starter motor not engaging

[camarofever]

have a serious problem of the starter motor turning but not engaging the flywheel. 2.3, pinto trans and flywheel. Firewall mounted solenoid. Before when i bought the car it would happen once in a blue moon, but it has been getting increasingly worse, and now it will hardly ever engage. I bypassed the solenoid and hooked up battery direct to starter and it still isnt engaging. When it does engage it will only engage for a few moments, then unengage and free spin. I have a brand new optima battery, so I know its not my battery. HELP!

[return to dirt]

ryan, it sounds like the drive in the starter is bad. i changed a lot of them over the years. you can change the drive or just change the whole starter. odds are that the brushes and bushings in your starter are also pretty worn.

olin

[knight54]

Hear this problem a lot if you don't not have the spacer plate between the motor and the bell housing.

[camarofever]

Found out it was the 1 way clutch in the starter drive. thanks olin