I need help with my starter issues. I am assembling my 71 442 after a full rotisserie restoration and finally have all the electricals hooked up, and so, I attempted to start the car. (I have a new battery, original starter with an NOS Delco solenoid. I took the starter apart basically to look at the brushes and check for play in the end bushings. All seemed OK.)
When I started the car, the meshing of gears/teeth didn't sound correct and it barely turned and even gave a momentery kick back start after I let go of the key. I searched the forum and found others with similar symptoms. I obtained a pack of shims and experimented with one and then two up to .45", which is max per the assembly manual. I was able to put a 1/16 inch drill bit between the two teeth, which I understand is the correct spacing. In order to do this I unhooked the solenoid in order to slide the pinion gear out.

Now for more problems:
After reinstalling, and hitting the key, it spins over, but doesn't spin that fast, still sounds lke there is meshing issues and keeps on spinning after I let go of the key. I had to unhook the battery in order for it to stop! As I write this, I'm remembering the cranking continued in the run position, but I don't recall bringing it back to off to see if the cranking stopped. It kind of caught me off guard.

While checking the clearance between the teeth and trying to slide the pinion into the flywheel, it wouldn't just slide in, I always had to lever the flywheel a tiny bit in order for the gear to go into the flywheel. Conversely, when I tried to slide the pinion gear back it seemed to hang up until I moved the flywheel a little. I don't know if this is normal or not. Perhaps the solenoid spring would be able to pull the gear away from the flywheel. I don't know.
Theoretically, if the pinion gear doesn't pull away from the flywheel gear, would that account for the continually cranking issue? Could this be a starter drive issue, an alignment issue, an ignition switch issue? Ideas?
I could take the starter to a local electrical repair shop to test and although I don't want to, I could go to the effort of taking the starter out of my 71 SX and see how it performs.
I would appreciate any assistance with this issue.

 

My first guess is a bad drive. It sounds like it is locking in both directions. That would explain the difficulty moving it in and out and staying engaged when cranking (because it is cranking slow). If it cranked fast it would probably come out . Next you need to find out why it is cranking slow. Try switching the starters.

 

While I agree you may have other starter issues, the starter drive may stay in contact with the flexplate until the inertia of the engine starting, combined with the loss of power from the key, and the spring pressure will then pull the drive back. If you are just turning the engine with the starter it may hang in the flexplate. What you are describing is normal.

 

Jump across the starter battery post and S post with key off. If it stays engaged the starter will need to be repaired. If it doesn't check the ign switch. If there is no power to the S post it should disengage even if the engine does not start.

 

I jumped the starter from the starter power post to the S terminal and it started cranking but wouldn't stop cranking, so I have starter problems. OldCutlass, I do see after cranking, the starter pinion gear does retract, so what you are saying about the interia effect and the spring etc., allows the release of the gear from the flywheel. So that part is sorted out, no issue there.
As the cranking doesn't sound proper and it does seem to be hard on the battery, I must have mechanical issues inside the starter. Is this continual cranking more a sign of mechanical issues in light of the less than smooth cranking sounds vs. electrical issues? Could my NOS solenoid cause such a thing? I'm banking on the starter itself needing an overhaul.
Thanks for your help.

 

Check to see if the pinion gear stop C clip is on the shaft towards the nose of the starter. If the pinion is allowed to over travel on the starter drive shaft it will cause the solenoid to stay engaged. Ask how I know.

 

This is your area of concern. If the bushing indicated by the red arrow is missing or the retention clip is missing or the aluminum nose has damage allowing over travel it can cause the problem your describing.

 

search (starter problem 62 Dynamic 88) on this forum to get a pic of what drolds is talking about. Yes the nos solenoid may also have a problem. It looks like it is time to have the starter rebuilt.

 

I'd have to agree with you, time to pull it and see whats going on.. Drolds, has a valid point also.

 

Stellar ( Mark) helped with the same issue on my 62-post is in 88 ,thread-starter problem 62 Dynamic 88

 

Update: based on the info several of you made, it appeared to be a mechanical problem. I took it apart and couldn't see any issue, even with the pinion stop. The C clip was in place. I gave up, so I took it to a local Delco auto electric repair centre and a couple of hours later they called and had it working correctly. The culprit was a bent shift lever, which I had no way of determining. It obviously was causing issues in the drive system. They only charged $5.60 for a new lever and 3/4 of an hour labour. It was certainly worth it to have it fixed and tested for $86.00. I put it in this morning and it cranks and shuts off! I bought the car with alot of the car apart, so I have no history of any mechanical issues. Anybody hear of such issues and how that could happen to a starter?

 

Glad its fixed, nice to have an inexpensive competent electrical repair shop nearby.