I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 813
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From: death to the southeast
I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm trying to start my car after a complete rebuild but my starter motor won't spin the flywheel. I just finished checking the shims between the block and the starter and the 2 gears are fully aligned. Is it possible that the flywheel is too tight and the starter is having trouble spin it? Maybe I over torqued the bolts to the crank. The only other thing I can think of is that the teeth on the starter are worn and are slipping against the flywheel. Are the starter teeth suposed to be perfetly square? Mine come to a bit of a point, but it seems natural to me. Any other ideas why the flywheel won't turn? :cry
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2000
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From: Semper ubi, sub ubi
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
Re: I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Teuffelhunde)
Have you tried to rotate the engine by hand? Pull the plugs and use a socket on the balancer bolt and try and turn the engine clockwise, it should move without a whole bunch of effort. It won't really easy, but you should be able to turn it over without straining yourself too much.
The teeth on the starter are as you described them, I don't think that is your problem.
What happens when you turn the key? Do the interior lights dim, do you hear anything at all? If no to both of these questions then you probably don't have the starter wired up right, or the fuseable link on the wiring is broken.
Another thing, you should have about 1/16th inch clearance between the teeth on you starter gear and your ring gear on your flywheel.
The teeth on the starter are as you described them, I don't think that is your problem.
What happens when you turn the key? Do the interior lights dim, do you hear anything at all? If no to both of these questions then you probably don't have the starter wired up right, or the fuseable link on the wiring is broken.
Another thing, you should have about 1/16th inch clearance between the teeth on you starter gear and your ring gear on your flywheel.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 813
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From: death to the southeast
Re: I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (patsnitrovette)
yes the starter spins. It hits the flywheel and spins it a tiny bit then just spins and hits against the flywheel. I have already spun the crank by hand and it spins without too miuch effort. I did that when I was setting the distributor to TDC. When I put gas into the carburator the engine fired a little. What now??
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 3,681
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From: Waterford Mi
Re: I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Teuffelhunde)
Check the wires hooked up to the starter. It should not be able to disengage and reengage like that. If the wires are not hooked up right the bendex will not be forced out into the fly wheel. How old is the starter? Sometimes the post can get messed up if the nuts are over tightened.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 813
Likes: 0
From: death to the southeast
Re: I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (redwingvette)
All of the wiring is correct. I got under the car and pulled off the flywheel cover to watch the starter. The bendex comes out and spins but, won't turn the flywheel. It turns it maybe an inch or so then it just spins and makes a clicking sound as the teeth hit the flywheel. There is no damage to any of the teeth though. Could the starter be too weak to spin the flywheel? Another thing I just remembered; when I rebuilt the engine I put a flexplate instead of a flywheel in. How does shimming the starter affect the bendex? Which bolt should be shimmed? How many washers and how thick? Perhaps the bendex isn't close enough to the flywheel. Any help????
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 9,622
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From: absecon nj
Re: I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Teuffelhunde)
Which flexplate did you put back on 153 tooth or the 168 tooth.And what starter do you have in there staright bolt or staggered bolt pattern,2 long bolts or one short and one long?Heres something you want to try to see if it works put a shim on the outside bolt only so it ***** it in towards the flywheel.Loosen both bolts and put a shim under the outside one towards the frame and tighten the inside one first then the outside one and see if it works.
[Modified by patsnitrovette, 9:17 PM 1/19/2003]
[Modified by patsnitrovette, 9:17 PM 1/19/2003]
