carotman
10-10-2005, 07:32 PM
Ok guys, I seem to be having some problems with my B20A5 flywheel. I really noticed the problem this week. I may be wrong but read carefully and just tell me what you think of this.
Since the B20A swap, I took the car out only every 2 weeks or so. Most of the time the battery was just below the ideal charge to start the car and the starter would just make a click sound but wouldn't turn. Each time it did that, I would just jump start the car and usually it would be fine.
Lately, I was experiencing the problem even with a good battery. I then thought it was the starter that was on it's last miles. I had to hit the starter with a hammer to make the car start sometimes. I just thought the starter started to stick and that was it.
Last week, I tried to rebuild my starter but had no luck, I then replaced it with a freshly rebuilt unit. SAME problem. I could hear the solenoid click but the starter motor itself isn't turning. I removed the starter from the car ans tested it in a table vice. Every time I put power to it, it would stick out (solenoid is working) and the motor turns like a champ.
When I put it back in the car, same thing. The solenoid clicks but the motor doesn't turn. I replaced the starter ground and power wires with a 4ga unit so it's not the problem.
I then noticed that if I put the car in gear and move it a little, then try to start the engine, it would turn right away. Since I replaced the power cables, it turns even better then before. The problem isn't always there and every time it does it, I just need to move the car a little to make it work fine.
Here's my theory:
The B20A5 flywheel ring gear sticks out of the engine for about 1cm (in fact, it'S the width of the ring gear itself). If the gear stick out more, it's closer to the starter. Sometimes, the starter would hit the gear before the solenoid has got out enough to make the motor turn. This is why I can only hear the click sound from the solenoid. If I turn the flywheel a bit by moving the car, the ring gear and the starter gear align properly and the starter can work fine.
Do you guys thing I'm on the right track? I wish I'm way out but I'm confident that I found the source of the problem.... a bad gear offset.
Since the B20A swap, I took the car out only every 2 weeks or so. Most of the time the battery was just below the ideal charge to start the car and the starter would just make a click sound but wouldn't turn. Each time it did that, I would just jump start the car and usually it would be fine.
Lately, I was experiencing the problem even with a good battery. I then thought it was the starter that was on it's last miles. I had to hit the starter with a hammer to make the car start sometimes. I just thought the starter started to stick and that was it.
Last week, I tried to rebuild my starter but had no luck, I then replaced it with a freshly rebuilt unit. SAME problem. I could hear the solenoid click but the starter motor itself isn't turning. I removed the starter from the car ans tested it in a table vice. Every time I put power to it, it would stick out (solenoid is working) and the motor turns like a champ.
When I put it back in the car, same thing. The solenoid clicks but the motor doesn't turn. I replaced the starter ground and power wires with a 4ga unit so it's not the problem.
I then noticed that if I put the car in gear and move it a little, then try to start the engine, it would turn right away. Since I replaced the power cables, it turns even better then before. The problem isn't always there and every time it does it, I just need to move the car a little to make it work fine.
Here's my theory:
The B20A5 flywheel ring gear sticks out of the engine for about 1cm (in fact, it'S the width of the ring gear itself). If the gear stick out more, it's closer to the starter. Sometimes, the starter would hit the gear before the solenoid has got out enough to make the motor turn. This is why I can only hear the click sound from the solenoid. If I turn the flywheel a bit by moving the car, the ring gear and the starter gear align properly and the starter can work fine.
Do you guys thing I'm on the right track? I wish I'm way out but I'm confident that I found the source of the problem.... a bad gear offset.