258 Starter Problem

[Towtruck]

A friend of mine has an early 80s Cherokee with the 258/727 drive train. The truck had a broken flex plate ring gear when he bought it. We swapped out the flex plate and it worked reasonably well for a while, although the starter still made a lot of racket when engaged. It eventually ate another starter pinion gear and beat up the flexplate ring gear. This time we replaced the starter locating plate between the engine and transmission along with the flex plate. Works, but starter is still very noisy when cranking, and it even locked up once...think the problem is still there.

I think this vehicle originally came with 929 transmission from the factory...looks like a 727 in it now, although I don't know how to tell them apart. But it seems like this shouldn't make any difference as far as the starter and flex plate. I'm wondering if the flex plate is somehow warping out of shape when the torque converter gets bolted on. Could we have a mismatch of parts? Something is causing the gear alignment to be far enough off to cause clash. Any way to adjust the starter installation? Ideas (we're fresh out of them)? Thx

[83 BEAST]

I found this post using Google. I'm having the same issues. What did you find to fix the issue? I am very lost on ideas......

Thanks

[cccamoj10]

this fiked my problem, with starter.

[jaber]

I had a 360 with a similar issue, and a started shim fixed it. Seems it was engaging too far.

HTH

[five16]

I had the same problem when I bought mine and it was the ground. Go figure, another electrical problem. I went through 4 starters and shims before I replaced both battery cables, frame ground and cable from the solenoid to the starter. All new fresh metal contact points and Zoom! No more metal flesh grinding carnage. Less the multiple starters, it was a cheap fix that solved other problems as well...

[83 BEAST]

Thanks guys. I'm having a new ring gear put on the flywheel, and it will get a new starter. May even add a ground strap just to be on the safe side. Thanks! I'll let you all know how it turns out.

[83 BEAST]

I go to pick up the beast today. They put on a new ring gear, and the mechanic said something didn't quite seem right. He had it checked and the brand new ring gear was out of round! Put another new ring gear on and double checked this one and said this one was good. So after I check it tonight i'll write back and let you all know if it really is fixed. I REALLY hope it is. With all the money I've put into it it should be like brand new by now...

Thanks again for all the comments guys!

[83 BEAST]

It's fixed. Starting new thread. :-)