just got my 53 chief running last week and yesterday i ran into a huge problem. it has the original str8 in it with a little over 116000. i had to get drop the tranny (manual 3) and flip the flywheel around 'cause the teeth that were on the side that the starter were getting worn. so, i flipped it, bolted the tranny back on, threw some new oil in it and she started right up. yesterday i got in it to go for a cruise and my starter started making a crazy noise. i took it out and what i saw blew my mind... the casing that goes around the end of he starter (the part that covers the little gear that engages the flywheel, the part that the holds the end of the piece that turns in- dont know what its called) completely broke off!!! i was astonished as to how this could happen. thank god none of the metal fell into the flywheel housing. i had my starter refurbed a few months ago and there were no cracks or anything in it then. how could this happen, anyone have any ideas? and anyone know if that piece is replaceable or am i gonna have to find a new starter?
It probably wouldn't fit, but if someone who knows says it will i have the old starter out of my 50 buick straight 8. The internals need to be gone thru but you can have it if it'll help you out.
55 years of metal stress? Is the flywheel symetrical? (i.e. can it be swapped and be EXACTLY the same?) Shouldn't be any trouble to find a starter on ebay for this. All you really need is the housing if you had it rebuilt earlier.
I hope you mean you just fliped the ring gear and not the compleat flywheel. If you did the compleat flywheel I'll be that caused the problem. The part you need is called the "nose or nose housing" ,the gear is the "starter drive". Check with who ever refurbed it for a replacement nose ,that part will fit more than just one car/year.
yeah, i only flipped the ring gear. im having a hard time tracking down that nose though. thanks for the terminology lesson. its easier saying nose than whatever i typed earlier.