Starter Troubles

Titleist16

Well-known member
This past week my starter has been having some problems. I notice that when I go to start the car the starter spins but it doesn't engage the flywheel. It will do that a couple of times and then it will start. It used to do it only once in a while but now it seems to do it a lot more. What could be wrong? Is it the starter or the starter solenoid? This is on a 200 in a 62 Comet.
 
So does that mean I need to replace the starter? I have a header that is pretty close to the starter could that be causing the problem? How hard is it to replace the starter considering I have the header?
 
Yes you'll need to replace the starter.
Not sure how hard it well be with headers usualy there easyer. the headers may have dried it out but usualy the prob with headers and starters is heat soak. Thats when the starter turns real slow when it hot or at running temp. Caused by to much heat from the headers about the starter.
tim
 
The other thing I have had cause them to stick like that is if the rear main seal is leaking the oil and goo gets flung onto the starter and when it gets cold it sticks. I see you are in CA so I bet its not that cold there also if you have a manual transmission you will usually have clutch problems before things get that bad. I have got a car that started doing that this fall but now I cant remember if it was the stang or one of my cads... hmmmm... guess I will find out in the spring when I drive them again.

Good Luck!
 
I have had the solenoid get sticky just from age and dust from the clutch etc. You can take it apart, clean and lubricate and it likely will give several more years of trouble free service. After my starter problems last night, I found that no one is stocking the '66 6cyl starter anymore. Geez, these parts stores just don't stock the parts for 40 year old cars anymore.
Doug
 
Another cause for the starter to spin and not engage is a worn flywheel/flexplate. When the teeth wear out, the gears don't mesh properly.
 
well I put the new starter in last weekend and it still doesn't seem right. First off I had to grind the nose down a little bit because the torque converter would hit when the motor was running. After I solved that the starter doesn't sound right. It doesn't sound like it's grinding, it sounds more like a zipping noise. I compared the two starters before I put it in and they both looked the same. The teeth on the flex plate looked great. Any ideas on what this noise is?
 
Maybe someone could confirm whether shims were ever used on Ford starters. I know my Chevy manuals have mentioned using shims when installing the starter. But after 40 years those shims always seem to have disappeared and I have always been able to get by without them.
Doug
 
my dad asked me if there were shims when I replaced the starter but there weren't any when I took the old one off.
 
Titleist16":17aiebwe said:
What do shims do as far as the operation of the starter?

Just spaces the starter away from the flywheel a little.
 
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