Starter ate my flywheel me thinks

[AJLChase]

Yeah, so I was having issues starting my truck and that lead me to pulling out the starter and having it tested and finding that it was bad. Well, once I had the starter out I noticed that sections of the flywheel had it's teeth ground down and so did the teeth on the starter. On the bottom of the pan that covered the bottom of the flywheel there was a ton of metal shavings. So, I put in the new starter, and had a lot of the same old problems and then now the starter just spins with no contact with the fly wheel what so ever. Needless to say, truck doesn't start.

So, talking to a few friends I've found that this is going to be a big job to replace the fly wheel. A job that I am not skilled enough to do or that I know of anyone who would want to spend the time to get involved in changing the flywheel. My questions are these. How much do you estimate it to cost to have some one replace the fly wheel at a shop? Also, would it be best to have the engine rebuilt being that it's going to take so long to tear it all apart? The engine runs, it's obviously old as it's the original 327 and I would hate to spend all that money on the labor to only have something else go wrong that would cause my truck to be on a lift for upwards of 8 hours.

Thoughts appreciated!

[unclewatts]

They probably won't have to replace the whole flywheel, just press on a new ring gear. As to your second question, it all comes down to money. I think it would be a great idea to rebuild the engine while it's out especially if it's got a lot of miles on it. BTW, I would check to see if you need a new clutch, pressure plate and throw out bearing too. You said flywheel not flexplate, so I assume that you have a manual trans.

[Hair]

If it's an automatic, it is not a big deal to replace the flywheel.
Remove transmission dust cover.
Remove transmission bolts from engine.
Remove starter.
Stick starter bolts in transmission bolt holes.
Remove drive shaft.
Remove torque converter bolts.
Slide tranny back as far as starter bolts will allow.
Loosen flexplate bolts.
Bolt in new flex plate
Slide tranny back against engine and bolt everything back up.

I've had engines do this before and after going thru a few flywheels I figured out that it was a spun bearing... so you "might" need to rebuild the engine. In most cases the flywheel don't just loose it's teeth fo no reason. Especially if it in in one spot where the teeth are ate up.

You wouldn't think that it could happen, but I've had a few chevy small blocks that ran for years with a spun bearing.

[sonseeker]

I just subscribed to this thread as i am in the same spot right now. Flexpalte is missing 4-6 theeth in one spot! One starter bolt snapped of in casing and had to drill out and put sleeve in,now i am afraid to tighten that bolt up to tight? Can a different starter be put on that doen't have the staggered bolt pattern? Noticed a different hole in the block!

[fine69]

I just replaced the flexplate in my 68 Suburban. Turbo 400 trans. It is $28 bucks at Advance auto.

Slid the trans back after removing the driveshaft. Wasnt a huge deal. But i have a hoist to put it on. And a buddy helped.

Took about an hour and a half from start to finish.

Is your automatic or manual?

[AJLChase]

Mines is an automatic three speed. My worry in all of this is my inexperience. I usually have no problem tearing things a part and letting gravity do it's job, but putting it back together correctly is where my inexperience faults me. If it is something that can be done in my garage for a novice then I'm game, if not...I'm looking at taking it in some where to have it done. Of course, I would rather not spend a lot of money, but it could come down to where I don't have a choice.

[Hair]

Just take your two starter bolts and screw one in the block on each side of the transmission. They are longer and will allow you to slide the transmission straight back 3 or 4 inches while holding everything in place and that is plenty or room to get up in there and drop the flexplate. You don't need no hoist or nothing and you don't have to worry about aligning it back up on the bosses or nothin. After you get the flexplate back in, then just slide the tranny back against the block and bolt everything back together... It's a gravy job.

[AJLChase]

Originally Posted by Hair

Just take your two starter bolts and screw one in the block on each side of the transmission. They are longer and will allow you to slide the transmission straight back 3 or 4 inches while holding everything in place and that is plenty or room to get up in there and drop the flexplate. You don't need no hoist or nothing and you don't have to worry about aligning it back up on the bosses or nothin. After you get the flexplate back in, then just slide the tranny back against the block and bolt everything back together... It's a gravy job.

