What part should I throw at it..top mount starter woes

3960 Views 43 Replies 11 Participants Last post by Honda92, Sep 25, 2009

H20MOFO

Discussion Starter · Jul 28, 2009

Long story short.. I have brand x starter and it sits too low to the flywheel. It's tight enough when you stick the pinon gear on the starter with a screw driver it wont retract(I guess the motor kicks it out). Last year it was about 50/50 cross your fingers hit the key and hope you don't grind. This year, new motor,she ain't going in period(the pinion gear to starter ring gear). I called Jan @ lightning and asked him if I could trade him my old starter stand for a .030 thousands one, and he sent me a new .030 taller one for free. I bolt it on and it grinds. I cut some new shims to bring the starter closer to the flywheel and whala(sp?) she works great, until last weekend. Where it's sitting right now I can't pull the starter gear in I can see the flex plate bend from me trying. I don't know if.... the only clue I have is that where it's froze up now the left side of the flexplate looks chewed a little, and the right side ,not so much. I'm thinking flexplate??? What starter are you guys running with lightning rail kits?
Sorry that ended up as long as it did..

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Honda92

· #41 · Sep 24, 2009

I have a hardin marine bellhousing on mine. How the heck are you guys seeing up to where the starter contacts the flywheel? there is a plate it looks like i can take off but even then you need a mirror and a flashlight to see whats up. anyone ever drill a 3/8 or 1/2 inch inspection hole up by the starter so you can see what is going on? mine isn't engaging worth a crap :|err

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H20MOFO

Discussion Starter · #42 · Sep 25, 2009

With the flexplate cover off, I can reach up in and pull the starter pinion fwd and feel where it stops(as far as how far fwd it goes). As far as up and down the only indication I had was that when I hit the key it worked half the time. When I pulled it fwd. by hand it would barely go in even with force, and then it would stick. Out of the box, with no spacer, mine was so close to the flexplate I broke the whole pinion gear off about the 5th time I started it, because I didn't bother to check.

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Honda92

· #43 · Sep 25, 2009

looks like i'll have time to play with it tomorrow. pulled the starter out quick to take a look, teeth are a little ground on my starter. Its hitting the flywheel and not spinning anymore. worked great for about 10 trips. tested the starter, yeah it spins just fine so it must be binding up on the flywheel :|err are those starter mounting studs in the bellhousing threaded in or pressed in? might need longer ones if i have to shim. not sure how i'm going about this one yet!

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Honda92

· #44 · Sep 25, 2009

Shimmed mine up, seems to be doing the trick. I don't think there was enough clearance between the starter teeth and flywheel teeth. I deffinalty am getting full engagement of the starter. I'm going to fleet farm and putting a truck starter in also for a back up! That way all i have to do is swap a couple wires and i am back in business if sh!t really goes south

devil

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