Starter gear misalignment

[old guys rule]

Has anyone out there had to deal wet bellhousing run-out causing starter drive gear/flywheel gear grinding?

 

[66chargerpat]

No I have not. Hopefully someone will chime in.
Best of luck. bump

 

[blue69runner]

What type car and transmission are you running. Do you have the dust plate in.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Assuming you have a manual trans. Scattershields can easily be off. If you have stock housing the nose of starter locates starter somethings wrong. A little more info on changes that have been done.

 

[old guys rule]

Assuming you have a manual trans. Scattershields can easily be off. If you have stock housing the nose of starter locates starter somethings wrong. A little more info on changes that have been done.

Assuming you have a manual trans. Scattershields can easily be off. If you have stock housing the nose of starter locates starter somethings wrong. A little more info on changes that have been done.

69 440 w/4sp alum. od and alum. Keisler bell in 63 B body. Dust shield on. 11" clutch. 172 tooth flywheel.

 

[Fran Blacker]

A GUESS the flywheel and bellhousing aren't compatible. Surprised one else has chimed in. Is starter running into flywheel or is it meshing with to much clearance?

 

[RussT Plymouths]

I had an issue with a mis-cut starter ring gear years ago when I did the 4 speed conversion on my 67 Belvedere. I gathered the parts over the course of a few years as funds allowed and installed a new parts store, (i.e. non OEM), starter ring gear on the flywheel. After I got everything together, the starter didn't really sound right to me but worked fine. Several years and over 100K miles later, a pressure plate release lever broke, so while replacing the clutch the flywheel comes off and that's when I see the ring gear issue. The teeth were cut deep on half the circumference and shallower on the other half by maybe .050 of an inch. So as it rotated the starter teeth got tight, then loose, then tight.....

I installed a top of the line ring gear this time and a HUGE difference. Starter sounds like it should.

 

[old guys rule]

A GUESS the flywheel and bellhousing aren't compatible. Surprised one else has chimed in. Is starter running into flywheel or is it meshing with to much clearance?

sounds like it's meshing too deep. Really grinding lound.I believe flywheel and bell are a match. Easy way to check?

 

[oldkimmer]

I had an issue with a mis-cut starter ring gear years ago when I did the 4 speed conversion on my 67 Belvedere. I gathered the parts over the course of a few years as funds allowed and installed a new parts store, (i.e. non OEM), starter ring gear on the flywheel. After I got everything together, the starter didn't really sound right to me but worked fine. Several years and over 100K miles later, a pressure plate release lever broke, so while replacing the clutch the flywheel comes off and that's when I see the ring gear issue. The teeth were cut deep on half the circumference and shallower on the other half by maybe .050 of an inch. So as it rotated the starter teeth got tight, then loose, then tight.....

I installed a top of the line ring gear this time and a HUGE difference. Starter sounds like it should.

If it’s worn in 4 places that’s normal for a V8. A 6 cyl will be worn in 3 places and a 4 cyl will wear in 2 places. Kim

 

[RussT Plymouths]

If it’s worn in 4 places that’s normal for a V8. A 6 cyl will be worn in 3 places and a 4 cyl will wear in 2 places.

I've seen and understand what you're referencing but what I experienced was different. I've also replaced a few and will admit to turning them over on the cheap and wearing out the other side on a couple old flathead Fords. The teeth weren't cut concentric to the inner mounting edge. After close inspection I could see this from the lip side of the flywheel before I removed the ring gear. I believe I got the economy grade ring gear the first time because they asked me what one I wanted when I bought the replacement. The new one looked perfect and now the starter sounds like it should.

 

[oldkimmer]

That’s great. Kim