ok so my starter went out so i replaced it and when I did I went to start the car in made a drinding noise then cracked the housing on the starter, what couldhave caused this. it is a 89 firebird formula 5.7 TPI. I installed it the same way the old one came out with no shimes to begin with. but i added the shimes and still not catching the flywheel. the only difference that was made was the owner before me rigged up a ford solnoid and I ran the wires back down the the solnoid on the starter. any help before i fork out money on another starter??

 

I have seen a few cracked starters from a back firing engine, caused by a carbon tracked distributor cap. However, it sounds like you may have some serious alignment issues with your starter or just a wasted flexplate. Remove the starter and take a good look at the flexplate teeth. Rotate the engine by hand, using a 5/8 socket on the crank bolt, and look for missing or badly damaged teeth. A little shining on the edges is acceptable but if any teeth are ground up, you will need to replace the flexplate.

When you install the new starter, remove and isolate the large lead from the solenoid to the starter motor(this will allow you to engage the starter drive while preventing the starter from turning). Then you can engage the starter using a push button remote starter switch and check for clearance between the starter drive teeth and the flexplate teeth. You may need to rotate the flexplate slightly to allow the drive gear to clear the flexplate since the starter motor won't be turning. The drive gear needs to engage fully and return smoothly without sticking. Add one thin shim at a time,to achieve this. When finished with this step, reconnect the motor lead and try the starter. If it sticks, add one thin shim at a time until it doesn't stick. If you have added a few thin shims, you can replace them with one thick shim of equivalent thickness.

Refer to the factory wiring diagram for the starter circuit and put your wiring back to factory. Crummy back yard wiring repairs will cause you nothing but trouble.

 

I'll check the cap because I was back firing when trying to start and it did turn over once but just back fired and had no power then died I was also told to check timing chain?

 

There you go. If the cam timing is off, or if the ignition timing is off, especially if it's very retarded, it will cause the engine to fire back on itself. That will break a starter. Check cam timing, then reference time the engine at 6 degrees to begin with. You'll need to reset the timing once you have the engine running.

EDIT: Sorry got caught up in thinking about cam timing and/or ignition timing being off. A carbon tracked distributor cap will act the same way. Look inside the cap for traces of charcoal gray color between the contacts. Look for the rotor's center contact to have alot of dark powder around it.

 

well timing looks good at TDC it faces the 1 plug. I am wondering if the plugs were off by 1 rotation I guess i gust buy another starter nd re try. I did notice that the metal piece in side the cap is worn on a diagnal whatcould have caused that and could that cause any issues (its a new cap and rotor )

 

Which metal piece do you mean? The cap has one contact, either brass or aluminum, for each cylinder and a carbon center anode that contacts the rotor. If it's nthe center anode you are talking about, it may be broken. This can lead to arcing and tracking inside the cap. You say the rotor is pointing at #1. Do you mean that it's pointing at the contact in the cap that #1 plug wire connects to? Pointing at #1 cylinder is useful as a reference for correct clocking of the distributor but it doesn't necessarily mean that the engine is timed right. The carbon anode at the center of the cap is very brittle and easy to break. If you don't set the cap down vertically over the rotor, the carbon can get wedged against the rotor and break off. Seen it many times.

I mentioned earlier reference timing the engine. The method for this is as follows: First, verify that #1 cylinder is at TDC. Do this by turning the engine and feeling for pressure at the #1 plug hole with your finger. There are also tools for this, one you thread into the plug hole that whistles as air blows through it. Or you can use a compression test gauge and watch for the needle to move.

When you see compression, just watch for the TDC mark on the balancer to be nearing the deepest "V" on the timing mark. This is TDC. It may be easiest to install your new starter in order to turn the engine. You can have a helper operate the starter for you from the ignition switch or you can use a push button remote starter. I like the remote starter better than using a helper. Once you're sure you have #1 on TDC, roll the crank back 6 degrees by hand. BTW, it is easiest to turn the motor with plugs out.

With #1 at 6 degrees BTDC. Pull the cap and look at the alignment of the rotor to the #1 plug wire contact. They should be in line with each other. If not, adjust the distributor or re-clock the wires until the rotor points at the #1 plug wire. Then look at the timing core and pole piece(the little gears under the rotor. Where these gear teeth point directly at each other is right about where the ignition fires. You can get the timing exact using a DVOM to watch for the AC pulse as the teeth pass each other, but just visually aligning them will get you close enough for the engine to start. Verify that these teeth are aligned and that the rotor points at #1 plug wire, then reinstall the cap and the plugs if you pulled them. Disconnect the tan/black timing wire at the timing connector and start the engine. Let it warm up for 5 minutes and set your timing with a light.