Tale of 3 Starter Motors, All three in the end, act the same way Options

[ctc911ctc]

[size=3]First some Facts

1974 2L, Barn Find, Last ran in 1988, ~20K miles
Rebuild the entire fuel system tank to injectors
Car will start - First start was yesterday, today ran for about 30 seconds


When we first energized the starter it would rotate the engine. Periodically there would be load CLANKS which would freeze the starter. The kind people in this forum suggested a new starter. NP, got a new one.

The second starter also CLANKED and then Broke! Ear came off of one of the mounts (see pic).

Soooooo, took it back and ordered another one - this took about an hour at the store to explain and then a day to get the new one from the 'warehouse'.

Installed the 3rd starter, the engine started - lots of white smoke after the blue Miracle Oil burned off. Engine stopped, tried to start it again and the Starter CLANKED and then froze. When I try to energize the starter it pulls about 500amps and just clicks. There is no whir or rotation at all - just the click of the solenoid.


Starter 1. CLANK and then Froze

Starter 2. CLANK, Froze and then the ear broke

Starter 3. CLANK, Froze.

For each of these when the starter is taken OUT of the car, it will operate on the bench perfectly. When put back in the car will operate until it CLANKS and freezes.


SOOOOOOOOooooooooooooo,

Has anyone had experience with a starter gear getting wedged on the flywheel?

I have rotated the engine with the starter out of the car and all of the flywheel teeth look perfect.


My ideas:

1. The flywheel and the starter gear are not perfectly aligned and the two gears when they engage are so close to each other and the gears wedge?

2. The Flywheel has come loose and perhaps moving so it strikes the housing and this freezes the rotation

3. Something entirely different that I could not have foreseen that the great minds within this list will roll their eyes and then tell me to check: XYZ


Many thanks in advance!

CTC