Starter won't engage after Spec clutch / flywheel install !!
11-15-2005, 03:50 PM
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Starter won't engage after Spec clutch / flywheel install !! Anybody had this sort of problem before?
My mechanic installed a Spec stg. 2 clutch, PP and billet steel flywheel. All lined up OK, dowels went into the holes etc. Got all put back together, and car won't start!!
It seems the starter gear is hitting on the back of the flywheel ring gear, and the teeth cannot mesh. It's almost like the ring gear is too big or something. My mechanic buddy seems to think shimming the starter would be the only possible fix. But they don't sell shims for LS1 starters.
I called Spec and the guy said they have never heard of this type problem before.
I am at a total loss as to what to do. This sucks.
We DO NOT want to have to take all that back apart again
My mechanic installed a Spec stg. 2 clutch, PP and billet steel flywheel. All lined up OK, dowels went into the holes etc. Got all put back together, and car won't start!!
It seems the starter gear is hitting on the back of the flywheel ring gear, and the teeth cannot mesh. It's almost like the ring gear is too big or something. My mechanic buddy seems to think shimming the starter would be the only possible fix. But they don't sell shims for LS1 starters.
I called Spec and the guy said they have never heard of this type problem before.
I am at a total loss as to what to do. This sucks.
We DO NOT want to have to take all that back apart again
11-16-2005, 07:08 AM
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That's what i thought. These cars should NOT ever have to have the starter shimmed. Either this guy if full of shyte, or I have gotten the ONE improperly manufactured flywheel Spec has ever made. The clutch install has been dragging on for three weeks now, I have never heard of so damn many problems.
I am going back to doing all my own work on the car. ONLY way to make sure job is done right. Of course I knew that all along...
I am going back to doing all my own work on the car. ONLY way to make sure job is done right. Of course I knew that all along...
11-17-2005, 07:10 PM
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Here is an update so far...
we measured the height of the ring gear on the flywheel, and it is 3/32" higher than the ring gear on the old flywheel !! No wonder the starter keeps hitting the back of the flywheel and won't engage.
Called Spec and they didn't see how the ring gear could be wrong , and nobody else has ever had this problem. I know it seems unlikely,and I don't know how the flywheel could have gotten the wrong size ring gear on it, but if there is one bad flywheel in a thousand, I'd get the bad one. (I bought an LS6 intake through SLP which was warped last summer, and they didn't believe/hadn't ever heard of it happeneing either - but yes, it was warped !!)
So Spec is sending me a replacement flywheel (was supposed to be here today, but wasn't). When I get the new one I will be sure and measure it against the old one before even trying to install it.
I will post back when we find out something. This is just too weird.
we measured the height of the ring gear on the flywheel, and it is 3/32" higher than the ring gear on the old flywheel !! No wonder the starter keeps hitting the back of the flywheel and won't engage.
Called Spec and they didn't see how the ring gear could be wrong , and nobody else has ever had this problem. I know it seems unlikely,and I don't know how the flywheel could have gotten the wrong size ring gear on it, but if there is one bad flywheel in a thousand, I'd get the bad one. (I bought an LS6 intake through SLP which was warped last summer, and they didn't believe/hadn't ever heard of it happeneing either - but yes, it was warped !!)
So Spec is sending me a replacement flywheel (was supposed to be here today, but wasn't). When I get the new one I will be sure and measure it against the old one before even trying to install it.
I will post back when we find out something. This is just too weird.
11-20-2005, 09:41 PM
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Here is another update :
Spec had told me the replacement flywheel was going out wed. (11/16) and, well when it did not get here by Friday I called them up. They said "it should leave today" yet I was told it was leaving there when I talked to them on wednesday !! Now I'm really gettin pissed. Meanwhile, my mechanic buddy has taken my tranny back out and removed the flywheel. The ring gear on the flywheel has the correct number of teeth, but they are higher by almost 1/8", and even the shape of the teeth are different. Total diameter of the flywheel is nearly 1/4" more than it should be. I don't know what ring gear it could be, but it aint for an LS1. Can't believe mine is the only flywheel made wrong like this.
Nobody else on here has had this trouble ????
Spec had told me the replacement flywheel was going out wed. (11/16) and, well when it did not get here by Friday I called them up. They said "it should leave today" yet I was told it was leaving there when I talked to them on wednesday !! Now I'm really gettin pissed. Meanwhile, my mechanic buddy has taken my tranny back out and removed the flywheel. The ring gear on the flywheel has the correct number of teeth, but they are higher by almost 1/8", and even the shape of the teeth are different. Total diameter of the flywheel is nearly 1/4" more than it should be. I don't know what ring gear it could be, but it aint for an LS1. Can't believe mine is the only flywheel made wrong like this.
Nobody else on here has had this trouble ????
11-21-2005, 09:10 PM
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Got the replacement flywheel today from Spec.
It had the correct ring gear on it ! Measured it to verify against the oldl Spec flywheel that came off the car.
Attached first two images are the old flywheel, second two are the one that was made incorrectly that I had bought to replace my burnt one. Measuring across the whole flywheel, the defective one is almost 1/4" wider.
I could turn the flywheels over and measure the height of the ring gear itself (on front it is partially covered by the billet steel, so you have to measure on the back side). On the old flywheel, the teeth measured 11mm high, on the defective one, they measured 13mm high !! this accounts for why the starter would hit the back of the flywheel and not engage properly.
Like I said before, if there's one defective flywheel out there, I'd be the one to get it. Lets hope it's the only one !!!
It had the correct ring gear on it ! Measured it to verify against the oldl Spec flywheel that came off the car.
Attached first two images are the old flywheel, second two are the one that was made incorrectly that I had bought to replace my burnt one. Measuring across the whole flywheel, the defective one is almost 1/4" wider.
I could turn the flywheels over and measure the height of the ring gear itself (on front it is partially covered by the billet steel, so you have to measure on the back side). On the old flywheel, the teeth measured 11mm high, on the defective one, they measured 13mm high !! this accounts for why the starter would hit the back of the flywheel and not engage properly.
Like I said before, if there's one defective flywheel out there, I'd be the one to get it. Lets hope it's the only one !!!
