Starter Grenaded - Metal in Flywheel maybe? (1 Viewer)

[Matt Phelps]

Hello Mud,

Question for the collective group, my starter went out at 292k miles. Did the work tonight and looks like there may be some metal flakes that may have fallen down into the flywheel. I vacuumed everything really good while the starter was out. After re-assembly I started it up and it sounds like a bit of metal might be rattling around inside somewhere. My shop assistant (wife) described it as a metal piece rattling around, it started off quiet and then moved around and then got louder before I turned off the engine.

Question, if there are metal parts from the old starter that fell down into the flywheel, should I be concerned, would you go to the effort to get them out and if so how?

Thanks,

 

[3_puppies]

pull the inspection/access cover off the lower bellhousing and see if you can see anything
the cover is the one to get to the flywheel torque convertor bolts

 

[cwmoser]

What 3_puppies suggested ----^

 

[Matt Phelps]

Thanks for the ideas.
I got back in there this morning, removed the inspection cover off the bottom of the bell housing and removed 2 ball bearings and some metal shavings. I turned the flywheel over twice by putting a wrench on the crank pulley and re-inspected. Ran a magnet tool across the bottom of the bell housing and came out clean.

Buttoned it back up and gave it a start. Still sounds like something is rattling around in there.

Any more thoughts? I think I’m going to keep turning it over by hand and see if anything else comes out.

 

[John Young]

Personally, I think that looks OK and. I would not bother with the ring gear. That said, I don't generally know what I am talking about.

 

[BnvS]

Personally, I think that looks OK and. I would not bother with the ring gear. That said, I don't generally know what I am talking about.

Don't sell yourself short @John Young. You da man. Lol

 

[DBULL]

Possibly a small piece of metal caught between the flywheel and torque converter.

 

[3_puppies]

that bearing has 6-8 balls in it? you found 2, chances are there are a few more in the bell housing

maybe leave the access cover off and see if they come out on their own??

start and stop a few times and see if any more material settles to the bottom and can be removed?