Starter not engaging?

[J4 K3Y]

hey guys!, had a quick look around and couldn't find much so thought id stick up a wee post. This morning I started the car to let it heat up while i deiced it and it started fine..went in to get a bowl of frosties and then set off to uni and it started fine again but with a wee bit of a meshing/grinding noise. Started the car a few hours later when id finished uni and again it started fine but with more meshing/grinding in the process. Stopped in at Tesco on my way back, came out and the car wouldnt start at all. Just a grinding noise when i turn the key. Luckily just as this happened a friend of mine was coming in to get petrol so we managed to push it out and bump started it which was pretty sucessful and then got home and tried again but still just grinding sound. What could be causing this? and is there any quick fixs or is it train to uni tomorow? Thanks guys! Car is a 2000 mk2 clio alize with a 1.4 8v engine.

 

[JackJack]

By the sounds of it will be a new starter motor or ring gear on the flywheel
from what you've said sounds like the teeth are worn / damaged and are slipping when the starter is engaged making the grinding noise

 

[J4 K3Y]

Thats what i was worried about. Whats the easy way to tell whether to tell which it is? Starter is in a pure awkward place on these engines! Can change the starter but how easy is it to change the ring gear?? Thanks

 

[JackJack]

The easiest way there isn't really one im afraid mate
Take the starter off inspect the teeth if there good its probs ring gear
changing ring gear is a pritty big job proffesional garage job really
gearbox off and clutch out to get to the flywheel ring gear is around the edge off the flywheel unless its one sealed unit the ring gear can be cut/knocked off the flywheel
and the new one heated with a torch to make it expand put it on then leave to cool and it will shrink on

 

[J4 K3Y]

Hmm yeah that does seem quite a big job! I done the clutch myself a few months ago and i had the starter out then so will need to get it back out and have a wee look at it over the weekend, really hoping i can get away with just replacing the starter but we shall see! For now i will just need to park on hills! Thank god my street is a big one! Thanks again, Jake

 

[J4 K3Y]

Well got this sorted, easy fix surprisingly enough!, put my hand down the back of the engine to find the starter to unbolt it and get a look at it, to find a big gap between that and where it bolts in to!, somehow the bolt holding it in had come out and the starter wasnt sitting properly in the slot, pushed it back in new bolts on and started off the key fine with no funny noises

 

[JackJack]

glad to hear its all ok now doged a big repair bill there then :approve:

 

[Davey1000]

The easiest way there isn't really one im afraid mate
Take the starter off inspect the teeth if there good its probs ring gear
changing ring gear is a pritty big job proffesional garage job really
gearbox off and clutch out to get to the flywheel ring gear is around the edge off the flywheel unless its one sealed unit the ring gear can be cut/knocked off the flywheel
and the new one heated with a torch to make it expand put it on then leave to cool and it will shrink on

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE do not heat the new ring gear with a torch as that is the road to ruin. Many many years ago a friend at work had this exact same problem with his Lotus Elan. He paid a garage good money to fix his car but the new ring gear only lasted three months. The clowns who pretended to be mechanics had heated the ring gear with oxy-acetylene!

The average home has all the equipment to do this job to a Rolls-Royce standard. For instance most homes will have a thermostatically controlled electric oven and a fridge or a freezer. My way was to put the flywheel in the freezer tray of the fridge overnight. The next day the ring gear was heated-up in the electric oven to the lowest temperature advised on the packaging (the flywheel was frozen you see!) Using gloves, the hot ring gear was fitted onto the flywheel and tapped into place with a mallet. Make sure that the chamfered teeth are the right way up! After this a thin film of grease was painted onto the teeth to help with the breaking-in.

That ring-gear lasted for years and years, not three months! and as far as I know it was still working OK when the car was exported to Japan as a collectors item. Its not rocket science you know its actually quite easy if you use your loaf! Good luck!