Starter spinning, but not engaging...any advice?
 

The starter on my 98 12V auto has a new problem on cold mornings. Starter spins but does not engage flexplate teeth. When you turn the key off, it sounds like it crunches into the flexplate teeth as the starter shuts off. On the next try, it usually engages and the starter spins nice and fast and the truck starts. Throughout the rest of the day, the truck starts normally and quick.

However, for the last couple of cold mornings, it does the same thing. I need to fix this before I do some damage to the flexplate. I was thinking it was the bendix/gear and went to the local auto parts stores to get a starter drive before I took the starter out. No dice. Local places only sell the drive and the motor as one unit.

I bought the truck from a Dodge dealer as a tradein last fall. They said they put in a new starter just before I bought it. It has worked just fine for months and only failed to engage on the last few cold mornings (like 15 to 20 deg.)

I'm going to pull the starter after work today and see what's up. I'm hoping that the flexplate isn't chewed up. Assuming it's not, anyone have any experience with this problem? I used the search engine but didn't find any related material.

Is the drive gear engagement spring or solenoid powered?
Any common problems or fixes?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Thanks...Steve.

order this kit bud.......well worth it

LarryB's Dodge starting problems solved here.

sounds like it might need to be shimmed or the bendix is going bad:humm:

Is there a repair kit for the bendix?
 

Is there a repair kit for the bendix or can you buy the bendix separately? All my local parts suppliers claim there isn't a separate bendix kit and that I have to buy the whole starter motor, bendix and drive together...for a lot of $$$.

I'd hate to have to replace a perfectly good starter motor just to replace the bendix.

Advice?

Thanks...Boatman.

Just buy the kit Whit posted.....that will have you back up and running.

Maybe I'm missing something, but...
 

Isn't that kit just a solenoid plunger and the contacts? That solenoid makes the contact that powers the starter, I assume. Does it also engage the starter gear? If not, it's not my problem. My starter contacts are fine - the starter spins and stops fine. It's just that the drive gear doesn't engage the flexplate teeth when it's cold on first start-up.

My son had my 12 pt. 10mm wrench in his truck (thanks, Reid) so I couldn't get my starter off last night to figure out how the drive gear engages and why it's fubar'd.

Is the starter drive/gear on this starter engaged by a bendix spring or the solenoid plunger?

Thanks...Boatman.

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Got the starter off last night. The dealer was right, this thing is brand new. Took the solenoid apart and the contacts were just about brand new - very shiny, no pitting. It's clear the solenoid plunger extends the starter gear and then makes the contacts for the motor. The gear on my starter looks just about brand new - no rounded or worn gear teeth. From what I could see inside the bellhousing, the flexplate teeth looked OK too, though I didn't bar over the engine to check all the flexplate teeth.

Since the plunger has to extend the gear before the starter motor contacts are made, there should not be an engagment problem. There doesn't seem to be any way to adjust how far the gear engages.

When I had it apart, I manually depressed the plunger to see how far the gear would extend - only about 1/2 inch, even though there was still about another inch of travel left. Is 1/2 inch travel normal?

If there aren't different plunger lengths, I'm stumped.

I cleaned everything up and put it back together and it does the same thing. First key start, it sounds like the starter gear bounces off the flexplate, the starter spins, then when you shut the key off, it crunches into the flexplate. The second try, it catches and starts normally and starts OK the rest of the day.

I could replace the contacts and plunger as Whit recommended, but I think the contacts and plunger are OK. If they weren't the starter wouldn't spin.

Does the little spring on the plunger play any part in extending the gear or does it just pull the plunger off the contacts after power is off? If it actually plays a part in extending the gear, maybe that spring is weak?

Any chance it could be the reduction gear problem and not a drive gear problem?

This is driving me nuts.

Boatman.