SoCal checkin' in

[ItsRandy]

Originally Posted by robnolimit

If anyone is interested, we could have a monthly meet up at our shop in San Bernardino

I could do that...sounds like fun. We could get a bunch of Jack in the Box tacos (2 for $.99) and hang out and tell lies and stuff.

[VDOG]

Originally Posted by robnolimit

If anyone is interested, we could have a monthly meet up at our shop in San Bernardino

That sounds like a plan. Im in.

Anybody know of a community college in OC or Long Beach that offers night classes in auto body repair?

Try Golden West College in the OC, and Long Beach City College. Only other school I know offers it is El Camino College in Torrance.

[Mike Bradbury]

I think a lot of guys would be up for a monthly meeting. Although I am down here in San Diego I could not make many of them but it would be nice to meet some more guys. The tacos are a plus too. LOL

[Drewsteezy68]

Let's set this up. It's a new month.
Posted via Mobile Device

[VDOG]

Originally Posted by Mike Bradbury

I think a lot of guys would be up for a monthly meeting. Although I am down here in San Diego I could not make many of them but it would be nice to meet some more guys. The tacos are a plus too. LOL

Mike I dont everybody is going to make all of them, but it should be a nice turn out from time to time. So come down when you can.

[VWNate1]

Originally Posted by hopped up

Hey nate ny starter has 9 teeth
Posted via Mobile Device

O.K. , now it is time to begin hitting the books (or OnLine Catalogs) and see how many different ones are available and what they fit , then scour some Wrecking yards until you find different ones and test fit............

I'm sorry I cannot offer hands on help but my driveway is full to the street with dead vehicles.....

[hopped up]

Thanks vwnate. Id pretty much given up on my motor. But maybe (im hoping youre right) that i can still fix my problem. I really dont want to swap my motor. Im just at my whitts end!! Been fighting aith thos for over a year
Posted via Mobile Device

[VWNate1]

I know how frustrating it is because I always get these weird problems when I buy abandoned projects then I have to figger out what the hell's going on (I'm currently buried in a $1,200 '91 Camry 4 door that whizzed right on past $4,500 in parts and isn't done yet.....)

Anyways , you've been offered free starters from several here and what I'd do is : remove the torque converter cover plate and gut the starter of brushes and solenoid , mount it to the engine and pull the plunger with a bungie cord etc. then hand rotate the engine and visually inspect the depth or the tooth mesh ~ I feel it has to be in there somehow , be aware this is just a " S.W.A.G. " but that's the 1st, thing I'd do as a good running engine , to me , is priceless and always worth saving .

Maybe it's the flex plate , maybe the crankshaft is bent ? . I dunno 'til it's looked at .

FWIW , we once had a bramd new '81 C-60 with a 4 bolt 350 , when Chevy machined the bare block new , the center of the main bearing saddles was 0.010" OFF (wow) - yet it started and ran , it vibrated pretty badly but I don't recall any starter troubles , it just beat itself to death in 10,000 miles .

My point is : someone had to take the time to really LOOK at it to figure out what the hell was wrong , I worked in a Major Fleet Repair Shop and they were all too (insert pejorative here) to be bothered taking the time....

This is why I always counsel most DIY'ers to JUST DO IT ! because you're interested and have the time , you'll usually do a better job .

'K ? .

Don't give up ! .

[hopped up]

Its juat soo strange that itll start perfectly fine a few times then start grinding all over again
Posted via Mobile Device

[hopped up]

I sure have never experienced anything like this ever
Posted via Mobile Device

[VWNate1]

As it didn't do it while I was there , I don't know .

In general , grinding instead of meshing and cranking the engine , is caused by worn ring gear teeth on the flywheel (torque converter in your case) , the teeth usually get worn because 99 % of the time , the engine always comes to rest in the same position .

The simple Dealer fix is to loosen the flywheel bolts & rotate the flywheel one set of bolt holes , in the direction the engine turns ~ this means the engine now comes to rest with the least worn ring gear teeth aligned with the starter .

Of course , not always is it possible to do this as some applications have asymetrical bolt holes.....

This is why I feel your pain and wish I could get hands on it .

By assembling a no drag starter & hand turning the engine while observing it , you'll hopefully see what/where/if there's a meshing problem .

If the starter bendix's teeth touch the bottom of the flywheel's teeth grooves , it'll never work ~ this is why there are shims *but* , you cannot just jamb a couple in willy-nilly , you have to figure out what's what first .

Me ? I rather enjoy playing " Automotive Detiective " .

[hopped up]

Vwnate im on my second flywheel this year already and it still does the exact same thing . I swapped it the second time thinking it was the cause of the grinding which it wasnt
Posted via Mobile Device

[KevsClassics]

Are you using the bracket that holds the end of the starter motor?
I had a truck doing the same thing till I located a bracket and installed it.

[hopped up]

Kevs classic , no i dont have that bracket. Its pretty hard to find kne i the junkyard around here. At least i havent had any luck. I made a bracket to keep the starter from moving sideways , but that disnt help
Posted via Mobile Device

[mx574]

Originally Posted by robnolimit

If anyone is interested, we could have a monthly meet up at our shop in San Bernardino

that would be cool. i vote for a sat or sun. because traffic from the oc to ie sucks so bad.

[VWNate1]

Originally Posted by hopped up

Vwnate im on my second flywheel this year already and it still does the exact same thing . I swapped it the second time thinking it was the cause of the grinding which it wasnt

Dang .

I wonder what's going on .

I found two in my local P-A-P yesterday whilst doing my P.T. and was thinking about your starter issues .

[hopped up]

Well id be willing to buy one of ya if you have a spare
Posted via Mobile Device

[VWNate1]

I don't have any spare starters and I don't think you should simply swap 'em out ~ try testing like I explained before ~ YOU are the On Site Mechanic Detective .

[hopped up]

Or let me knowl what pick a part you were at and ill go on sat to see if theyre still there
Posted via Mobile Device

[hopped up]

I meant the starter brackets
Posted via Mobile Device

[Dano69c10]

Maybe we can get a couple of us together to help out with this problem. Sometimes another brain or another pair of eyes can solve the problem. I think those of us who can make it, should bring any starters/parts and flywheels so we can do a mockup and then the right parts can be ordered. I firmly believe in Nate's mantra about doing some detective work. I'm willing to crawl under the truck and help out.
Just my $0.02
Dano

[Lee H]

Originally Posted by Dano69c10

Maybe we can get a couple of us together to help out with this problem. Sometimes another brain or another pair of eyes can solve the problem. I think those of us who can make it, should bring any starters/parts and flywheels so we can do a mockup and then the right parts can be ordered. I firmly believe in Nate's mantra about doing some detective work. I'm willing to crawl under the truck and help out.
Just my $0.02
Dano

I'll help out also.

[VDOG]

Of course I will help. I can bring the starter I have also.

[hopped up]

You guys are too cool. I know vdog would and has been helping me out . And vwnate and dano are cool guys too , but the others that i havent met i appreciate it alot.
Posted via Mobile Device

[ItsRandy]

There are a pair of early big block motor mounts in a '71 3/4 ton at the pick a part on 6th street in San Bernardino and a hydro boost on a later model 1 ton if anybody is interested. The motor is still in the truck.