Ok, REALLY getting annoyed now.

Got a new ring gear to fit the inertia starter, got it fitted (couldn't get it on myself, the bloke had to try three times before it fitted).

Fitted the ex caterham flywheel with the inertia ring gear about 10 minutes ago, fitted the starter and .....

The blasted thing jams.

I'm getting to the point where i want to jack the whole thing in. Why the hell does it jam ?

[Edited on 31/5/06 by MikeR]

when/if it spins,does it sound graunchy?

if it starts 'free' it spins for a bit and seems to be fine. but it doesn't release the starter pinion. If you try to run the starter again it does nothing, big spark when i touch the live to the back of the starter but no movement, jamed.

Ford had problems with inertia starters on the Escorts and modified the pinion to 10 teeth from 9 . Have you got the correct pinion? is it free on the starter and returning correctly? Is the ring gear the correct one and fitted the correct way? Chamfer on ring gear should be on the clutch side of the flywheel . May be worth trying another starter ?

what rusty has said about covers it,are mounting holes elongated/oversize?is it the right starter?lost in the mists of time i seem to remember something about as then BMC starters being similar but not the same as ford 2 bolt starters

Ring gear from burton, packet says it covers all escorts.

Could be the starter motor ........ never knew that ......... off to check now.....

i recon its too tight to the ring gear,is it 2/3 bolt and is bellhousing the same?

3 bolt and the bell housing is the same.

no idea where the starter came from - got it in a job lot of bits i got years ago.

afaik ford were the only peeps to use 3 bolt inertia,it should have 10 teeth as 9,s went out with 2 bolt fixing......erm sorry out of ideas....you have got the tin spacer plate in?

have got the spacer plate in, but had to make one as the one i had for the 4 speed didn't fit. could be the culprit - but it looks perfect.

one last straw to clutch at,if the starter shaft got bent or damaged when it originaly jamed,that would cause it

spins fine when out of the car and doesn't obviously look bent.

had another look at the teeth and they aren't in good condition - but i thought they'd be ok. perhaps they really are [cough] knackered [cough]

got a mate trying to persuade me to swap the whole engine for his 1300! getting tempted !

If the ring gear is the correct one fitted correctly with the spacer plate between the engine and gear box then by a process of elimination it has to be the starter. May be cheaper to get a replacement starter than to replace the bendix unless you have access to the correct tool

Just remembered, my inertia starter had problems with the sarnie plate i welded together, it didnt quite line up and when it was tightened up pushed the starter at an angle, so that it would jam, in the end, i took off the starter, and ground away the sandwich plate a bit so that there was more play in the starter and adjusted it a little with the medium sized hammer, solved the problem.

You spend two hours taking the p*ss out of me and NOW you remember ..............



oooooh if you where in this country i'd, i'd, i'd ..... probably wonder if you're going for another curry so we can annoy the women behind us by talking about worst place we've ever had a poo!

I had exactly the same problem Mike when I changed my engine from a 1600 to a 2 litre pinto but didnt change the flywheel, starter graunched everytime then I noticed the flywheels were different, the new flywheels teeth were tight up to the starter the originals were 1 inch or so away, after studying the Haynes manual the pics of the flywheels showed both types so obviously the dont strip just the one engine.
The bearing behind the pinion on the starter was fouling the starter and stopping it engaging

A rummage at the scrappies found the starter that fitted the same kind of flywheel, job done.

Both starters were 3 bolt inertia but the original had a longer throw than the new one.

I might be talking complete tosh in your case but its what happened to me.Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Bob

[Edited on 31/5/06 by splitrivet]

[Edited on 31/5/06 by splitrivet]