VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Mechanical - Engine, Trans, etc Starter Stuck in Flywheel

I've occasionally had the starter stuck in the flywheel of my "32 coupe. Normally it's no big deal. I simply put the car in gear and rock it back and forth and it frees up. Lately it's happened more often and the last time rocking wouldn't free it. I had to actually take the starter out and put it back in.

I've been told to shim the starter out with a washer on each mounting bolt and that will cure it. What do you guys think? Is this a realistic fix? Is a washer too much or too little?

I think a regular washer is to much. See if you can find thin washers or make shims. It sounds like you do not need much.

I would have the starter checked to see if the internal parts are correct and good. With a similar problem on a correct but improperly rebuilt 32 starter the electrical shop found that a shim (spacer/washer) was missing. Once installed it worked as it should. If washers were not required when new then they should not be required now The thrust washer in the nose cone was missing in my starter.

What is the condition of your ring gear? Mine used to stick but the ring gear has some buggered teeth. I put on a new ring gear on my the new motor I just put in and it it doesn’t stick at all. Same starter.

The 714L starter used on the 1932 Chevrolet did not use shims between the nose cone flange and the bell housing. Most likely the teeth on your ring gear are worn which would cause the problem as Ted mentioned. Also, if the Bendix drive pinion does not retract freely once the car starts that could cause the Bendix drive to remain engaged in the flywheel as well. As a side note, thrust washers were used inside of the nose cone between the end of the Bendix drive and the inside face of the nose cone. The thrust washers were of various thicknesses to allow for a very slight back and forth movement of the armature and the Bendix drive unit in the starter housing.