Starter Problem
 

Ever since I changed the engine in my 951, I've had a problem with the starter.

The problem is that it sounds like the ring gear is missing a tooth or something - the starter runs unevenly sometimes.

The starter motor runs normally fast for a couple seconds, then - like it hit a missing or damaged tooth - it kinda skips for a couple seconds, then runs on at normal speed. The car always starts.

It used to be it'd do this once in a blue moon. But recently it's been doing it every time I start the car.

Over the last year, I've tried three different starters and it still does the same thing - so it's not a starter problem. All three of the starter's bendix gears all look good.

After I tried the third starter and it was still doing it, I then thought it had to be a damaged/missing tooth on the ring gear.

But I had my son slowly turn the engine over - twice. Two teeth had marks on it, but nothing that would cause problems.

All which makes me wonder if it could just be a bad electrical connection?

All three starters are good. One of them is even a recent rebuilt. And the marks on the two teeth of the ring gear shouldn't cause the problem.

Maybe a bad connection to the solenoid causing the starter to engage/disengage?

Any ideas?

My ring gear, below.

<img src="http://www.mikepellegrini.com//Graphics/ring_gear.jpg" width="1200" height="853" alt="Ring Gear" longdesc="http://www.mikepellegrini.com/Graphics/ring_gear.jpg" />

Nice picture Mike.

Because you have tried 3 different starters, eliminating the Bendix or solenoid in the starter, I am leaning towards the charging system or battery, maybe the cables should be changed for bigger thickness.

Go for the military battery cable ends as well (NAPA). Harbor Freight has welders wire copper ends that I think work well and being a little thinner in thickness, easier to solder to the copper.

The old engine, I am guessing the compression was low on all 4 cyl? And now with a fresh engine the compression is greater and the starter just needs more juice.

When I first read the post, I thought, "maybe Mike used the wrong bell housing or skewed the mounting bolts a little".

GL
John

Thanks John. Yeah, it's a turbo bellhousing and it's on properly.

Yeah, the compression is definitely better in this engine. The old engine had 181,000 miles; this one out of my parts car had 116,000 Big difference.

I don't think the current to the starter is bad, I really think it's the current to the solenoid - seems like it's cutting in and out.

I'll clean all the connections first, and if that doesn't make any difference, then upgrade the wires like you suggested.

What a pain in the butt!

Iirc all your power flows from the positive terminal straight to the starter and then from there to the rest of the car. Which means that one wire could very likely be the problem. Second to that have you tried using a shim, the starter could possibly just not be lined up right. Would explain why all three didn't work, none of them lined up properly.

Did you ever find a solution to this problem? My '86 is doing the exact same thing.

I have change the battery (New Interstate) and tried three different starters, also changed the ignition switch and the negative battery cable.

No change.