'91 325 stalled Help!
- Thread starter JeffD
- Start date
If the starter was pulled out and it was working the only thing that could be wrong is the teeth on the flywheel are broken off in that spot. I think KC is correct in suspecting the bendix. If it was the teeth on the flywheel you could bump the engine with a wrench or by pushing the car a bit and engaging the clutch in gear to move the engine. Then the starter would work again until the engine happened to stop at that spot again. If the starter is out you might be able to see the flywheel with a mirror. Any damage would be very apparent.
Steve
Steve
Thanks. I was able to inspect the flywheel teeth through the starter mount and through an "inspection" window on the bottom of the fly wheel casing. I was able to manually rotate the flywheel and no teeth are missing or worn...should I have been able to rotate the flywheel? (automatic transmission).
The bench test on the starter was done at a local chain parts store. Not sure what the bendix is.
The bench test on the starter was done at a local chain parts store. Not sure what the bendix is.
The flywheel is connected directly to the engine. Spinning it turns the engine over. Make sure the key is off.
If the flywheel is ok and the starter spins the only thing left is that the gear on the starter is not engaging the flywheel when the key is turned. According to Bentley there are three things that can cause this - a faulty starter drive pinion, armature shaft, or solenoid switch. The pinion is the little gear that actually engages the flywheel. The shaft is the shaft of the starter motor. The solenoid is that lump on the side where all the wires get connected. Replace the starter if one of the first two are bad. Replace the solenoid if it is bad. The solenoid can be replaced separately. I would suspect the solenoid before the shaft or the pinion.
You may want to replace both if the starter is bad. You'll kick yourself if the solenoid goes out shortly after replacing only the starter motor and you have to go through this all again.
I would take the starter back to the store and tell them your flywheel is fine and something is wrong with the starter. Just because it spins doesn't mean it's good. Better yet if you can find an alternator/starter repair shop and they'll probably be able to tell you exactly what is wrong.
Good luck.
Steve
If the flywheel is ok and the starter spins the only thing left is that the gear on the starter is not engaging the flywheel when the key is turned. According to Bentley there are three things that can cause this - a faulty starter drive pinion, armature shaft, or solenoid switch. The pinion is the little gear that actually engages the flywheel. The shaft is the shaft of the starter motor. The solenoid is that lump on the side where all the wires get connected. Replace the starter if one of the first two are bad. Replace the solenoid if it is bad. The solenoid can be replaced separately. I would suspect the solenoid before the shaft or the pinion.
You may want to replace both if the starter is bad. You'll kick yourself if the solenoid goes out shortly after replacing only the starter motor and you have to go through this all again.
I would take the starter back to the store and tell them your flywheel is fine and something is wrong with the starter. Just because it spins doesn't mean it's good. Better yet if you can find an alternator/starter repair shop and they'll probably be able to tell you exactly what is wrong.
Good luck.
Steve
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I don't know that much about these engines but from what I know about small nitro engines, I can tell you this, the flywheel is disconnected from the crank shaft (there is absolutely no way you can turn it over with only your hand if everything is fine, the compression would not let you do it) and that is not good. I'm sure that if put the starter back, make it turn and look in the window, the flywheel will turn but the engine will not turn over. This explains why the engine died too, whithout the flywheel connected to the crank shaft, there is no force to keep the engine turning so it died. The starter turns the flywheel and the flywheel does not turn the crank shaft which in turn can't make the pistons go up and down. Get my point? I hope I am as far away from the truth as possible but if I'm not, then you may have to spend a small fortune unless is something like a set screw. Tell us how it goes, I really want to know what the real problem is.
yes you should be able to turn the fly wheel. when you have it in park it only locks the axles, so that your car cannot move. your engine can still spin freely otherwise you wouldn't be able to start your car in 'park'. andreyiv, it would be a pretty difficult task to seperate the flywheel form the crank shaft. jeffd, i assume it was not easy to turn the flywheel so if your starter is turning and you don't hear a click for the seleniod to engage then replace your seleniod. every time you turn the key you should hear a click and your starter turning, and a click back out. listen for this and let us know.
