ssadler4220

Changed starter on my 1966 inline six after hearing grinding/ groing noise and still hearing it. I'm thinking it must be the ring gear on the flywheel that needs to be replaced. Has anyone replaced these before?

Derf00

You're message is a bit unclear.

When did you start hearing the grinding/groaning? After you've done work on the car? what kind of work?

When do you hear the grinding/groaning, just at start up or all the time?

Starter staying engaged could be a bendix problem or a starter relay problem (stuck closed).


Did you have the old starter bench tested to confirm the noise or if the bendix was sticking? How did its bendix gear look?

Did you check the clearance of the starter to the ring gear? A lot of times on older cars you need to shim the starter bolts to get the correct angle and clearance to avoid the bendix getting stuck.

ssadler4220

A couple years ago I started it up while leaving my parents house to go home and on the way home the starter engaged the flywheel. I continued to drive it for another five or so min while it was doing so to get it home. After I got back home it wouldn't turn back over and feared I might have damaged the flywheel ring gear. This year I decided to try and change the starter incase that was a cheap solution. But after changing the starter I still hear a growling noise while trying to start it. The car doesn't try to turn over all I hear is the growling noise. I have not bench tested the old starter but the bendix gear does look a little worn and scared by the flywheel.

Derf00

Groaning or ticking that can sound like grinding is usually from the lack of juice (electricity) to do the mechanical job or a circuit that is impeded.

You have a starter solenoid/relay on the firewall or fender well. It looks like this. It may be bad/going out.

Check voltage from the battery to the solenoid. Then check the voltage from the solenoid to the starter by having someone try to crank the car while you check the voltage on the side going to the starter. it should be the same as the voltage going into the solenoid from the battery. You can only check the voltage on the starter side while the car is being cranked because that's when the circuit inside the solenoid is closed.

You can also do a quick test of it by bypassing it. Put the key to run position in the ignition switch but don't try to start it. Take a 6-8" long screwdriver with a nice solid wood or plastic handle and short the metal screwdriver shaft across the two short silver screws. This bypasses the electrical mechanism inside and temporarily closes the circuit from the battery to the starter. It should start. As soon as it turns over remove the screwdriver.

if electricity scares you, you can wear a mechanics glove as well.

If it doesn't start and you get the same groaning/clicking then the solenoid/relay is probably not your problem or you have a few things that could be wrong. Check your ground cables and your positive lead from your battery to your solenoid/relay and from your solenoid/relay to your starter.

if the cables aren't it then you're probably looking towards the ignition switch itself.

ssadler4220

Thanks for all of your tips... I was trying to jump start it because the battery was dead. I have replaced the solenoid in the past and that very well could be the issue again. I will see what I can do tonight.