02 tundra starter (1 Viewer)

[lfclark]

2 yrs ago replaced starter when shaft sheared. To day 12/23 starter went out again. I pulled starter and all the teeth are chewed off half way back on the shaft. So starter doesn't engage. Which leads me to believe the shaft was only partially engaging the flywheel.
Any possible causes so that I'm not replacing another one in a couple of years.
By the way the starter I just pulled was from NAPA.

 

[Duane]

It makes me wonder what the teeth look like that the starter teeth have been trying to mesh with?
I don't think that Toyota's normally require any shimming for alignment like an older GM would for instance but it makes me wonder if the teeth are still ok on the torque converter and that some shimming may be required to correct the alignment so that it engages/disengages properly.
just my 2 cents

 

[skaterdemon69]

Yea I agree that the flex plate needs to be checked. I had a 4 runner that whipped out three starters before I took out my trannyto replace the flex plate which was missing three teeth