Well, as I understand it, he turned his flywheel 360 degrees to check all the teeth, right, from what I understand, the compression should not allow him to turn over the engine with his hands or even fingers only. I honestly hope that I am wrong and compression of the engine allowed him to do that but something tells me that it shouldn't. I mean, think of the force you have to apply to start a lawn mover or a bike engine and then think how much harder it should be with an engine that is a lot bigger.
oh and it is also possible to turn the engine with a large screwdriver to pry in the teeth of the flywheel one tooth at a time.
also know that if you turn the engine slow enough the compression will leak as you turn it making it fairly easy to turn. If you did try to turn it fast enought to start like a lawn mower, then there is no doubt that man is not strong enough
also know that if you turn the engine slow enough the compression will leak as you turn it making it fairly easy to turn. If you did try to turn it fast enought to start like a lawn mower, then there is no doubt that man is not strong enough
Wait, Jeff said the starter doesn't engage the engine so the engine isn't turning over. The timing belt can't be causing this problem. That's like telling him to check the water in the radiator.
This isn't rocket science. You've got two problems. One is your engine stalled. The other is your starter. The timing belt is a possibility of why the car stalled but I think you need to fix the starter first.
Either the starter works or it doesn't. Since the flywheel is ok the starter has to be bad in some way. Either it is not throwing the pinion gear out far enough to engage or with not enough force to engage the flywheel. You could always try installing it again and seeing if it works but I doubt it will. Things like this rarely fix themselves just by reinstalling but it is possible.
As far as checking the timing belt you can look through the oil filler cap and see the valve train. If you turn the engine with the wrench and the valves move your timing belt is fine. But if it's been 50,000 miles since your last timing belt change you should do it soon. Don't wait because it will damage your valves if it breaks and a starter is nothing in comparison to what you have to go through to fix that! Mine bent four valves when it went.
Steve
This isn't rocket science. You've got two problems. One is your engine stalled. The other is your starter. The timing belt is a possibility of why the car stalled but I think you need to fix the starter first.
Either the starter works or it doesn't. Since the flywheel is ok the starter has to be bad in some way. Either it is not throwing the pinion gear out far enough to engage or with not enough force to engage the flywheel. You could always try installing it again and seeing if it works but I doubt it will. Things like this rarely fix themselves just by reinstalling but it is possible.
As far as checking the timing belt you can look through the oil filler cap and see the valve train. If you turn the engine with the wrench and the valves move your timing belt is fine. But if it's been 50,000 miles since your last timing belt change you should do it soon. Don't wait because it will damage your valves if it breaks and a starter is nothing in comparison to what you have to go through to fix that! Mine bent four valves when it went.
Steve
why would it be the timing belt? If the timing belt was broken, the whole bottom end(crank) would still be turning with the starter. He said "the starter spins but does not engage."
what does the timing belt have to do with the starter spinning? Not saying the timing belt couldn't be snapped along with the starter problems but the timing belt doesn't have anything to do with what he said about the starter spinning.
what does the timing belt have to do with the starter spinning? Not saying the timing belt couldn't be snapped along with the starter problems but the timing belt doesn't have anything to do with what he said about the starter spinning.
could he mean it sounds like it is not engaging?? I have only heard one car with a broken belt and it sounded like the starter is just spinning and nothing else. without valves would'nt the bottom end spin pretty free without compression?? I am NOT a mechanic, just sometimes I think I am and thats how I get into trouble, but thats how I learn.
well he said he could see the flywheel. i assumed he watched the flywheel to see if it turned with the starter.
you do bring up an interesting point pauld. but what do the accesory belts run off of? I don't remember, do they run off the crank on the 2.5? if so they would still be turning and making noise. I would check it out but my hood doesn't like to close when its cold out.
I guess we'll just keep waiting for an update jeffd.
also if the timing belt was broke, valves can get crushed. that would be noisey, or maybe they are aalready crushed out of the way so they don't make noise anymore. i don't know.
you do bring up an interesting point pauld. but what do the accesory belts run off of? I don't remember, do they run off the crank on the 2.5? if so they would still be turning and making noise. I would check it out but my hood doesn't like to close when its cold out.
I guess we'll just keep waiting for an update jeffd.
also if the timing belt was broke, valves can get crushed. that would be noisey, or maybe they are aalready crushed out of the way so they don't make noise anymore. i don't know.