Starter Motor Position

[EuroBoy 0]

O.K., So we've replaced the flex plate and reassembled. Now we find that when the starter motor is bolted into place the bendix gear meshes permanently with the flex plate.

(Not a good situation)

We're quite sure we've assembled the flex plate correctly, as in spacer onto back of crankshaft, flex plate, then triangular plate to fix to torque converter.

So why does the starter motor connect with the flex plate.?

How far back should the face of the flex plate be from the bell housing? Mine sits 16mm away.

The only way we've been able to make it work is to insert a spacer between the starter & bell housing. But that then gives alignment problems.

Any help PLEASE!!!!

[318is 0]

You kinda answered your own question here. The starter is to 'deep', hence you spacing it out helps.

I'm not familiar with your car, but:

1. Flex plate is back to front and or ring gear back to front ie: leading edge facing wrong way

2. Wrong starter fitted ( have you replaced it yourself, new one ? )

3. Should there be a factory spacer?

[Edit] Spelling & check local library for a manual or ETK online or borrow a manual.

Edited October 31, 2005 by 318is

[bravo 34]

I'd bet the farm on option one. Distance of offset of the starter to make it work will equal double the offset from centre of the ring gear on the flex plate making a small error visually much larger in reality hence your problems.

[EuroBoy 0]

How big is this farm of yours Graham?

Flex plate DEFINITELY on the right way round. Champhered edge facing starter motor.

How many spacers should there be on the end of the crankshaft?

[topless 5]

Gap between starter alignment plate and front face of ring gear (to teeth) is 24mm measured with a vernier.

Only one spacer on crank.

[EuroBoy 0]

Thanks William.

I think I've found the answer.

I was looking at the old block on the garage floor and checked the fit for the manual flywheel. I found that the flywheel goes onto a recess on the end of the crankshaft with just the one spacer (about 6/7mm thick with alignment hole)

BUT, I also have another spacer about 3mm thick which fits on the same recess. This must go on BEFORE the flexplate for an Automatic box setup?. This would set the face of the flex plate back another 3mm. But that would only make it 19mm not 24mm as in your photo.

[EuroBoy 0]

318is, thanks for the suggestions.

Yep, flex plate DEFINITELY on right way round.

Another starter being fitted, but it's exactly the same as one that came out

Spacers... Good point

Graham, did you have a 3mm spacer left over when you did your manual conversion???

[bravo 34]

Yeah, I think so - round one.

farm is safe as it is in a family trust...

I'll go have a look and get back to you.

I may have actually put a spacer on the g/b side of he flywheel - jesus my memory is bad. I had no manual so worked everything out by marks on the old bits I bought etc. entirely possible something not quite right, but it all works.

Edit: had a look. From output side going towardsengine...

Torque converter bolted to triangle thing (also a flex plate I think).

Trangle thing bolted to dished side of flex plate with 6mm spacer between - chamfered side of teeth facing gearbox!!!!!!

Not sure if another spacer before engine. if there was its still on there. i doubt it as one of the holes for the flexplate is doweled so a spacer would mean the dowel wouldn't be long enough if I was supposed to have removed it for manual conv. Flywheel came with about a 3mm (can't check in engine) spacer for between flywheel and g/b and flywheel showed marks where it had been on before, so that's where I put it. Alignment dowel also perfect for length this way. Check whick way round flex plate again. i just been to shed and double checked - old marks on it definately point to chamfer pointing away from starter.

hope this helps.

Edited October 31, 2005 by bravomikewhiskey

[bravo 34]

carls pics in g/b thread. shows chamfer way from starter AND correct no. of spacers (so I did it right )

[EuroBoy 0]

Called down to Mosen this morning to check one of their engines.

Sure enough the flex plates were mounted champhered side to the rear.

Then I saw the photo's from the link you posted Bravo.

Hmmm, could be a farm down....

How strange is that? Why would BMW go to the trouble of machining a champher that isn't used?

Ah well, mystery solved. Back to the workshop....

Thanks for all your help Guys!

(edit - one exclamation mark would have been fine dad.)

Edited November 1, 2005 by EuroBoy