Anyone here have a problem with a high torque starter?

We pulled the flywheel on a six conversion because the ring gear on the flywheel was ruined by the starter.

I'm a Bosch kinda guy, so this just confirms my personal preference.

Was it the expensive $200+ one or the cheapie $119 one ... the cheap one caused me no end of problems ... never heard of a problem with the other / good one.

There are two mini starters: IMI and Hi Performance of America.

The HPA starter needs to be spaced out slightly (one washer under each bolt). You can tell the difference because the IMI has the electrical connections on the top and the HPA has the connections on the bottom. I just put an HPA in my car and forgot about the spacers. I could hear a weird noise, so I pulled it back out and remembered washers. Now there is not more weird noise.

Is yours IMI or HPA? It should be cast into the body near the gear.

was the starter gear fully engaging and centered on the flywheel ring gear?

(you can tell by the wear patterns on each gear)

Was it eat up at the front of the teeth cuz maybe the colenoid didn't engage just right. I think this extreme abuse is operator error since one does not allow such an activity to persist to the point of a major repair job althoug it sounds like he drove the hell out if it and thats what its all about.

Oh, NOW you ("you" in the general sense, not Mark specifically) tell me this AFTER I bought the recommended eBay (HPA) unit Holy muther-frickin-crap!

Well, at least I found out now before I received it

According to the eBay page of HPA, the starter IS an IMI

I installed mine and it started the 914-4 quickly...but also made a weird, metalic buzz sorta sound So I pulled the starter and took pictures. I'm guessing that for the 914-4, a washer will be necessary (the OP was about a 914-6).

Look carefully and you can see the wear marks, particularly at the dome piece where the teeth extend from:
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This is what my original starter teeth look like:
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That area of space on the teeth that wasn't engaging measures close to 1/8".

So it looks like I should add a spacer in the new unit to pull it back i.e. keep it from engaging too much. Questions:

1. Won't this create a gap that would allow dirt & debris into the flywheel area?
2. And wouldn't there be some sort of minor wobble during starting?
3. What if I made a gasket that would provide the necessary spacing as well as seal the starter to its mating surface?

During testing it did a nice job of spinning the engine quickly and starting right up. Then while listening more closely to the noise and trying to record it I ran out of battery So I figured that was a sign to remove and inspect it

Thoughts?

I sure wouldn't use a spacer other than a 360 degree ring with tabs for the bolts. There's gonna be a tendency to torque over during full load conditions, like every time you engage the starter ................. Can you say "undue stress to the mounting bosses? The Cap'n

I agree, Capt'n. I was thinking of making a 360 ring of 1/8" cork with a washer underneath each ear (bolt would go thru it). The cork would crush down a little, seal the gap, and would help keep the starter from torquing further than if no type of spacer was present around it.

I could make an all-metal spacer. That would be time consuming and I'd rather not...but I don't want to screw up the starter, either. Think the cork idea would work?

Are you sure the starter is not for the type 4 bus? Years ago I bought one from Off Road Warehouse and it was the wrong one. You could not tell just by looking at it next to the stock one as far as retracted shaft and gear measured. When the gear spun out to engage it went just a tad further and one day at an auto-x in 1999 or so the gear caught in the ring gear of the flywheel and caused the starter motor to explode just about the time I shifted into 2nd!

The seller was VERY specific about the cars it could be used on. 914's and 911's. I'm confident it's not meant for a Bus.

It looks to me like you have the wrong starter. If there is no id plate w/ manufacture info or part #s on the starter then I would not use it no matter what the "seller" told you. The consequences could be pretty dramatic if the flywheel ring gear gets damaged too badly, I.E. engine and tranny drop, flywheel removal and replacement, etc, etc.

I have a HPA I got off of ebay. I'm not having any problems, works great, doesn't make strange noises and I don't have any spacers in it.

I've sent a nice, non-threatening email to them. We'll see what happens. It's rainy this weekend anyway so no rush.

I contacted the seller via email and he responded <24 hours. I told him the situation and he said he never heard of such an issue but he'd be willing to send me a couple washers for spacers. I said no and figured that it could simply be an accumulation of errors with spec variances between the starter, tranny and flywheel.

I gave positive feedback but did leave a note: "Mine required a thin spacer to fit properly (thickness of a washer)." Now it's documented.

Pictures here of spacer and modified upper mounting bolt.

I would watch for the same concern that crusty mentioned, the unit torquing to the side when engauged. This would stress the studs, bosses and the unit itself. If you can make a spacer out of metal this would be mitigated, but cork is far to soft to do any good. You do not have to worry about crap getting in there. If you look under your tranny there is a big notch so you can see the flywheel. Its on the bottom, near the dirt and crap.

As for my experience, I have the ebay starter and have had no probs with my /6 engine. I will keep an ear out when I start using it again.

I agree w/you, Doc and Crusty, but my drill press couldn't keep the 3" hole saw steady enough to cut a hole. The cork helps keep the starter from twisting all the way i.e. if just the washers were present with an air gap.

I'll see if the place that does our laser cutting can cut me a hole in a piece of sheet.

Cork? Not a chance. Allowing outside debris into the bell housing is the LEAST of your worries. Come on, clutches are DIRTY. Cork isn't gonna prevent the "rocking" of the starter under load, which is what I'd be worried about. The Cap'n