Since day one my starter has been 'grinding' on the first crank (about 70% of the time). So yesterday I drove over an hour to a shop only to have the guy tell me he doesn't have time to look at it (its not like I called the day before to confirm it was ok for me to bring it down or anything ).

I had another guy gave me an analysis a week before, also without looking at it.

So the two diagnosis's are:

Shop 1. probably the gear on the starter, we can probably get away with replacing that. (two hours labor)

Shop 2. probably the flywheel. (two days labor)

I would like to drop the starter myself and see. Two questions: any obsctacles in the way or tricks you recommend? My bottlejack doesn't raise the car as much as I'd like and I barely crawl under the engine bay as it is. Second, how do I turn the engine to see different parts of the flywheel?

Thanks
Steve

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Before you do anything, buy a good floorjack and two axle stands. Even the Target floorjacks are better than a bottle jack. A car that falls off the jack kills.

Assuming you have a floorjack and have secured the raised height with axlestands under the chassis (keeping the tires on adds to safety), removing the starter is really easy. Basically, two bolts that you can reach from under the car. I would first remove the starter and check what type it is. It may be wrong or old, and not throw as far to engage its pinion gear into the flywheel.

Changing the ring gear on the flywheel is usually a big job (transmission needs to come off, flywheel removed, old ring gear cut, new one crimped on and then reverse assembly), so I'd try starter first. If that's not it, you will still have a spare starter.

Good luck,

Bert

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'70 111 280SE/c 3.5 (4 spd manual) - sold
'63 MGB
'73 MGBGT V8

Your starter may need to be lubricated. Disconnect the battery, negative cable first, then the cables on the starter. Remove the starter and move the drive gear, aka Bendix drive, back and forth. Grease that and you may want to replace the Bendix drive or take it to a starter shop and have it overhauled, i.e. new brushes too and a good cleaning.

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Regards

Warren

Currently 1965 220Sb, 2002 FORD Crown Vic Police Interceptor

Had 1965 220SEb, 1967 230S, 280SE 4.5, 300SE (W126), 420SEL

ENTER > = (HP RPN)

Not part of the in-crowd since 1952.