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Flywheel teeth worn to nubs

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Old Jun 18, 2023 | 03:59 PM
  #1  
goodeye69's Avatar
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Flywheel teeth worn to nubs

(Should say flex plate, not flywheel)

1969 Toronado.
So I got a new refurb starter from symptoms that the original went bad. Next problem is a section of flex plate teeth are worn down completely. I can start the car by rotating the engine with a wrench to get past the spot.
I think this happened quickly, it never started great, but this is recent. And shiny. Could the new starter wreck the old teeth? or some installation/alignment problem? Or did I just hammer down on it once and screwed myself.

Thoughts? I have great mechanics in National City, but want to know a little about this.
Thank you.









Last edited by goodeye69; Jun 18, 2023 at 05:44 PM. Reason: Flex plate
Old Jun 18, 2023 | 04:49 PM
  #2  
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Sadly the flex plate is toast. It may have been damaged by the previous starter and finished off by the new one. Are there any other bad spots on it?

Last edited by oldcutlass; Jun 18, 2023 at 04:53 PM.
Old Jun 18, 2023 | 04:52 PM
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Originally Posted by oldcutlass
It may have been damaged by the previous starter and finished off by the new one.
I agree. Had this happened in a few recent starts, Owner would have heard some awful racket.
Old Jun 18, 2023 | 04:54 PM
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Definitely a racket. The old starter was making all kinds of noises, including dead stop then starting up again, hammering, etc. This starter seems good, when it's not on these teeth. When it is on them, it just spins. When it takes time to start, it has a big hammer/thump as it goes by. I've been priming the carb with gas so it starts immediately.
Old Jun 18, 2023 | 04:58 PM
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Sorry. Pulling these engines is not awful. Great opportunity to do rear main seal, trans input seal...
Old Jun 18, 2023 | 05:43 PM
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Thanks. I just don't want it to happen again, if I did something wrong (other than keep cranking when it was clanking...)
Someone was in here at some point - the flex plate cover has only 2 out of 5 bolts, and the swivel cover piece doesn't go down all the way, it's bumping into gunk or something more solid.

I do like how workable the car is, but this is out of my league. My mechanics are transmission and classic car people, so this is a good "while it's apart" moment, like you say. e.g., the timing gear is the original nylon one - from other threads, it's on borrowed time.
Old Jun 18, 2023 | 05:49 PM
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@Eric, no other bad spots. I couple tips of teeth are shiny, but this is the only worn spot. Seems to want to "settle" here fairly often, I need to rotate it to get it to start.
Old Jun 18, 2023 | 05:50 PM
  #8  
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Originally Posted by bw1339
Sorry. Pulling these engines is not awful. Great opportunity to do rear main seal, trans input seal...
This is how a new starter turns into a body-off restoration...
Old Jun 18, 2023 | 05:54 PM
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Driving it round-trip would be nice...
Old Jun 18, 2023 | 06:00 PM
  #10  
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This could turn into a MAW (might as well).
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