Welp... broke another starter. That's about 14 in 4 years. I've about had it with this motor. Are their any mechanics in the northwest that are versed in working with this type of issue?
Kick back is about the only thing that will break a starter. Why is yours kicking back? For a little history and perspective, http://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/breaking-starters.309764/
Until you figure it out some wire and 5 buck ingition cut out switch to use during the start of cranking is way cheaper then a starter! I see starters break on a few 14 to 16 to 1 race motors that make big cylinder pressure so your issue must be linked to too much cranking timing, And or too much cranking timing or misfire . My bets on the misfire!
You have a “Start Retard” box? Reason I ask is I had one that worked intermittently and I broke a mini starter.
i have broke 5 starters so far(starter kickback) i havent started my car but twice since the 2017 nats one day i will fix it... maybe scott
Wow. Just...Wow. WHAT starter are you breaking? IF (big IF) this is a full-size 10MT or SD300, are you using the OEM brace to the block, at or near the front of the starter case? WHAT is the initial timing of the ignition? What springs are you using on the advance weights? Has the distributor been checked to see if the centrifugal and vacuum advance works freely, so that both centrifugal and vacuum retract to "no advance" at startup? WHAT is the cranking compression pressure of all eight cylinders? WHAT are you using to check starter gear-to-flywheel mesh? What is your procedure? WHAT is the crankshaft thrust clearance? WHAT bolts are you using to hold the starter to the block? (hint: Starter bolts are "special", and mini-starter bolts can be even more special.) WHAT is the condition of the two main starter bolt holes in the block? (I have a block where the outside starter bolt hole is cracked.) WHAT is the battery voltage when the starter is cranking? WHAT is the voltage drop between battery + and starter + lug WITH THE STARTER CRANKING? Between starter motor case and battery - post WITH THE STARTER CRANKING? Should be LESS THAN half-a-volt (0.5 volts) WHAT is the voltage drop between battery and "S" terminal of the starter WITH THE STARTER CRANKING? Should be less than half-a-volt (0.5 volts) Has the damper and timing pointer been verified to indicate "0" at TDC #1? Have you inspected the flywheel teeth? Have you inspected the flywheel runout--axial and radial? Have you inspected all belt-driven engine accessories for proper operation? No locked-up AC compressor bearing, no PS pump with a stuck pressure relief, that sort of thing? Fourteen starters broken? This cannot be all that difficult to track down. The problem ought to be obvious.
Wow, 14 busted starters is a sign of a major gremlin. I have had some gremlins with my engine, but somehow I have been lucky with the starter. The OEM starter on my '69 has survived many misadventures without breaking, even though the engine is high compression (around 12:1) and I am not running a vacuum advance. The only problem has been a lack of torque to crank the engine over after it's been running and then shut down--must wait for it to cool down before it can turn the engine over. That is the only reason I recently pulled it out and replaced it with a hi-torque mini-starter. I like Schurkey's troubleshooting list. That seems to cover every possible cause of breakage.
Come to think of it...WHAT is breaking? Are you breaking the nose-cone that bolts to the block? Are you breaking the reduction gears inside a mini-starter? Something else? Oh, waitaminute. https://www.v8buick.com/index.php?threads/breaking-starters.309764/ I thought this all sounded familiar. MSD fuel injection with timing control. Timing control or rotor phasing is likely at fault--at least from the advice given in the previous thread.
been talking with larry, im going to run the motor back on distributor timing, see if that fixes things
I think your right, although I'm not the worlds best mechanic, I believe I set it up correctly. Set the motor to TDC. Pull the distributor, set the motor back 15 degrees. Reinstall distributor.
Cranking voltage to the starter is critical. Ensure you have an ample sized cable from the battery to the starter. If battery is in the engine bay then a 1 gauge wire should be sufficient. If it is mounted elsewhere then I would recommend atleast 0 gauge
schurkey, timing is dead on. 15 degrees BTDC. which is what the MSD atomic wants slimfromnz, I have 1/0 welding wire for everything. and I have 3 grounds. 1 at battery to bellhousing, 1 at rear right of engine and 1 left front of engine
Please describe HOW you are verifying this. Include the part where you verified the timing marks are accurate. Are you checking the timing at cranking speed, which is when the starter would be stressed? I asked a bunch of questions in a previous post, and got no answers from you. You're saying the negative terminal of the battery is connected to a bolt clamping the trans bellhousing to the engine block with 0-gauge COPPER wire and clean, tight cable end on both ends of the cable? The ends are clean and tight to the cable, and clean and tight to the battery and trans bellhousing bolt? SPECIFICALY, this is not Copper-Clad Aluminum (CCA) cable? WHAT IS THE VOLTAGE DROP on both the positive and the negative sides of the starter motor circuit?
