Had my motor running, then it stopped. When I went to restart it cranked until the battery worn down. Charged the battery, and all I get from the starter is a CLICK, the gear engages the flywheel but no turn, and the gear does not retract. If I turn the flywheel with my screwdriver it will pop back. Newer starter, brand new battery, and new solenoid. I may not have the correct starter bolts on, and I will get them. I thought the motor bound but I can turn the flywheel with a screwdriver. Any ideas?
might have cooked the starter motor too, it's good to crank for no more than about 15 seconds, then let it cool off for a minute (and maybe try to figure out what's actually wrong with the engine before you try to crank it again!)
sounds like the wrong bolts, or just too tight of a fit to the fly wheel would cause the starter to work extra hard and get to hot. being to close to the fly wheel would cause it to get stuck.
How easy or hard is it to move the torque converter/flywheel with all the plugs and stuff hooked up? I can move it with a screwdriver tooth by tooth, and barely push it with my bare hands. I did pick up the correct bolts thinking that is may be shifting enough to make it bind, I also plan on pulling the starter to bench test it, and go through all my conections.
I agree that you may have overheated and damaged the starter and/or solenoid. A new solenoid is cheap, like $10, and if you have the starter off, an easy replacement. The electrical contacts inside could have gotten arc'ed and burned, such that it is causing it to stick or make poor electrical contact.
Don't laugh, but I had that problem with my late-model driver shop truck I put in a crate engine and trans and didn't have a good connection at the battery It did the same damn thing... I changed the starter for another one I thought was good--same thing, then a NEW starter--no go....then had it towed to a local repair shop. Man did I feel stupid...........
remaufactured aluminum nose starters aren't quality controlled, they can be junk from the box. Once you have the proper bolts, then you may need shims. I've had a bunch of bad noses cause headaches. The solenoid could have cooked, better bench test it to see if the motor draws too many amps (fried brushes)
Unless I mis-read the first sentence, you're not ***uming that the starter caused the engine to shut off, are you? I'm OK on the "reading" part but the "understanding" part can be kind of fuzzy sometimes. If the engine was running, cut off, and was cranking until you wore the battery down, and now you want to get it to crank over to find out why she died, than I would pull all of the plugs, crank it over by hand (to make sure no mechanical problem in using the starter), and than make sure you have 12v at the starter with the key in the start position. If you have an amprobe, use it to measure load on the battery and starter when trying to start it. What motor?
Without reading each and every post..... hey, it's me. I'd like to suggest a couple of things to consider. There is a bracket that connects the motor end of the starter (No, Paris not the end that vibrates) to the block. In the absence of said bracket, the starter motor is allowed to french kiss the ring gear and falls in love to the point of never letting go. Get the bracket and install it. Chevy makes shims that am*** with proper guidence between the starter and the block at the point where those overpriced Chevy bolts p*** through in order to minimize the die-grinder effect of the little gear and the big gear. Check it out mate. And, look for the incidence of residual voltage at the solenoid after the key is released from the start position... a certain anomoly of dubious for***ude.
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