Ok, sounds easy enough. With the tranny bolts being replaced by the starter bolts will I still need some kind of tranny jack or will it slide back on the bolts and be enough?

[BCT]

Originally Posted by AJLChase

Ok, sounds easy enough. With the tranny bolts being replaced by the starter bolts will I still need some kind of tranny jack or will it slide back on the bolts and be enough?

A floor jack and a block of wood will work just fine.

[FRENCHBLUE72]

Its pretty simple you should be able to do it may have to get some car ramps and a floor jack..

[AJLChase]

Ok all I've done so far is, Take the starter bolts and replace them with two of the four transmission bolts. Disconnect the starter of course, now my question. Where at along the drive shaft, beginning middle or end of it do I have to unbolt to remove it from the transmission? As I'm understanding, once the drive shaft is disconnected that will allow the transmission to be slid back as far as the starter bolts will allow. Then, do I disconnect the torque converter bolts from the transmiission or from the flywheel? Thanks! This is fun!

[AJLChase]

Question, once the tranny and torque converter are pulled away from the flywheel/flexplate how do you Unbolt the flywheel/flexplate with out having it spin? We were trying to undo the bolts but every time I applied torque the whole flywheel and crank shifted.

[highperf4x4]

I usually clamp the flywheel and let the bottom of the block catch the clamp.

[Lebowski]

Originally Posted by AJLChase

Question, once the tranny and torque converter are pulled away from the flywheel/flexplate how do you Unbolt the flywheel/flexplate with out having it spin? We were trying to undo the bolts but every time I applied torque the whole flywheel and crank shifted.

You can catch the teeth on the flywheel with a pry bar and wedge the prybar against something to hold in place, same thing with tightening it too. The do make a tool for flywheels for this purpose.

[Hair]

I don't know how far along you got on it yesterday, but to help with some of your questions:

Unbolt the torque converter from the flexplate. Three bolts. Rotate the converter around so you can get to them one at a time.

Take the driveshaft loose at the rear chunk then slide it out of the back of the tranny. You may have to tug on it a little. After you take the drive shaft out, stick a plastic bag with a rubberband or tape around the rear opening of the tranny because tranny fluid will slowly leak out the whole time. This will prevent a mess and trany fluid on you.

Also, you'll have to take the tranny loose at the cross member before you can slide it back. Some take the pad loose and some take the crossmember loose at the frame, whichever, it dont matter.

Just take your time and don't try to get into a hurry.

But remeber, if after a few weeks or a month or so this happens again; you've got bigger problems than just the flexplate.

If the starter gears are ingaging correctly, the flexplate should last forever.

[AJLChase]

Originally Posted by Hair

I don't know how far along you got on it yesterday, but to help with some of your questions:

Unbolt the torque converter from the flexplate. Three bolts. Rotate the converter around so you can get to them one at a time.

Take the driveshaft loose at the rear chunk then slide it out of the back of the tranny. You may have to tug on it a little. After you take the drive shaft out, stick a plastic bag with a rubberband or tape around the rear opening of the tranny because tranny fluid will slowly leak out the whole time. This will prevent a mess and trany fluid on you.

Also, you'll have to take the tranny loose at the cross member before you can slide it back. Some take the pad loose and some take the crossmember loose at the frame, whichever, it dont matter.

Just take your time and don't try to get into a hurry.

But remeber, if after a few weeks or a month or so this happens again; you've got bigger problems than just the flexplate.

If the starter gears are ingaging correctly, the flexplate should last forever.

Thanks a lot hair, I've followed your directions step by step. The only issue we're at now as I didn't get a chance to work on it today is just the flywheel rotatating when we've tried to unbolt it. Once we get that off and the new one on then we can start putting things back together..that's if I remember how to do it by then :P