Keith...ring gear

[Freiburger]

How does a brand new flywheel have a bad ring gear? You sure you have the starter shimmed properly? You sure it's the correct starter for the tooth count?

[SpeedZealot]

Re: Keith...ring gear

i've always had trouble with ford starters especially with aftermarket bellhousings, and engine plates, it really screws up the engagement

[squirrel]

Re: Keith...ring gear

...but this one's a simple big block chevy, right?

(have you ever fixed one that was put on backwards?)

[SpeedZealot]

Re: Keith...ring gear

Nope,I just made the customer buy the right part, but i have seen it before. I thought it was a 460 ford personally... Chevy's don't have that problem, its usually the installer

[KeithTurk]

Re: Keith...ring gear

Hmmm Here's the deal...

It's a brand new starter for a Big Block... but it also fits a small block?

It's got both bolt patterns on it... obviously the big Block takes the offset bolts...

X

X

instead of

X X

So... who freaking knows... it sounded great for the first few times it ran... never had an issue... of any kind... Then it kind of Clicked... and hit the big Zing a couple of times.... next thing I know it won't turn over Squat...
and the ring gear is totally trashed... ( in once place for about 4 inches ) But I should be able to tell you more this afternoon as I take the motor back out...



Keith

[Freiburger]

Re: Keith...ring gear

Sounds like really bad shimming. I'm not sure if a tooth-count mismatch would do that or not.

[min301]

Re: Keith...ring gear

Sounds like really bad shimming. I'm not sure if a tooth-count mismatch would do that or not.

I've seen it a time or two, so it's possible.

[squirrel]

Re: Keith...ring gear

tooth count mismatch on chevys makes it off by 3/4", so that's not the issue.

I've seen flywheels on backwards, I've seen starters need to be shimmed quite a bit in both directions, I've seen defective starters, and some engines are built wrong and won't turn!

Sounds like a new flywheel is needed, and maybe a new starter, and carefull checking of the clearance.

[Freiburger]

Re: Keith...ring gear

tooth count mismatch on chevys makes it off by 3/4", so that's not the issue.

That was kinda what I suspected.

Keith: if the flywheel is on backwards, I didn't do it.

BTW, that is an EXTERNALLY balanced engine, in case that comes up.

[squirrel]

Re: Keith...ring gear

good point, the 454 takes a 454 flywheel, did they change them on the newer gen engines?

[KeithTurk]

Re: Keith...ring gear

Thanks David.... I think I know the problem... I'll let you guys guess for a while... cause I could be wrong...

K

[min301]

Re: Keith...ring gear

tooth count mismatch on chevys makes it off by 3/4", so that's not the issue.

I've seen flywheels on backwards, I've seen starters need to be shimmed quite a bit in both directions, I've seen defective starters, and some engines are built wrong and won't turn!

Sounds like a new flywheel is needed, and maybe a new starter, and carefull checking of the clearance.

I've seen starters have the wrong drive, creating a mismatch.
Which I should have clairified.
Sorry.

Ditto on the shimming. I try to use my local Car Quest, they virtually promised me no shimming issues, ever. They use only new cases.

[BlackoutSteve]

Re: Keith...ring gear

If the ring gear is trashed, then one would expect that the starter's gear must be even worse.
What's it like?

Would it be possible through an electrical fault (or user :P) that the starter tried to engage while the engine was running?

[squirrel]

Re: Keith...ring gear

I think the starter gear is hardened, the flywheel teeth are not (or not as much)

[BlackoutSteve]

Re: Keith...ring gear

But still.. ~160 teeth verses about 10.. There would still be some damage I'd expect.