Resolved Grinding starter

[Araesk]

So awhile back I spun a rod bearing, and decided I'd stick with my love/hate DSM and try to get her back up and running. I bought a 1G engine that was supposedly rebuilt with ACL racing bearings, ARP head studs, and a honed block with new piston rings. I learned when mounting the 2g bellhousing (BH), that the little plate between the block and BH wasn't quite allowing the top bolt for the starter to be threaded through. So I didn't think things through and just cut that portion of the plate off so I could bolt the starter on (not thinking anything of it). I start the car up, and the starter grinds on the flywheel. You cannot really hear it when the car is turning over or on, but when you the car is turned off, you hear the starter singing a sad song against the flywheel.

I just got back in from trying to put some washers inbetween the starter and BH to try to recreate the thickness of the plate, but it still grinds on shut down. I even tried loosening the bolts and trying to tilt the starter upwards one bolt at a time to get it to the top of its elliptical bolt hole on the BH (I read this, not entirely sure if they meant on the BH or starter). I don't really have anymore ideas of things I could do to try to get it lined up properly so that's why I'm making this post. Anyone have any ideas on what I can do to get the starter lined back up so that it can disengage and reengage the flywheel cleanly?

 

[nelliott500]

My first choice would be to get the appropriate plate in there so that things work properly...

 

[Araesk]

Is it possible since I'm FWD if I pop out the passenger side half shaft and slide the tranny off the block, and be able to squeeze the new plate in? Or could I just take the corner for the starter plate (cut out a section where the starter mount and the two closest bolt holes) and just mount that little bit?

 

[nelliott500]

According to JNZ, the starter plate is matched to the trans.

I'm pretty sure the plate is bolted on so slipping the old one off and the new one on sounds impossible.

I suppose you could just cut off the corner and use it as a spacer but I wouldn't trust it. The part is $18. If it were my car, I would do it right and swap it out.

 

[Araesk]

Yeah I ran over to a local guy i gave my old block to and grabbed the plate off of it. There is 1 10mm that bolts behind the flywheel, and the rest pivots on the front dowel pin the block has. I am really just trying to avoid pulling the whole tranny, clutch, and flywheel off. I mean If there's no other way I'll end up doing it.

I'm thinking if I take out the half shaft on the passenger side and loosen the spindle nut on the driver side, I should be able to back the tranny off enough I can get the plate slide over the dowel pin and just go over the old plate. Anyone have any experience with backing the tranny off and if its plausible? Or would I just be wasting my time?

 

[dtdeg]

its impossible to get the starter plate out without pulling the tranny. You cant reach the bolts behind the flywheel im sure. I think somehow your starter plate is bend / damaged or you just got the wrong starter plate. I've done an awd swap and the difference between the two is just mm's. If there wasnt that amount of good information availble i've had to pull the trans again just to install the right starter plate...

And for your info there are two bolts behind the flywheel holding the starter plate in pace. The other are two dowel pins, so go figure, it will never slide out anywhere without the trans completly pulled.

 

[nelliott500]

Yeah I ran over to a local guy i gave my old block to and grabbed the plate off of it. There is 1 10mm that bolts behind the flywheel, and the rest pivots on the front dowel pin the block has. I am really just trying to avoid pulling the whole tranny, clutch, and flywheel off. I mean If there's no other way I'll end up doing it.

I'm thinking if I take out the half shaft on the passenger side and loosen the spindle nut on the driver side, I should be able to back the tranny off enough I can get the plate slide over the dowel pin and just go over the old plate. Anyone have any experience with backing the tranny off and if its plausible? Or would I just be wasting my time?

I think you would be wasting your time. It only takes me two hours to pull a trans. Putting it back in takes a bit longer but it could be done in a day. A weekend is more than generous.

its impossible to get the starter plate out without pulling the tranny. You cant reach the bolts behind the flywheel im sure. I think somehow your starter plate is bend / damaged or you just got the wrong starter plate. I've done an awd swap and the difference between the two is just mm's. If there wasnt that amount of good information availble i've had to pull the trans again just to install the right starter plate...

And for your info there are two bolts behind the flywheel holding the starter plate in pace. The other are two dowel pins, so go figure, it will never slide out anywhere without the trans completly pulled.

His issue has nothing to do with AWD or FWD. He's using a 1g motor in a 2g car.

 

[Araesk]

I'm just trying to visualize how to take it off. So: jack the car up, take off the upper ball joint nuts, drop the knuckles, undo the spindle nuts, pop out the half shafts, drop the lower skid plate and front motor mount, disconnect the electrical systems and the shifter cables, then support the tranny, undo the motor mount on the tranny, and back the bolts off, then just pull the tranny off? Or would I need to lower the whole engine first?

 

[nelliott500]

I haven't done it on a 2g but it's not terribly different from a 1g. The major difference is you have three mounts that attach to the trans instead of one. You shouldn't need to lower the motor.

Jafro has a fantastic series of videos that goes through a clutch swap on a 2g:

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[Araesk]

So I pulled off the whole tranny, threw on a lightweight fidenza flywheel and a the 2g fwd starter plate, and the thing is still grinding. The first time I turned the car over it sounded like it disengaged after about a second of the car being off. After that, the second and third times it grinds until I hear them both stop completely. Any other ideas? I checked the starter when it was off the tranny and it looked good. No major chips or anything. Same with the flywheel. Just not alligned properly still?

Edit: Here is a quick video of the sound it makes.

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[lasershark]

It could be a problem with the starter itself, and not the actual positioning or alignment.

 

[Araesk]

When I pulled the bell housing off the block, I didn't realize it was holding the starter on so it kind of fell roughly 2 feet into solid cement. Might that have done it?

 

[Araesk]

Solved. Turns out it was the wire going from my power steering reservoir into the alternator that was hitting the radiator fan....

 

[lasershark]

At least you got some practice pulling the tranny that will come in handy in the future.