1275 N/A problems!
Turbo Mini Forums

got a bit of a head scratcher for you! or maybe not and I'm just stupid!)

we're trying to get the car ready for avon and eventually got it out on the road last night for its first run. The problem is that the starter seams to tighten up on the fly wheel when trying to start it. In fairness, it has done this since the engine was installed and every so often, it would jam. We checked the flywheel and noticed a couple of the teeth were out of shape slightly so filed them a little to try and help. Anyway, last night it jammed big style and took some effort to release - result 3 missing teeth on the ring gear in various locations. Prior to this we tried 3 different starters but this made no difference.

Changed the flywheel today and all seamed fine at first but just tried again and it is now doing the same thing again.

The car, when it is running sounds fine and there are no worrying noises of note.

The engine has just been re-built and was running prior to being stripped (albeit only on the floor - not in the car)

Any ideas??

cheers

Rob

ide say your starters shagged mate, try a different one and see how it goes.....

cheers, already tried 3 starters in it - all do the same thing. sometimes it ok sometimes not

there are two different styles of ringgear. One for the pre engaged(later) and one for the inertia. Are you sure you do not have a mix between the two? If you do it will not match up

checked that too. We have now reverted to the original flywheel and starter...............

okay, how does the bendix look? also you have to check if the flywheel has moved inwards on the taper. This will cause loads of troubles as the bendix will not mesh good with the ring gear.

if you've changed starter and ring gear then the relationship between them must be wrong somehow. although i cant see how.

Just wondering if the flywheel is loose, of the ring gear isnt on true to the crank.

or the crank tail has some runout?

Would explain why it only sometimes sticks. if it starts on a low spot it gets over it, if it starts on a high spot the start-up torque needed isnt enough.

well I think we have found the problem - stupid as it may be.

We had set the timing static at 8oBTDC. When we turned the car over off the solenoid, it turned over fine. Soon as we switched on ignition, the probelm reapeared. Anyhow, we have now used the timing light and the timing has turned out to be 30degs out! Now re-set and starting fine.

All we can think is that the damaged flywheel was a steel light weight unit and was easily stalled with the timing issue

Cheers for all the help and advice

Rob