Starter making grinding noises

[nmcm]

The first time I dropped my engine a friend of mine said that it might be a good time to service the starter even if it was working fine. I have no idea why I listened to him but I did. Since then every once in a while when I start the engine I get these grinding noises. I have dropped the engine agian to do some work. I had a look at the flywheel and you can now see the areas where the starter has damaged a few of the teeth. That said, it is pretty minor right now but I don't want things to get worse. I checked my Clymer manual and it said to check the Flyweel to pinion alignment. What the heck is that?
Second thing it said is that the overrunning cluch may be broken. What the heck is that?
Finally, looking at the starter teeth, they look to be in good shape. Any thoughts by anyone?

Thanks,

NMCM

[JDaniel]

What year car/motor/trans do you have?

[john walker's workshop]

the damaged ring gear teeth are not helping any. if the starter drive teeth look good, then the problem must be with the ring gear. there's no alignment that can be done.

[nmcm]

Is it possible that the starter is not fully engaging? What I mean is, when the starter motor starts spooling up the centrifical force pops out the starter's drive teeth. I am wondering if the guys that serviced the starter put things back together in a manner that is restricting the movement of the drive teeth. This would make them only partially engage with the ring gear. When the torque comes on, there isn't enough of an engagement between the two gears and so they grind. I am only thinking this because the problem only started after I sent the starter in for service. What do you think? Is this possible?

NMCM

[nmcm]

Any more thoughts?

[JDaniel]

Once again... what year is your car/motor?

When you've got missing or broken teeth on your ring gear it's going to get progressively worse. The starter will slowly chew up the surrounding teeth...

[john70t]

You can reach in from the right wheelwell and see if the thing can be moved, the cap screws could have backed out from not being tight enough.
Does "serviced" mean replaced? If the contacts within the solenoid are out of whack and engaging the motor before the solenoid pushes it all the way out (not usuall) it could cause this.
I'd recommend a high tourque starter(nipondenso make great ones).
The over-running clutch is a screw pattern on the head of the starter drive gear.
When the engine starts, it forces the starter gear out of engagement so the little motor which is turning at it's max, say, 5000rpm (a guess) with the engine at 400(?) rpm cranking speed doesn't get overreved after starting the engine with a heavy right foot.

[nmcm]

The engine is a 2.7L from a 1977 911. On the flywheel there are no broken teeth. It is just showing the starting signs of trouble in that on some teeth, not all, are showing very slight signs of wear on the side form which the starter engages. You know it just might be coincidental that the problems all started after the starter was seviced (taken appart, cleaned, solinoid checked and brushes checked). I just want to make sure that there were no possible mistakes that he could have made that would create the problems I now have with the car. And if there are, I would like to know a way of checking.

Thanks again

NMCM

[tryan]

if you have the engine out, you could clean up the buggered teeth on the flywheel with a file.

test in a vise with some jumper cables. if you bendix/drive pinion is not disengaging, replace it.


i had a bad key switch on a diesel benz that would kick the starter in everytime you hit a bump. figured that one out with a meter duct taped to the windshield. two $400 starters, a couple tows, one exploding battery and a wopper dealer ring gear bill.
all because of a $30 part

i took the grinding delco starter out of the boat three times. the biggest marine battery you could buy did not have enough cranking amps to make it work without grinding.
a higher cranking amp battery solved that summers ordeal.