starter problems

[Evil-Erik]

i just replaced my sarter in my '90 8 valve and it was making an awful grinding noise like the starter needed shimmed but its not supposed to have shims so i removed it and re installed it hoping it would help but no luck anyone have any idea why?

[ranger88den]

Have you bench tested it to see if the grinding is in the starter or the installation?

[jtgh]

ditto ranger
what shims? the OEM PL has no shims.
the bell housing is precision machined.
the starter too.
unless someone bought some China made starter and it is crap......

id buy a new starter before you need a new ring gear.
you could have a weak (or one with short coils) starter solenoid.
IMHO.

[the flying scotsman]

There is no substitute for OEM parts.

[Evil-Erik]

it is a napa starter that should have been a direct replacemen i will have it bench tested this weekend as it four day weekend for me and if its not the starter or installation could my flywheel be missing teeth or be warped?

[oldphotonut]

My experience with rebuilt starters for other vehicles hasn't been a pleasant one.

I've went through three or four starters on an old car that I had (79 chevy) and all were rebuilt (except the first one). I went though them in a fairly short amount of time (3/4 weeks) before I found one that 'stuck'.

I wouldn't worry too much about the flexplate/flywheel being bad unless it was making noises with your old starter. . . .

So. . . if you haven't gotten too rambunctious with your 'new' bad starter AND it wasn't making noise with your old starter you should be all right.

Bench test it yes, but it might not be a bad idea to go ahead and return it and get another one even if the first one checks out. If your old starter didn't grind before it went out it is highly doubtful that anything else is damaged.

However, it would be a good ides to inspect the flywheel/flexplate through the starter hole while you've got it out. Just make sure there are no burrs or busted teeth.

It's not uncommon to get some bad rebuilt starters. It's happened to me. One of those starters was bad right out of the box. It was painted nice though . I couldn't go anywhere, but damn that starter looked good.

Good luck.

[jtgh]

8v 3sp.
2 issues, this engine is no way like old 79 chevs, the parts fit ! LOL !

first off, it could be low voltage.
jump it or replace it with a known good fully charged battery.
then try it.
you see when the starter pulls at 100amps the voltage can sag, it can sag so much that
the solenoid can no longer do its jobt , so it retracts, the then grind and then voltage goes back up and back in goes the solenoid (gears and all) and the cycle repeats..
ouch !
it is only a pinion gear and ring gear torture test.

if you put a volt meter across the start big red terminal (solenoid) and the neg lead to the starter case , you will see what the starter sees.

See 10v all time or more? cranking?

Rules:
jump it first( oops bad battery or charging system)
fail ? swap battery. (must be a 12.65 Vdc resting)
fail ,
replace solenoid or whole starter assembly (napa is fine and they are fully tested)
most returned starters are pefect.

The usage of a voltmeter could avoid all this .
1: static resting voltage and normal ambients, 12.65v (resting 4 hrs or more)
2: running 14.7vdc. shows the alternator is doing its job.
3: cranking, 10v min. (solenoid works down to 8v but never go there or it will grind)!

if you have a starter Amp meter tester , it must read about 100 amps. (mine is 90)
not in alaska, at 68deg.F.

starter spec. Mitsubishi. 1.2KW,MT, 1.4kw AT
200 amps max drain, 0d F.
battery is 500amps cranking power at 0F.

it is possible for a starter to short inside and draw too much current.
can you hand crank engine over 2 revolutions , key off with a 17mm wrench?

this is an 8v so the valves are not smashing in to pistions. ( happy feet)
it is not hyralocked by any means. ( leaking injector, water ? , oil ?)

there are all the modes.

just because a starter has issues, does not mean the problem is the starter.
it is just a symptom.

cheers.

[Evil-Erik]

i replaced my battery when i did my alternator and i also installed a battery voltage gauge i am reading 14.6 when running and just below that when i check before i start it every morning. i will check what it is at the starter is getting with my voltmeter. thanks for the help

[jtgh]

keep an open mind.
one guy here last month had a starter with a had shorted windings.
this overloaded the battery (it was perfect) and what happend, is the voltage sagged
and the solenoid but real mad.

Under these wierd conditions, a solenoid can go quite bonkers.
flutter, rattle , or just click or grind ,or ..???


it is like making it walk the plank, (arrrrgggggg , mate' , shiver me timbers....)