ok i've been through this for a while. cracking multiple starters & multiple tranny pulls to change flexplates(breaking teeth). i've even checked clearance for the starter gear and shimmed them different ways. the new starter hasnt cracked yet but i did break a couple teeth off the flexplate already. i can get it started but it will struggle while starting and sometimes get caught or seem to "kick back" here and there. here's my question:

could this be a loose timing chain causing it to not fire at exactly the right time or my cam/valves be off just a little because of it causing my delemna? i've heard of some timing issues being the cause of breaking starters.

 

I had a problem with gear clearance (book sez 0.020"). (97ss 383-D1 MM6 Spec alum fly). I added shims till it started to engage more often. I used some sheet metal from the home-depot and made parts and started to add shims. I end up with 2 (20ga). I also noticed high and low spots on the ring. Also, when I started it hot, sometimes I would have trouble with gear engagement. It would not engage. HopeThisHelps. B.

 

What type of flywheel/# of teeth are you using?

 

just one you'd buy from the autoparts store (dont know the brand name) it was just about $43 and its 153 tooth

 

Sounds like a timing problem to me.

 

NEW OPTI FTW.

but seriously, check your clearance and make sure everything is aligned.

 

Had the EXACT thing happen to me. Turned out it was a broken opti rotor causing the problem. FWIW.

Mec

 

I don't think it is an opti issue. I think it sounds like the timing is somehow wrong. The opti can't really make the timing wrong.

I am not a sheeple who blames the opti for everything, I have actually found it to be rather reliable.

 

ummm.......the opti is the distributor. The opti in my case was fine. It was the rotor with the problem. The rivets sheared and the rotor was mispositioned in a way that it fired the cylinders as if the timing were WAY too advanced. It would kick back hard while cranking and break starters. (three in my case) I am not one to point at the opti first either, I am a fairly good trouble shooter. You dismissed my factual experience as a simple shot in the dark which is not the case. Just trying to help.

Mec

 

^very good points. thank you. was it obvious when you took the opti apart that the rotor was mispositioned? could you actually get the car started before you fixed it and did it seem to run ok once started?(because mine does run fine once started).

 

Mine ran fairly crappy once it did start. The damage was easy to see once I removed the opti cap. New cap and rotor fixed the problem.

Mec

 

That is a pretty freak failure. Lesson being almost anything can happen. Dismiss nothing as a possibility.