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Increasingly bad noises from starter
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About a year ago the starter motor on my A14 died and I got a new Hitachi unit from Rock Auto or some other online source. It worked great for a while. What I'm increasingly noticing is that it's reluctant to disengage once the engine starts: I can hear it getting spun and bouncing off the flywheel teeth. My understanding of the bendix mechanism is that it's pretty much automatic: when the engine starts, it accelerates the starter gear, which retracts back into the starter on its threaded shaft. Does this sound like a failing overrun clutch? Do starter solenoids ever fail so that they stick and keep the pinion engaged?
Thanks for any advice.

Posted on: 2019/8/20 3:13
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Re: Increasingly bad noises from starter
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The starter gear retracts when the power is cut -- the solenoid retracts back into the solenoid housing and the gear is pulled back with it. In other words it will stay engaged as long as you hold the key to S position. The overrun clutch lets the engine run faster than the gear

Failing overrun clutch causes a whizzing or "zing"-ing sound, as it tries to turn the engine but then fails or partially fails

Quote:
hear it getting spun and bouncing off the flywheel teeth
A grinding/buzzing sound indicates the teeth on the flyweel are worn to the point the starter gear wont engage but merely grind against the flywheel ring gear. It typically wears in four spots. The engine usually stops in one of four spots unless you force it otherwise for example dumping the clutch after turning off the engine will cause it to stop in a random place (and no grinding at the next startup). The grinding will gradually get worse until it nearly always happens. To check for this, remove the flywheel dust cover (if equipped) or remove the starter and shine a flashlight on the flywheel ring gear, rotate the flyweel and look for a bad spot

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Posted on: 2019/8/20 6:52
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Re: Increasingly bad noises from starter
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ugggghhhh I don't want to replace the flywheel, but I'll take a look. Thank you.

Posted on: 2019/8/22 4:24
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Re: Increasingly bad noises from starter
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I hadn't been driving the car in a while and wasn't thinking about the starter issues when I hopped in and tried to start it. It made AWFUL noises, clunks, and I could hear the starter pinion just spinning, like there were teeth missing from the flywheel. I opened the hood and reached down to see if the starter solenoid was hot (I had some idea it was failing) and the starter MOVED. The starter mounting bolts had both come totally loose and it was only halfway in the engine. Well no wonder it wasn't working too great.
I got a Hitachi starter, as noted above, and the upper/outer bolt head is almost the same size as the recess in the starter. It's wickedly hard to tighten because there's no room for a socket or an open end wrench. I suspect that's why it came loose. So I might be trying to find a flange bolt with a smaller head, or running a 17mm socket through my lathe and thinning it way down.

Posted on: 2019/9/17 0:19
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Re: Increasingly bad noises from starter
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Go down to the hardware store and get two metric bolts. The starter bolts are M10 x35mm with 14 or 15 mm heads. Nissan genuines are "medium carbon steel", but 8.8 grade are stronger.

Nissan 08121-03533 BOLT M10 x 35mm medium carbon steel

Even with the right bolts they are hard to tighten. The trick is to use two long extensions and a socket

Posted on: 2019/9/17 6:42
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Re: Increasingly bad noises from starter
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Found the photos. They have a 14mm hex head

starter bolts
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Posted on: 2019/9/17 7:29
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Re: Increasingly bad noises from starter
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The Nissan bolts have a built-in lock washer and plain washer

It's now been replaced by 08121-0351F $2.05 each
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Posted on: 2019/9/17 7:41
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Re: Increasingly bad noises from starter
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Wowie yeah this motor definitely didn't come with the correct starter bolts. One's a 15 and the other's a 16, and the upper one is just about impossible.

Posted on: 2019/9/17 15:31
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