[Bmcu] Jag starter failure

[Ryan Border]

A couple of months ago, my Jag (4.2L Mk1) appeared to suffer a starter failure.

I drug it back into the garage, and today decided to see if I could figure out the exact cause.

I've posted a few pictures here:
https://plus.google.com/photos/117207951299152771926/albums/5697955078346659009


One picture shows the starter.   It's missing some bits off the end of the shaft.
The other two pictures show 2 of those missing parts, as seen through my bell housing inspection hole.   Neither of the two parts will fit through the hole.

I also found broken up pieces of cotter pin in there.   Looks like a $0.10 cotter pin failure caused all of this.

So, apparently, the cotter pin failed, allowing at least 2 pieces to eject themselves off of the starter shaft, behind the flywheel, into the bellhousing.

Seems like I am going to have to split either the motor or transmission from the bellhousing to retrieve the parts.   If I am sure I have all the parts (if there are only two missing from the shaft) I might be able to open up that inspection hole enough to drop the parts out.

If I have to split the motor and trans, I think I'll go ahead and put a bigger clutch in.   The 4.2 overwhelms this clutch when you really get on it (it slips).
And, for many years, I've wanted to put a 5spd into the car, with overdrive.   If I have to drop the motor, split the trans apart... well, now sure seems like the time to do it...    The conversion, I think, would let me put a more robust, and reliable starter into it too.   I'm running the old (from my 2.4) flywheel in there now, along with the old bell-housing, which left me stuck using the 1959 starter.

Thoughts/ideas?   Who's making a good 5spd conversion kit these days?

Ryan.