Is it possible to strip the flywheel?

[Wrench]

Is it possible to strip the flywheel without knowing it? Or would I really know it since I believe it is a really hard metal. Here's my problem. My starter contacts were going bad. They finally gave out at Dave's place (Local) on the trail. The starter would not shut off so we disconnected the main power lead from the battery to the starter to shut it off. But I could still hear it spinning. I assume it was just free wheeling against the flywheel. So I finally get home and replace the contacts. All went well but when I went to start it again it sounded really sick. It sounded like it was spinning grabbing spinning grabbing then it would start the truck. It continued to get worse over time. Now it is just spinning. After a while the truck will come to life. I don't know what is happening. When I had the starter out I looked through the hole at the flywheel and the teeth looked good. So I am so confused. What's wrong? This comes at a bad time to because I am going to CMCC. Don't know if I will make it now. Any thoughts on what's going on?

I think this is the most words I ever typed on this board. Phew!!

 

[robbie]

There is a one way clutch in the starter. I believe that is your problem. You have a couple of choices here. Replace the starter with a rebuilt by toyota or try and find a auto electric shop that has the part and can replace it. But the other piece you need to do is to spin the motor looking at the teeth for the full 360 degrees to check all the teeth. If any look screw up you will need to replace the flex plate. I do assume that this a USA model. If it is the flex plate takes the place of a flywheel in a auto matic trans. You can to look at the teeth you need to pull the stater and then rotate the engine by pry on the teeth to spin the engine in a clock wise rotation or have a friend spin the engine with a 1/2 ratch with a 30 mm socket on the end of the crank. later robbie

 

[Wrench]

Will it ever leave me stranded? Because it is getting harder and harder to start it.

 

[Photoman]

Yes, it can leave you stranded. I always call this part a starter bendix so indulge me if it's now something else (starter drive?). Here is a crude link that basically explains how it works.

http://ctci.org/membership/Gilsgarage/StarterBendix.htm

Saying what Robbie said in a different way and repeating some - there can be several things go wrong with the bendix start operation. The clutch part of the bendix could be bad, the spring could be bad, the teeth on the bendix could be bad, it could be sticking, and finally the ring gear on the flex plate could have a bad (stripped gears) on it. Sometimes with bad gears on either, the bendix will jam in the ring gear and be stuck. Other times if teeth are missing or tore up on the ring gear, when the flexplate/ring gear is in a certain postion, the bendix will just spin since it can't catch on the teeth. CDan would have to answer, but I don't think you can just buy the bendix for these starters? (Don't know) If you follow the procedure that Robbie outlined it will narrow it down to either the starter or the ring gear on the flexplate. (Hope it is the starter) The best thing to do is take the starter off, turn the flexplate around by using a large screwdriver or such, and look at the condition of all the teeth. You can examine the teeth on the starter bendix when you pull it. You can also crudely test the bendix itself by connecting jumper cables to the starter and see if the bendix shoots outward when spinning. Ground cable clamped on starter housing, and run a little wire to wire plug in the solenoid. CAUTION! Hold on real good to the starter as it will really jump.
Obviously, your hoping it's the starter. If the ring gear on the flexplate is bad the tranny has to come out. For some applications you can buy a new ring gear if it's bad (just did one on one of my farm tractors) but not sure on the cruiser. Might have to get a new flexplate.
Your not doing it any good by keep trying to start it. You can see it's not good to damage the ring gear. Good luck!

Bill

 

[Photoman]

Maybe this would help. I don't know which starter you have, but here is a pic of the bendix end of a 2.0 (on the left) and a 2.2 starter.

Bill

 

[Wrench]

That link explains exactually what it is doing. I think I broke it when the power lead was disconnected from the starter. And it was still spinning by the ring gear. That must of did it because it never sounded the same after that.