Possible causes for damaged Flywheel Teeth??

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Jan 25, 2006 | 12:36 AM

mike229

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...

Jan 25, 2006 | 04:56 AM

UKPaul

Safety Car

Joined: May 2001

Posts: 3,758

Likes: 3

From: Surrey

Incorrect starter clearance?

Jan 25, 2006 | 06:25 AM

fl_rider

Drifting

Joined: Mar 2005

Posts: 1,806

Likes: 3

From: Burlington WI

Bad bendix (Not fully engaging)

Jan 25, 2006 | 07:08 AM

StickShiftCorvette

Drifting

Joined: Dec 2004

Posts: 1,345

Likes: 3

Quote:

Originally Posted by UKPaul

Incorrect starter clearance?

I'd bet the starter was installed without shims and your combintion of parts needed them.

Jan 25, 2006 | 08:51 AM

norvalwilhelm

Race Director

Joined: Nov 2000

Posts: 11,872

Likes: 12

From: Waterloo ontario Canada

Quote:

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.

Jan 25, 2006 | 09:49 AM

mike229

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?

Jan 25, 2006 | 10:04 AM

TedH

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.

Jan 25, 2006 | 10:38 AM

jbierschwale

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.