My starter winds up but doesn't sound like it's engaging the flywheel at all - no resistance - no start. It's been acting up recently like it stutter starts and I'm thinking it must be either the teeth are all gone now or it's not exsteding the way it's supposed to. I'm at work with no way to get to another starter. Anybody know any tricks etc?
Can our cars be push started? I know my old '86 could but I've been told the newer ones won't.
Help!

This post has been edited by DEATH: Jul 24, 2008 - 8:05 AM

I think you can push start it.

However - just give it a few minutes. Try it a few times, but don't hold it cranking. It'll catch. Eventually. I promise. If it's spinning, it'll catch. And then get a new starter ASAP. Or get yourself AAA and get a ride home with your car!

Try hitting the starter with a hammer while cranking it, it's possible the solenoid is stuck.

And yeah, you can push-start it.

-Doc

>


X2

OK - anybody have a manual or remember doing this recently? I got the starter off but the wire underneath is attched to the tranny somehow and I can't see it very well. Anybody got pics, drawings BGB help anything?
Thanks so much for the team help guys!

BTW - Don't I remember testing one before by pulling it loose and bumping it manually to look for exstension? Do I have to ground it some other way cause my starter only has one wire from what I can see.

BTW2 All the teeth seem intact on the starter but there is a bunch of shavings of some type where the gear goes into the tranny.


DUH! - I think [It's been a long time since I changed these starters] I just pulled the starter motor but not the whole thing right? It's not the two long bolts that go on either side of the starter but the two on the gearhousing below it right?
Griffy! Pics please!


This post has been edited by DEATH: Jul 24, 2008 - 8:40 AM

I have PDFs for you with tons of info. Check your email in 3 minutes!

You rocketh. D-Man's on his way to take me to get the starter if need be. Half the guru's on 6gc just helped out within 30mins of my post. I got the part pulled in recored time - I LOVE 6GC.NET!!!!!


OK I got griffy's email and it has waaay more info than I need but that's good. I think I just pulled the starter motor off the clutch assy? There are dark grey shavings in there but the teeth look good. I'm trying to figure out how I can bench test this thing. Any advice that way would be excellent.
Shavings:


This post has been edited by DEATH: Jul 24, 2008 - 8:41 AM

the starters themselves don't normally go bad, usually it's the starter contacts.

it doesn't exactly attach to the clutch, the starter teeth interlock with the flywheel teeth and spin the flywheel to start the car.

The BGB calls the gear housing that the starter screws into a "clutch assy". Not the Clutch - clutch obviously - thanks tho.
Old starter disconnected from the "Clutch Assy" [D-Man's feet in background illustrating his theory about all Texas men wear some type of boot mine too were, as always, clad in USAF Cochran II's]:

I think we got it - the old clutch would turn both ways and the BGB says that's a no-no so we are currently replacing it with a lifetime duralast but the wiring is being a bitch due to janky swap wiring. You can see evidence of that in the first pic above - that's nothing compared to some of the other splices/wire taps we found with bare wire/insufficient insulation etc.
D-man and I will get it tho.

This post has been edited by DEATH: Jul 24, 2008 - 8:57 AM

IT RUNS!!!!!!
Thanks D-man, Griffy and Tweak! Job well done in record time. I'm going Home!

D-man and I grabbed some brews and headed to my garage to drink up [nothing new there].
As a bonus - I think D-Man learned a few more essential bits of info related to the water and oil lines and the wastegate actuator on the turbo. While we worked on the starter we took a few minutes to show him the lines and explain what they are for and why they must be the way they are, etc. I just feel that he should know as much as he can going in to the turbo install of his 5S. To his credit he absorbs the terminology and then invariably spends the next few days reading everything he can find on the subjects. I think his will be another successful 5S-FTE project coming up soon.

This post has been edited by DEATH: Jul 24, 2008 - 8:53 AM

> LMFAO!!

...It's True...
>
X2, after removing the whole damn thing, and comparing it to the notes, It really took us a matter of minitues to figure out the problem. It would have taken me a whole lot longer to have had a 100% deff. on what was wrong if it wans't for those BRB papers. Thanks guys!
>
Thank you for the compliment and i'm studying-up right now. Just had to add a big "thank you" to everyone that helped out. Those papers were like bullets, helping us to trouble-shoot that clutch! Thanks again guys!