Beat up flywheel?

[lumbee]

Hoping you all can give me your opinion on this. Do these flywheel teeth look bad enough to make it so that the starter won't engage? The issue I am having is that the starter only engages and turns the engine over about half the time. It doesn't grind or anything, it just seems to click like the bendix gear is trying to pop out just is just banging into the flywheel. These are about the worse spots on the flywheel I could find, which don't look terrible to me, but I'm not an expert. Maybe a 1/4 of the teeth have wear like this.

This is a 1972 Chrysler 400 with a manual transmission. I have tried three different starters and had the same behavior with all of them. I don't mind buying a new flywheel if I need to, I just want to make sure that is the issue.

Any info appreciated, thanks!

 

[69Bee]

Those teeth look okay. I usually don't recommend replacement until half of the tooth is gone. If you desire to replace the ring gear, replace it first, then resurface the flywheel.

 

[R413]

What bellhousing do you have? Stock one or a scattershield?

Sounds like a starter problem, where are you getting these starters? Stock gear reduction, or neeer mini starters?

 

[RemCharger]

Agreed , sounds like a good old fashioned shitty starter problem. Just make sure the heavy wire connections are all good first.
( ie , starter, battery, battery, ground.)

 

[Cranky]

Your clicking sound is the starter itself.....

 

[pnora]

Make sure the dowels are in place. Something sounds odd with 3 starters doing the exact same thing.

 

[493 Mike]

I think you can heat and remove that ring gear and flip it over. I have replaced a few gears on torque converters.
Mike

 

[R413]

The ring gear is more than fine, it is in great shape.

 

[33 IMP]

Studs holding the starter, or bolts? Sounds like a location problem, since three starters act the same.
Scattershield?

 

[RemCharger]

If it was an alignment issue, it's tough to believe the pinion wouldn't grind. Pretty hard to lock up the starter without a siezed engine

 

[lumbee]

Thanks all, you all confirmed my suspicions that the flywheel is fine.

I am using the stock bell housing. I have tried two stock starters (both reman) and I currently have the 90's ram truck stater (THIS ONE).

 

[Fran Blacker]

Did the bellhousing come from the factory with the engine? If you bought it and didn't align it could be your problem. Think it was mention earlier.

 

[lumbee]

Did the bellhousing come from the factory with the engine? If you bought it and didn't align it could be your problem. Think it was mention earlier.

Yes the bell housing I have came with this engine (as far as I know)

 

[Fran Blacker]

This is how you bell housing alignment if you feel like it. The dial indicater is $40 or so a magnetic ??