'03 Mach 1 starter issue

[skidmarky 50]

Hoping someone here has some experience with the '03-'04s....

Pulled the TR3650 out of my '03 Mach 1, 3rd and 4th synchros shot, replaced it with a rebuilt TR3650. Starter is now grinding when you try to start it, it will start and grind for a few seconds and then stop. Had no issues before. Tried a brand new starter and same thing. Flywheel is fine, no missing/chipped teeth. Can't figure out why it is doing this when it was perfectly fine before. The block plate was missing when we tore it apart, it only had a small piece of it surrounding the starter, it now has a complete plate. This is the only difference. Flywheel was not removed. Stumped.

[barnett468 418]

your description of the problem is too vague. explain the problem in much more specific/exact detail.

try attaching a jumper cable from the negative battery post to the engine then try stating it.

 

[skidmarky 50]

Um, I'm not sure how to describe this any better. You turn the key the starter grinds, car starts, it continues to grind for a few seconds. Never did this before. Attach a jumper cable? Why? The starter starts the car already, it just grinds when it does it.

[barnett468 418]

Attach a cable because i (and i'm guessing others here) do not understand exactly what the problem is based on your description, and there is a known issue with this exact model of starter making noises on occasion during starting that has sometimes been attributed to, and fixed by, cleaning the ground cables from the body to the engine or by installing a larger diameter one, and using a jumper cable will tell you in 5 seconds if this is your problem or not.

It would be far better if you could post a video of the problem and a photo of the teeth and stopper ring on the old starter.

 

does the starter remain engaged for a few seconds after the engine starts and you turn the key off?

does the starter remain engaged for a few seconds after you turn the key off if the engine did not start?

does this grinding noise sound like teeth grinding that are not properly engaged?

does it make this sound every time you try to start it?

 

 

[skidmarky 50]

Ah, now I see why you said to attach a jumper cable. Will try this.

[1969_Mach1 333]

Apparently somebody has been in there before and assembled it wrong (without the separator plate) and only used a small piece of it where the starter mounts to the bell housing.  Why they did that we don't know.  They essentially shimmed the starter further from the ring gear.  Now the relationship between the starter and ring gear has changed.  Have you tried to reinstall that piece of separator plate between the starter and the new complete separator plate you installed?  That should return the relation between the starter and ring gear back to what it was before.  That would have been the first thing I would have tried.  Why it needed that in the first place is odd.  We don't know what was done when somebody was in there before.  Did somebody change the flywheel and ring gear at some time in the past and it's a little different than the original?

[skidmarky 50]

I really don't know the history of repairs on this car, but the PO obviously didn't know what he was doing. The piece that was shimming the starter was a piece of the separator plate, so with a complete plate on there now it should be in the same spot. Seems to me though that the transmission would have been a little crooked with only one side shimmed. The car is at a buddies shop, will try to get over there this weekend and try fixes mentioned.

[1969_Mach1 333]

Was the piece of separator plate only between the starter and bell housing essentially shimming the starter farther from the ring gear?  That's what I imagine from your description.  If that is the case, the relationship between the starter and ring gear is now different than before.  Think about it a bit.  It wasn't right.  But why the PO did that we don't know.