cranking the bendix may remain engaged in the flex plate. Not a problem, since it will retract as soon as the engine starts, next time.


Read this post and further down to #44

Click to expand...

That’s normal huh?
Doesn’t explain Why the first starters Bendix stuck in the flex plate and never disengaged. Hence why it burned up I assume?


So I wonder why the solenoid was making noise and it was so hot after cranking hours before.
Is it possible that the KDS “smart start” box kept sending voltage to the starter even though ignition was off and starter was not cranking?

I just had a friend experience the exact same thing. The control boxes use cheap Chinesium relays that tend to weld closed keeping the starter engaged. It's discouraging to see garbage used in military products that lives depend on. He replaced them with some better quality Japanese relays and was on the road again.

Here's a link to his post on G503: https://forums.g503.com/viewtopic.php?f=63&t=316935

You need to take a hard look at the flex plate itself, just replacing the starter does not fix a chewed up flex plate from a previously bad starter. Also can’t speak to the quality of so called “rebuilt“ starter.
your path to salvation is going to be time consuming and expensive as it relates to probable electrical damage.