life wasn't meant to be easy (the saga continues)

[littlejim]

OK I give up.

prior to putting the new clutch in the starter worked like a charm.

Putting the clutch in with the body off was a doddle, putting it in with the body on required winching it into position with the mounting bolts. First go failed, the repechage worked.

But when I put the starter in it stayed engaged and made heart wrenching graunching noises.

I have now refitted it a sufficient number of times to change it from the most disliked job of the restoration to a minor doddle.*

despite the washout of the engaging stripe with metho and petrol, lubrication with powdered graphite, and a silky smooth operation on the bench, it still stays engaged when fitted to the car, making the noises described above.

 

All suggestions gratefully accepted.

 

The starter is out waiting for all the cards and letters to flow in.

 

* the washers on that dreaded top bolt go on with plasticine on a long stick; the nut goes on with the 'claw at the end of trigger cable gadget' we've raved about a while back.

[Tony Millward]

OK I give up.

prior to putting the new clutch in the starter worked like a charm.

Putting the clutch in with the body off was a doddle, putting it in with the body on required winching it into position with the mounting bolts. First go failed, the repechage worked.

But when I put the starter in it stayed engaged and made heart wrenching graunching noises.

I have now refitted it a sufficient number of times to change it from the most disliked job of the restoration to a minor doddle.*

despite the washout of the engaging stripe with metho and petrol, lubrication with powdered graphite, and a silky smooth operation on the bench, it still stays engaged when fitted to the car, making the noises described above.

 

All suggestions gratefully accepted.

 

The starter is out waiting for all the cards and letters to flow in.

 

* the washers on that dreaded top bolt go on with plasticine on a long stick; the nut goes on with the 'claw at the end of trigger cable gadget' we've raved about a while back.

 

 

Hi Jim,

 

Check there is no **** on the face of the starter motor where it mates with the bell housing. Also make sure there are no burrs as it sounds like it's off alignment. I ended up actually filing the face of mine to align it as the drive cog was pushed hard into the starter ring on the flywheel.

 

Good luck mate

 

Tony

[jerrytr5]

I have known starters to be fitted with shims on the mounting face in addition to any spacer blocks. These have been really thin shim steel so there must be quite a small tolerance between 'working' and 'not working'. Doesn't explain why yours no longer engages when it did previously unless the flywheel or ring gear has moved in relation to the back plate.

Not terribly helpful, but might lead you off on another train of thought.

Jerry

[RogerH]

Jerry,

I think the problem is that it will not dis-engage.

 

LJ,

it sounds like the dog on the bendix is too close to the ring gear (radially) and needs to be moved away.

Is there any play on the attachment holes.

Is the s/motor the right way up.

 

Roger

Edited December 17, 2010 by RogerH

[88V8]

The starter on The Shed had a sudden fit of not disengaging. As you say, orrible noises. The repairer said the spring that returns the solenoid had broken (I think that's what he said), so it kept trying to engage.

 

Ivor

[littlejim]

The saga has ended.

 

After the umpteenth refit of the starter, plus a bit of copper shim, the graunching sound remained.

 

During a contemplative drive round the block in the Prado I decided something must be holding the flywheel slightly out of position#, as I'd exhausted all the starter position options. (# This would have occurred when I refitted the clutch and gearbox, the little voice said.)

 

On this basis I loosened the rear gearbox mounting bolts and started it up.

 

No graunching noise from the starter. As Mr Skelton used to say' we just do 'em folks we don't explain 'em'.

 

I'll get out of your way now; happily.

[randall977]

I sympathise with you! It's great that you've found a solution, even if not completely satisfactory. I spent months on my clutch, replaced every component because it wouldn't engage - never really got to the bottom of it but it does work now...

[peejay4A]

I followed this story with quite some interest LJ. I'm even more intrigued at why the fix has worked.

[Dick]

So am I.

 

I doubt that the rear gearbox mounting can have any effect on the starter mounting......Maybe the malfunction was electrical and fiddling about with the mounting bolts re-created an earth which is substantial enough to manage the starter amps??

 

Dick.