6 volt starter - Bendix swap

[calm]

Hi,

UK based. I have a 68 RHD Beetle with a 6 volt electrical system.
My 113911021B Bosch starter motor clicks once or twice before engaging, and so I have been looking at the various options open to me.

The starter is the later 6 volt model, which has a 25mm diameter bendix, and so a 130 teeth flywheel. This is making it more difficult to find a replacement, as all refurbs currently available to me are the earlier 29.5mm bendix version for the 109 teeth flywheel.

Long shot, but does anyone have any experience of swapping the bore and bendix from these two 6 volt starter motor versions? I'm wondering if I can purchase the 29.5mm version and just swap these parts.

To save anyone from making what would be a very good suggestion, before purchasing anything, I will be pulling the starter to clean contacts, check wiring, to polish the surfaces between starter body and solenoid, and starter and transaxle etc in the hope the issue can be resolved, but thought I would put this question out there now in case this doesn't work.

The engine has just been rebuilt, but this had started to happen before the rebuild started, and the rebuild took so long I had completely forgotten about the issue. The 6 volt battery has been replaced with a new one on completion of the engine rebuild and has been tested, so I'm ruling out the battery, at least for the moment!

Any other suggestions welcomed, other than converting to 12v

Thanks.

[Bobs67vwagen]

There is a vendor on the samba classifieds named wayne s johnson who builds hybrid starters. He should be able to answer all your questions as to what you need to do to get this to work. The 12 volt flywheel is 130 teeth. I wonder if you have a standard 12 volt flywheel?

[OldSchoolVW's]

Have you tried bypassing the ignition switch by running a jumper between the 30 and 50 terminals at the starter? Just to be sure the ignition switch isn't the culprit.
_________________
Tom

"Following distance is proportional to IQ."

"It's okay to think."

"If you don't do it this year, you'll be one year older when you do." Warren Miller

'63 Beetle Sedan
'69 Beetle Sunroof
'70 Beetle Sedan
'73 Type 3 Fastback

[calm]

Thanks Bob, I may just reach out to Wayne if I can't get anywhere with this.

Thanks Tom. I tried bypassing it today with the same results - one or two clicks before the gear engaged. I've removed the starter and cleaned the surfaces but have not had a chance to refit and test. I'll update once I have, though will probably now be next weekend.

To add to the details above, here are the part numbers I can find on the starter -

Starter Motor:
VW 113 911 021B
Bosch 0 001 207 001 005 / EF 6V 0,5 P S

Solenoid:
Bosch 0 331 / 302004 / 6v

Gear Drive:
Bosch 2 006 209 161 (Bendix 9 teeth, 25.3mm OD, 11mm ID)

All my searches indicate that the 6v starter, with the smaller drive gear, should be VW part number 113 911 021E, but as you can see from the photo above, this is not the case. Possibly VW just using old stock starter housings???

[OldSchoolVW's]