Wouldn't hot start, then starter/ring gear mechanically failed

[gsxrken]

Got towed home yesterday. I stopped for coffee after a brisk ride, and the car would not start. It was cranking over and over but would not fire, and then about the fourth time i went for the key, there was a harsh grinding noise. Clearly the starter or ring gear is not meshing well, and the engine won't spin at all.

Any bets whether the two event were related? I thought it was spinning quite fast before it failed, maybe too fast. Usually this car fires in a remarkably short amount of revolutions.

I'll be dropping it this week with my time off. Transaxle going for new syncros and I'll get a good look at the starter situation.

[911nut]

So after a heat soak you had the issues.
What happened after the car cooled off? Could you start it then?

[proffighter]

The grinding noise started because your battery voltage droped down. The starter turned slower and therefore it was not able to pull out as much as needed to get into gear...

If you go on you will only hear the clicking noise of the solenoid...

It sounds like a fuel issue. CIS car?

[gsxrken]

Interesting theories but after a day on the battery charger, and obviously with a cold car at this point, a turn of the key results in immediate grinding/scoring sounds. It's a sound that would make anyone cringe, akin to trying to start a car when it's already running.

The engine is on the ground. First drop for me... Quite stressful while lowering it and wondering when the trans was going to drop, until I realized it was hung on the shifter linkage. It's difficult to know if you have the balance point or not until it's a little too late and you're committed.

I will get a look at the starter in the next few days. I also need a yoke then I can lift it onto the engine stand.

[Spenny_b]

Not a betting man but Rolands theory of low battery voltage not throwing out the starter pinion sounds entirely plausible to me...although too late to check now.

While everything's out, you want to check your shift linkage rod....hate to say it but you may well have bent it by not uncoupling it first

Good luck, hope it's nothing too serious
S

[911nut]

Originally Posted by Spenny_b

Not a betting man but Rolands theory of low battery voltage not throwing out the starter pinion sounds entirely plausible to me...although too late to check now

+1
I've seen where starters won't engage or sometimes even not turn over after a heat soak when they are going bad.
GSX, if you have a multimeter, check your battery voltage.

[gsxrken]

Originally Posted by Spenny_b

Not a betting man but Rolands theory of low battery voltage not throwing out the starter pinion sounds entirely plausible to me...although too late to check now.

While everything's out, you want to check your shift linkage rod....hate to say it but you may well have bent it by not uncoupling it first
S

I did undo the coupler, and separated it by shifting into second gear. However, as I was lowering the engine, the shaft from the transaxle tipped up and was contacting the top of the hole that it passes through, if you know what I'm talking about. But I will own up to my sin to Gary Fairbanks when I drop it off so he can give it a close once-over.

Originally Posted by 911nut

+1
I've seen where starters won't engage or sometimes even not turn over after a heat soak when they are going bad.
GSX, if you have a multimeter, check your battery voltage.

Battery voltage is 14.01. I would love if you guys were right, but I don't think it'll be the case. The engine was spinning over with true vigor before it started grinding.

Infuriatingly, I missed a harness connector on the rear tin and now have some splicing homework to do before this all goes in.

[gsxrken]

And the verdict on the starter and ring gear:

[Spenny_b]

Ouchy!...yup that'd be the noise you heard.

Without wanting to state the bleedin' obvious, the root cause still needs identifying; had another thought, check your ground/earthing points to make sure that the 14v is getting to the starter.

Where did you measure the voltage, at the battery itself? ie., it could be your getting a voltage drop from front to back of the car (although strange that you say it was spinning over nicely beforehand)

[proffighter]

Voltage at the non loaded battery is one, but more important is how much it drops while starter turning...

BTW I have seen worse gears that don't made any noise