Fresh rebuild on my '69 360, new ATP flywheel from RockAuto, starter replaced in the last year, was working fine before rebuild. Just put everything back together and it started breaking teeth off of one section of the flywheel. Lined it up next to the old unit and I can't see any difference.

The rest of the teeth look good - can't see any chips or gouges, or anything on rest of flywheel. Have ordered a replacement, but don't want to do this all over again.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0...205_003038.jpg

 

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-i...205_003112.jpg

 

did you use the block spacer plate?
Have you used this starter with this engine?

 

Yes, the plate is on there.
Yes, the starter worked fine before the rebuild.

 

Contact Rock Auto. Possibly a defective ring gear? If the teeth are too brittle, bad heat treating, that could be the cause if no other problems found.

 

I should have mentioned - RockAuto said that it sounded like a bad unit and that they would replace under warranty, but the guy I talked to didn't sound too sure of anything, so I'm trying to make sure that I don't have something else going on. I don't want to get to pull it a third time.

I asked about them picking up the return shipping and the guy said "Well, we're splitting it with you." Meaning that they had to pay to ship me the new one, so we're 50/50, I guess. Now I just need them to send me a guy to do half of the job pulling apart a truck I just put together and I'll be a happy customer.

 

Consider yourself lucky for Rock Auto stepping up to the plate. They could have said installer error and told you to pound sand. Sounds like they were totally fare to me.

 

I appreciate the positivity, 69cj.

I'm actually posting this to get suggestions on what, if anything, I may have done wrong, or just what could cause this, other than a bad flywheel from the factory. Are you suggesting that you have an answer to this question, or do you just happen to own a lot of stock in RockAuto and feel the need to protect your investment? :-)

I really don't think it really is fair to make customers foot the bill for return shipping on a defective part - my company doesn't do that, and I can't think of any that do.

 

So deal with Summit next time :P
I agree with you on this policy.

From what you said, it sure sounds like a defective part. Good luck

 

I've never even used Rock Auto. All I meant was that they could have said your fault and left you high and dry. I also agree with you on the shipping unfortunately it is what it is. Before installing the tranny do a mock up, test fit of the starter so you can visually see the allignment and clearance. If there was no grinding or banging sound on the original fly wheel chances are a defective ring gear. Good luck.

 

Glad you said that because I forgot to mention that there was a decent clunk, once per revolution while cranking. Especially when it was turning over hard (slow). I didn't hear it enough times to pinpoint it or even to describe it better.

Does that mean anything to anyone? I just don't have any idea. Everything looked tight and normal when I took it apart.

 

Possible that once per rev. clunk was one tooth at a time snapping off. Just a WAG from this far away. As I said before, try a mock up with the tranny out. Someone hit the starter while you watch what happens. It's been a long time since I put my 428 in but I did that once with a 394 Olds and it worked.

 

WAG alert, and without looking things up like flywheel vs. start tooth count, but that one a turn thunk strikes me as a tooth mismatch that becomes so misaligned in each revolution that you get the thunk and a broken tooth.

But the prior mock up suggestion should answer that one, good luck with it.

 

What brand was your flywheel?

Sam

 

I still don't have this resolved and could really use any advice. After installing the replacement flywheel from Rock Auto (ATP brand), I tore up the starter (cheapo Advance Auto). This should have been a red flag but it had come apart so bad that I just thought it was a bad unit and got Advance to give me replacement. (I think maybe it was engaging too far)

A little while later I started tearing teeth off of the new flywheel. So, at this point, I have learned a few things: 1. Rock Auto probably didn't owe me a flywheel (sorry for going off on you, 69cj - you were right). 2. Advance probably didn't owe me a starter. and 3. I've still got something seriously wrong.

So, I pull the darn thing apart again (getting faster at it now - not much of a silver lining), replace the ring gear, and install a Powermaster starter (200 ft.-lb. Starters) because I'm tired of having to pull the header to get to the thing. This time, I check everything I can to make sure this thing lines up right and engages far enough but not too far. I even put paint on the pinion gear and turned it over a couple of times to see where the teeth were making contact - everything looks good. I did notice that the pinion was still engaged after I shut it off the first time (only ran it for a few seconds), but it did not do that the 2 or 3 times after the first.

I drove it for about 10 days and just broke another tooth off of the ring gear.

Does anyone have ANY suggestions or ideas. At this point, my wife wants me to get rid of her and I'm probably only willing to pull the tranny one more time before I'm on board with that idea.

'69 F100, freshly rebuilt 360, Powermaster 6506 starter, 184 tooth flywheel, block spacer in place