A bit of starter problem....

streetrod69 · Aug 26th, 2007, 12:59 AM

So I have a 95 pathfinder that I spun the crank bearings in a few months back and now I have swapped a 91 Pathfinder VG30E into my 95 to replace the old tired engine. I have only one last problem after the struggle of swapping engines as many of you know it can be in these. My starter is seeming to have an alignment issue. After being mated to the block I went to start the truck and herd the drive gear extend and slip on the flywheel and make some horrible noises. None the less it started and ran fine except for a grinding noise coming from the starter followed by at screeching noise hearing this I shut her down to investigate. Upon doing so I found the starter to be rubbing on the flywheel but not the drive gear itself the actual case. I checked again to make sure it was secure and seated fully and decided this time to give it a hand turn to insure the problem did not continue. When I did so the engine would not turn at all! I took the starter back off and it turned just fine by hand at the crank but anytime the starter is attached the engine will not turn by hand and I fear to try and use the starter to turn it over again afraid of killing off that starter. I know that these starters are not typically shimmed but at this point i cannot think of what else to do. The engine was orginally mated to an automatic but now is on a 5speed and I have taken all of the necessary steps to change the flexplate for the flywheel and removal of the auto trans bushing replaced with a pilot bushing. Anyone know what I am doing wrong here this engine ran and alignment was fine before I swapped in the flywheel and I checked to make sure a 95 and 91 are the same starter and flywheel! Any ideas???

smj999smj · Aug 26th, 2007, 01:22 AM

This is a shot in the dark, but the only thing I can think of that would cause your problem: there are two alignment dowels that position the bellhousing to the back of the block. Are you 100% sure that both of those dowels were in place when you assembled the engine to the trans? Even if only one is missing, the engine/trans. assy. will not be aligned properly and will cause the problem you are having.

streetrod69 · Aug 26th, 2007, 01:36 AM

Thank you so much for the reply!
I double and triple checked the dowels yes as well as the alignment of my pressure plate and that dump half plate that goes on the bottom of the bell housing but I had not thought of that as a possibility but still am sure they were correct. Do you know what would be the psooible problems with an attempt at some homemade shims? Could that even work or do you think I will miss my flywheel??

smj999smj · Aug 26th, 2007, 01:03 PM

You shouldn't need to install shims; if it were a setup like small block Chevy's used, it would be a differant story, but you shouldn't need shims on this type of starter. One more thing: there is a gold-colored spacer plate that is installed between the engine and bellhousing that you would install on the block prior to installing the flywheel.

1) Did you install the spacer plate?
2) Did you install the spacer that came with the MT engine?

I'm not sure if the spacer is differant between the two, just trying to rule out the possibilities. I seem to recall a similar incident where a tech I was working with forgot to install the spacer plate and ended up with the same results. Assuming the starter is okay, that's all the ideas I have left!

**88pathoffroad** · Aug 26th, 2007, 01:34 PM

Good point...there should be a gusset between the engine and transmission that also therefore spaces the starter out slightly. If it were missing there may be misalignment issues. I could be completely wrong and it may not affect the starter, but it's something to think about.

streetrod69 · Aug 26th, 2007, 10:35 PM

Thanks alot guys I never figured the plates may be different I will have to see and make sure that i used the one for the MT and that it is attached properly of course!