Aaaaaaand I'm done.

Pretty frustrated with this bloody xflow!

I'm not familiar with them, nor with inertia starters, and can't really work out what went/is wrong.

The story so far.

Before motor erebuild, it previously turned over on the starter fine.
After rebuild, it turned over and starterd on the stand, all be it using a different bellhousing (capri)

After fitting the original bellhousing/box and fitting it back to car it wouldn't turn over, or did very slowly. Didn't sound good.

I grabbed another starter, same issue.

Slow turn over and very metallic/interference sound. Was definitely not right.
Starter in and out many times, and I eventually got sick of it all and pulled the motor and box out of the car and walked away. I was thinking maybe I'd screwd u something with thr box/flywheel.

Came back to it, separated engine/box and refitted capri bellhousing. This was the one I had previously started it with on the stand with no issue. I tried it with and without the sandwich plate. Same result. Slow turnover and an interference sound.

Tried all sorts of possitions, moving the starter closer and further from the ring gear using the little play it had. No luck.
Tried spacing the starter back using series of washers. No luck. Even cut a window in the bellhousing to see what was going on. Still couldn't get it to work.

I'm guessing somehow the alignment was wrong after I first fitted it? It now looks like the flywheel Iis damaged to the point the starter teeth aren't engaging cleanly and are binding up??? This is in turn further damaging the flywheel and starter teeth and causing bind up?

Im going to source another flywheel and starter now and see if that fixes the issue. Both are 10t starters.

If not, a pinto is going in. 🤣

To say I'm frustrated is an understatement....

I'm probably missing something simple, although it'd and issue I've never experienced.

Just want it to work at this point.

Happy for any suggestions, otherwise I'll let you know how I get on once I manage to source a new flywheel.

Shaun

Just having a look through a couple of my manuals, no direct reference to tooth numbers but the early Mk1 manual has a clear picture of a nine tooth starter.
I've got a few, MK1 and 2, three bolt and two bolt starters in the secret shed at mums house (don't tell the mrs) I'll be over there tomorrow so I'll do a tooth count and see if theres any noticeable difference in the bolt spacing.
 
*Edit* managed to find a tooth count.
135 tooth flywheel = 10 tooth starter
110 tooth flywheel = 9 tooth starter

so i'm going to suggest the simple things, because, well, im pretty simple to start with...
 
The freshly  rebuilt engine has new rings, so better compression.
All things being equal, id expect it harder to spin over?
If the flywheel and starter were otherwise ok, with the capri bellhousing and still on the stand and it was spinning slow, then you'd suspect the starter motor. But this was changed (while in the stand setup though?)
You'd think that would then rule out the starter, drive not spinning out and returning in time (like if it wasnt lubed' enough) but i'm sure you would have noticed this though the impromptu bell housing window?
 
So what remains common?
I still reckon its just the starter inertia starter obviously not releasing, and I thought is does this once the engine has fired and spun up to speed, reducing flywheel. Is it firing?
I'd next check the battery, starter supply wiring, and earth still, to battery and engine block as well.
 
keep at it.

Glad you found the issue, nothing worse than going in circles with that sort of stuff.

Deano, all Pinto flywheels have the same teeth count. Unless some plonka has swapped the ring gear..
It's only the real early Kent motors like pre xflow stuff, so you can rest easy.

If i was working on a Pinto it would be driveable by now!!! :)
 
Yep, its still a kent.
 
And yes I was stitched up by it being fitted with the wrong starter...  At least i 'should' be on the right path now.
 
Everyday is a school day.
 
Shaun
 

Personally I think it'd be cheap insurance to use a nine tooth starter.
If it bound with the ten tooth before and destroyed the ring gear its going to do it again with the shiny new one aswell.