Well I know how often people post starter issues/carb issues on the forum, but I really come here as my last ditch effort if nothing I do fixes the problem.

Went out to start my truck this morning, and the bendix didn't engage the flywheel/flexplate. You turn the key and it just makes a groaning sound, not necessarily a grinding sound. This is the SECOND starter I've put in the truck, and the third thats been on it since I've owned it.

I will go back to the beginning of it all, so it might make sense. The first starter died after a series of bolt-loosening events in which I would have to crawl under the truck (sometimes in my sunday's best) with a ratchet and re-tighten the bolts, sometimes finding the starter hanging on by a few threads and the battery connection. I replaced the bolts at one time too, alas it died. Went to O'reilly's/Schucks auto parts and got another starter (reman) put it in, and it worked perfectly..... for 4 days. Once again she left me stranded in the parking lot of a convenience store. Pulled that one out and the bendix was all chewed up. Now you can say there may have been an "alignment issue with the Teeth of the bendix, and the flywheel/flexplate" but ****, how are you supposed to line that up when you can't even aim a mirror into where the starter is mounted? And there is a cover over the flywheel that you would have to completely remove, and i did, but you still can't see anything!

So I took this one back too chewed up bendix and all, and got another reman. This one installed and has been working since February. But now I'm hearing that old familiar sound of a starter not engaging.

Another note, the solenoid was replaced with the first reman'd starter.

SO could it be the flywheel/flexplate is somehow out of alignment, or bent? the teeth on it aren't bald in any areas that I can visibly see after removing the cover.

Please help.

 

btw. its a 302 w/ a c6 trans

 

Hmmm, no damaged ring gear teeth but is the ring gear still centered on the flexplate? the gear is press-fit over the edge of the flexplate. It is possible, especially if you have had a starter that jammed or received damage, to have the ring gear slip on the flexplate which allows it to wobble (walk back and forth on the flexplate) as the engine cranks. It may appear to be fine and this may not cause damage to the gear but as it turns the gear wanders back and forth across the starter gear. This can damage the Bendix, the starter gear, and create undue vibrations that might make mounting bolts work loose.

There is no guarantee this is the issue but checking the ring gear for trueness around the diameter of the flexplate might be in order.