Starter Killer 1UZFE

[techjordan]

Hey all, trying to figure out a weird issue with the starter here on my 1UZ swapped truck.

For reference, '96.5 non vvti 1UZFE (was immobilized), ordered swap parts to run a '95 ECU via NWToys (and ORS for wiring by proxy), as well as from XAT for using my W58. They were made aware this was the plan, they were given part numbers for ECU and harness.

I keep burning through starters! They'll work for a little bit, sometimes even start the truck, with an amount of grinding and noise, but eventually all I get is click and spinning, no engagement. When I pull the starter, it tests fine on the bench and the teeth look alright on both starter and flywheel. I'm pretty certain I used the "guide" when installing the flywheel correct, and a new starter will work for a few starts before giving me the same issues. Any ideas where to go from here?

 

[techjordan]

To wit, I'm getting to be a pro at this replacement, I've done it 4 times now. Thank the heavens for lifetime warranty on starters from Oreillys

 

[techjordan]

A correction : this time I've found that I'm missing a few teeth from both my flywheel and starter. This is the chromoly 13lb wheel from XAT, and I'm fairly certain I used the bolt guide as instructed. You can see that engagement doesn't look like it needs to be any further out

 

[ivan129]

Assumptions.
1) The engine isn't ceased and does turn over.
2) You do have 12V and enough current to power the starter and crank the engine.
3) Its and auto; and you have fitted the spacer plates on the back of the crank between the drive plate correctly. If not then the flywheel offset will be wrong, ie. sitting in a different position with refernce to the starter.
Your picture of the missing teeth and wear on the ones not broken off on the ring gear suggest that either the starter is not fitted correctly or your drive plate is not in the correct position causing a misalignment between the starter and ring gear.
The starter nose should pull into the hole in the block and self-align the body of the starter with the block.
Might sound like a silly question? But are using the correct bolts for the starter? They use a special bolt.
It probably shouldn't matter as long as you can be sure the strater mounts flush to the block.
My money is on the drive plate spacers being wrong.
Good luck

 

[techjordan]

The engine is not seized, turns over by hand and has run a handful of times. We do for sure have enough power, verified via multimeter. I am using the factory bolts for the starter. I did fit the bolt guide to the crank berore installing the flywheel, the "curved side" fitted opposing the flywheel and facing the engine. If + is crank and { is flywheel, it's currently installed " ||+){ || " , does it need to be " ||+({ || "? See pictured, leftmost is the flywheel.