Possible causes for damaged Flywheel Teeth??
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 631
Likes: 41
From: Tampa FL
Possible causes for damaged Flywheel Teeth??
I need to put in a new flywheel as it has some damaged teeth and has torn up 2 starters now...
Long story short my C3 has been out of my possession for a month as I moved from VA to FL.
When I left it a month ago, started right up - no signs, symptoms, or problems.
When I got it back, starter was toast.
If I can prove that "somebody" did "something" I might be able to get recourse through the shipper's insurance co. Theyve already sent me the claim form.
Is there any reason why this may have happened? The battery was low so from sitting it could have needed jumping (and excessive starting??)
But I dont think excessive starting could damage flywheel teeth.
Is is normal to have this happen with no warning signs?
The car was not driven during its time away from me according to the ODO so I dont know if there is anything anyone did, or just bad luck while the car sat at a shipyard.
Thanks for any input...
Long story short my C3 has been out of my possession for a month as I moved from VA to FL.
When I left it a month ago, started right up - no signs, symptoms, or problems.
When I got it back, starter was toast.
If I can prove that "somebody" did "something" I might be able to get recourse through the shipper's insurance co. Theyve already sent me the claim form.
Is there any reason why this may have happened? The battery was low so from sitting it could have needed jumping (and excessive starting??)
But I dont think excessive starting could damage flywheel teeth.
Is is normal to have this happen with no warning signs?
The car was not driven during its time away from me according to the ODO so I dont know if there is anything anyone did, or just bad luck while the car sat at a shipyard.
Thanks for any input...
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
Likes: 12
From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Originally Posted by UKPaul
Incorrect starter clearance?
The distance from the flywheel to the starter is often off. A proper clearanced starter when power is applied moves forward, engages the flywheel and then starts to turn.A starter sitting too far back starts to spin before engaging and rams into the teeth. That starter also only makes partial contact, doesn't pass all the way through the ring gear and only wears part of the tooth.
Check your ring gear and see if only part of the teeth are chewed up? The front towards the starter could be totally shot and yet the back part of the tooth is like new.
This means the starter is too far back from the flywheel.
I had to make modifications to mine to get full engagement.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 631
Likes: 41
From: Tampa FL
Thanks guys - my question is what could have "all of a sudden" caused this? Been workin fine for years.
Could it have happened during shipping? Could a bump in the road cause the gear or shim or whatever to shift ever so slightly?
Could it have happened during shipping? Could a bump in the road cause the gear or shim or whatever to shift ever so slightly?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 8,351
Likes: 75
From: Tampa Bay FL
Similar experience related by a buddy that had his '65 Impala SS Convertible in a body shop for nearly 20 years. Makes me want to share. Over the course of time, parts 'dissappeared' including the starter. Somebody installed a starter but included only one of the attaching bolts. So, when they started the car to move it from one side of the shop to another, they chewed up the flywheel in one particular spot since the starter was 'crooked' and sat and chewed the teeth off in one place. He has his car now and can't start it unless he turns the flywheel past the bad spot and then gets it started before it turns back to the bad spot. He has to pull the trans at some point and replace the bad flywheel.
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 228
Likes: 0
From: Colorado Springs CO
Turning the key to 'start the vehicle' when it is already running will also cause this. Ever been sitting in line at the bank and thought you turned the engine off, only to hear that gut wrenching sound when you turn the key? That's what does it... It will chew two or three teeth off at a time, not to mention tear up the bendix. However, the flywheel usually takes most of the damage. 
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