Dan,
Having worked on may starters through the years you might want to check the
alignment of the starter to the block.
Chevy starters are notorious for not working well if they are shimmed
correctly.
Extend the bendix and check the gap.
It may not be parallel to the flywheel.
Just a thought
-----Original Message-----
From: spitfires-owner@autox.team.net [mailto:spitfires-owner@autox.team.net]
On Behalf Of Daniel L Parrott
Sent: Sunday, April 10, 2005 6:17 PM
To: spitfires@autox.team.net
Subject: Starter Troubles
I thought I solved by starter troubles by getting a high torque starter, but
it is worse now than before.
Every once in a while (1 out of 20 starts), the old stock rebuilt starter
would just spin freely when I tried to start the car. Trying once or twice
again, the starter would then engage the flywheel and the car would start
right up. This restart cost me 5 seconds at the South East Regional in 2002
Gymkhana and got me a third place in my class.
Thinking that the starter shaft or starter teeth were worn to the point that
they couldn't engage, I got another stock rebuilt from VB. Same symptoms.
So last year I opted for one of those high torque starters, thinking that
with the stock starter, the starter teeth engage the backside of the
flywheel. If there were flywheel teeth problems, then it should also be on
the backside (away from the engine) side of the flywheel.
Since the high torque starters appear to engage the flywheel at the front
(engine) side of the flywheel. I thought that I would have a better chance
of a clean start. No so. Now about 50% of my attempts to start are greeted
with a high speed "whirr", with no engagement of the flywheel. It seems to
be worse the colder the car is and the longer it has been since I've driven
it last. But it is defiantly worse now than with the stock rebuilt VB
starter.
Moving the stick shift from 1st to second and then to reverse seems to help,
but it still may take several attempts to get the car started.
So, do I need a new flywheel also? How do I tell? I guess it would entail
pulling the starter and inspecting the flywheel teeth as I turn the engine
over by pushing the car while it was in gear? I had the engine rebuilt four
years ago, and Larry (my mechanic) said that the flywheel was fine.
If I do need a new flywheel, which one would be best? A lightweight aluminum
one (VB) or a cut down steel one (PRI), or is there another option? I have
upgraded the car to include a Bell 4-2-1 header and a Weber downdraft for
some extra kick.
It's not critical, but ideas would be of help here.
TIA
Dan Parrott
Savannah, Ga
1980 Triumph Spitfire "PJ"
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