Re: ihc-digest V5 #210

[<hofs@domain.elided>]

>Every now and then, I turn the key, and the starter just gives me a 
>horrible grinding sound.. Reminds me of when someone accidentally hits 
>the starter while the truck is running.
>
>Try it again, works fine.
>
>Am I right in guess the starter is not engaging the flywheel when this 
>happens (truck doesn't move at all)?  What would make this happen?  It's 
>just a 196 with the stock manifolds, not headers.
>
>Is it just crud gumming things up?  Do Need to clean the starter at all?

Tom,
That noise is the small gear on the "bendix" not engaging the ring gear 
or flywheel. The problem could be the teeth on the little gear, the teeth 
on the ring gear or flywheel, crud on the drive not allowing a nice clean 
push into engagement, or loose bolts holding the starter in which would 
allow the starter to drop to a slight angle. If the starter you bought 
was a lifetime, its lifetime is probably about up and the easiest way to 
do a diagnosis is to stick a new starter in and see if it still 
occasionally fails to engage, in which case you have a problem of a 
different order which hopefully will wait until you change the engine. 

If the starter you bought wasn't a lifetime rebuild, then you probably 
will want to drop the starter and take a good look at it. Grease the 
drive gear that throws the little gear forward before putting it back in.
John

John Hofstetter  "Ol'Saline's Web Site" www.goldrush.com/~hofs
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