TylerW
Well-Known Member
Hey everyone...
Last summer my brother built and installed a 440 and A833 combo in his '73 Dart Sport.
Since installation it has had ongoing starter issues. He's using a large-frame starter, which is a very tight fit with the TTI headers, and it's always sounded as if there is an alignment issue(sounds rough, and shrieks as the engine catches).
Finally, a few days ago the starter would no longer turn the engine. My brother reported that it would barely try to rotate and that's it..even though there was some sort of starter running action.
He finally dug into it yesterday and upon first checking it, found that the starter bendix was in the engaged position. He moved it with a screwdriver and it popped back in the disengaged position.
He reported that the teeth on the starter and on the flywheel looked good...no odd wear characteristics.
He connected up the remote starter switch and that's when he noticed that the ring gear was loose on the flywheel...this is a brand new McCleod SFI-approved billet steel piece...no cheap one. That's why it sounded like the starter was running but the engine wasn't turning.
Another key piece is that he said it appeared as if the starter bendix was making contact with the ring gear...meaning the overrunning clutch was tapping it.
What do you guys make of this?
My brother is a good mechanic, but he did not want to go back in and address this issue due to the work involved in removing the header, etc to access the starter.
He said the starter had no room to move once the header was in place, and I think this has caused some kind of alignment issue with the starter. Trust me, it sounds more like a giant worn out lawn mower starter than a Chrysler..it's bad. The starter itself worked fine on the 318 that was in the car originally.
Is it possible that the overrunning clutch has whacked into the ring gear enough to dislodge it?? My understanding is that the ring gear is loose even in the seated position, but I'm not sure about that.
I got him a late-model mini-starter to use on this, so that's what will go back on.
Sorry for the long post, any thoughts are much appreciated.
Last summer my brother built and installed a 440 and A833 combo in his '73 Dart Sport.
Since installation it has had ongoing starter issues. He's using a large-frame starter, which is a very tight fit with the TTI headers, and it's always sounded as if there is an alignment issue(sounds rough, and shrieks as the engine catches).
Finally, a few days ago the starter would no longer turn the engine. My brother reported that it would barely try to rotate and that's it..even though there was some sort of starter running action.
He finally dug into it yesterday and upon first checking it, found that the starter bendix was in the engaged position. He moved it with a screwdriver and it popped back in the disengaged position.
He reported that the teeth on the starter and on the flywheel looked good...no odd wear characteristics.
He connected up the remote starter switch and that's when he noticed that the ring gear was loose on the flywheel...this is a brand new McCleod SFI-approved billet steel piece...no cheap one. That's why it sounded like the starter was running but the engine wasn't turning.
Another key piece is that he said it appeared as if the starter bendix was making contact with the ring gear...meaning the overrunning clutch was tapping it.
What do you guys make of this?
My brother is a good mechanic, but he did not want to go back in and address this issue due to the work involved in removing the header, etc to access the starter.
He said the starter had no room to move once the header was in place, and I think this has caused some kind of alignment issue with the starter. Trust me, it sounds more like a giant worn out lawn mower starter than a Chrysler..it's bad. The starter itself worked fine on the 318 that was in the car originally.
Is it possible that the overrunning clutch has whacked into the ring gear enough to dislodge it?? My understanding is that the ring gear is loose even in the seated position, but I'm not sure about that.
I got him a late-model mini-starter to use on this, so that's what will go back on.
Sorry for the long post, any thoughts are much appreciated.
