Flywheel/starter problems?

[bdepedro]

I had been having infrequent problems w/ my starter grinding that became more frequent till it wouldn't stop doing it. I replaced the starter last week and it has done it again a few times.

I initially figured I had a few bad teeth on my flywheel that were not meshing w/ the starter and also figured that w/ time it had damaged the starter spur wheel.

Since it's doing it again (only occasionally) does the flywheel teeth diagnosis sound possible or could it be a voltage issue?

Thanks again for the help.

Oh, by the way, does anybody know if either Explorers or Expeditions came w/ a 50" alum driveshaft? I've been told that one of them did and could be swaped into a classic T-5 combo.

 

[69gmachine]

In addition to a possible bad ring gear, the hole in the block plate may be too large, causing the starter to not be aligned properly. What bell housing and block plate are you using? What starter are you using? The old block plates had a slightly larger opening for the starter than the '82 up 157 tooth plates.

 

[bdepedro]

The bellhousing was on the car when I bought it but it says NHRA on it and I was told it was a Lakewood housing. I also have no idea on the block plate but I would guess it's older than '82. Wouldn't the mounting bolts determine the alignment of the starter? In terms of the starter, I'm not sure where the one I replaced was purchased and what manufacturer but the one I just installed I got at Advance. I honestly can't remember who makes it though.

I'm hoping to swap in my T-5 this fall and will be using a late model housing and at the same time I'll check/replace my flywheel. Hopefully, the starter will last till then.

 

[69gmachine]

If you replaced it with a stock replacement from Advance, it should be the right one. The mounting holes have enough slop in them that it needs the block plate to locate it properly.

I measured a late block plate opening at 4.090, and a early style at 4.135. That may be within factory tolerance, but I was unable to install an early model starter in the late block plate (stripped one of the threads out trying).

 

[TonyP]

wrong thread, sorry.