Starter not engaging help
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 54
Likes: 5
Starter not engaging help Hi had a quick question maybe someone could help me with involving my starter not engaging. Unfortunately I did not mount the starter before I installed the motor and trans into my 64 nova and now I'm paying for it... This is my first car build so I'm plenty frustrated. Anyways, I have a mcleod clutch and flywheel combo paired to a tr6060 out of a 2012 camaro. The starter is a powermaster 9109 which was what they told me to use because of clearance issues with the crank sensor. Today was supposed to be the fire up day and the starter spins and whirls but doesn't even touch the teeth at all. What am i doing wrong here? this is my third starter since the ones for a 2012 camaro don't fit, neither do the ls1 starters. Losing my mind a bit. Thanks
Which scenario are we dealing with here...
1. Starter pinion throws and the flywheel is too far away
2. Starter engages the flywheel but the starter clutch is slipping (motor spinning but pinion gear not)
3. Starter pinion gear spinning in the retracted position
You can run the starter on a bench if you want to see if the pinion gear is throwing and retracting okay. Starter won't fly out of your hand when there is no load against it. Don't touch the pinion gear obviously.
1. Starter pinion throws and the flywheel is too far away
2. Starter engages the flywheel but the starter clutch is slipping (motor spinning but pinion gear not)
3. Starter pinion gear spinning in the retracted position
You can run the starter on a bench if you want to see if the pinion gear is throwing and retracting okay. Starter won't fly out of your hand when there is no load against it. Don't touch the pinion gear obviously.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 54
Likes: 5
Which scenario are we dealing with here...
1. Starter pinion throws and the flywheel is too far away
2. Starter engages the flywheel but the starter clutch is slipping (motor spinning but pinion gear not)
3. Starter pinion gear spinning in the retracted position
You can run the starter on a bench if you want to see if the pinion gear is throwing and retracting okay. Starter won't fly out of your hand when there is no load against it. Don't touch the pinion gear obviously.
1. Starter pinion throws and the flywheel is too far away
2. Starter engages the flywheel but the starter clutch is slipping (motor spinning but pinion gear not)
3. Starter pinion gear spinning in the retracted position
You can run the starter on a bench if you want to see if the pinion gear is throwing and retracting okay. Starter won't fly out of your hand when there is no load against it. Don't touch the pinion gear obviously.
You can check item (3) by free running the starter on the bench. If the pinion gear throws and spins then item (3) is probably fine.
You can check item (2) by turning the pinion gear by hand. If you spin it one way it should feel like it grabs and turns the motor inside the starter. If you spin it the other way it should feel like it is slipping and not turning anything inside the starter. There's a clutch inside the starter that behaves that way.
Now the clutch could feel okay by hand but still slip in the car if you are using a battery with a high CCA rating. A battery with too much CCA can cause the starter roller clutch to slip when it runs against the load of the engine. This will ruin the clutch but it takes many hits to get to the point where it will slip by hand.
You can check item (1) with a basic ruler that has a mm scale. You want to make sure the flywheel and starter are sitting where they're supposed to be. It's pretty easy, just take some measurements from the starter mounts and add up the numbers. Starter pinion gear (in the retracted position at rest) should be just a couple millimeters from the flywheel ring gear.
You can check item (2) by turning the pinion gear by hand. If you spin it one way it should feel like it grabs and turns the motor inside the starter. If you spin it the other way it should feel like it is slipping and not turning anything inside the starter. There's a clutch inside the starter that behaves that way.
Now the clutch could feel okay by hand but still slip in the car if you are using a battery with a high CCA rating. A battery with too much CCA can cause the starter roller clutch to slip when it runs against the load of the engine. This will ruin the clutch but it takes many hits to get to the point where it will slip by hand.
You can check item (1) with a basic ruler that has a mm scale. You want to make sure the flywheel and starter are sitting where they're supposed to be. It's pretty easy, just take some measurements from the starter mounts and add up the numbers. Starter pinion gear (in the retracted position at rest) should be just a couple millimeters from the flywheel ring gear.
Last edited by QwkTrip; Jan 31, 2021 at 11:49 PM.
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Dec 2019
Posts: 54
Likes: 5
You can check item (3) by free running the starter on the bench. If the pinion gear throws and spins then item (3) is probably fine.
You can check item (2) by turning the pinion gear by hand. If you spin it one way it should feel like it grabs and turns the motor inside the starter. If you spin it the other way it should feel like it is slipping and not turning anything inside the starter. There's a clutch inside the starter that behaves that way.
Now the clutch could feel okay by hand but still slip in the car if you are using a battery with a high CCA rating. A battery with too much CCA can cause the starter roller clutch to slip when it runs against the load of the engine. This will ruin the clutch but it takes many hits to get to the point where it will slip by hand.
You can check item (1) with a basic ruler that has a mm scale. You want to make sure the flywheel and starter are sitting where they're supposed to be. It's pretty easy, just take some measurements from the starter mounts and add up the numbers. Starter pinion gear (in the retracted position at rest) should be just a couple millimeters from the flywheel ring gear.
You can check item (2) by turning the pinion gear by hand. If you spin it one way it should feel like it grabs and turns the motor inside the starter. If you spin it the other way it should feel like it is slipping and not turning anything inside the starter. There's a clutch inside the starter that behaves that way.
Now the clutch could feel okay by hand but still slip in the car if you are using a battery with a high CCA rating. A battery with too much CCA can cause the starter roller clutch to slip when it runs against the load of the engine. This will ruin the clutch but it takes many hits to get to the point where it will slip by hand.
You can check item (1) with a basic ruler that has a mm scale. You want to make sure the flywheel and starter are sitting where they're supposed to be. It's pretty easy, just take some measurements from the starter mounts and add up the numbers. Starter pinion gear (in the retracted position at rest) should be just a couple millimeters from the flywheel ring gear.
