Just put my engine in with a new SFI flexplate, Hooked up the starter just to spin it over and the starter hangs in the teeth of the flexplate, won't retract when I let off the key. Pulled it down and shimmed it to the the point it barely engages but it still hangs. Took starter to a shop and they can't find anything wrong. Pull trans out and then flexplate and compare to my OEM and it's ( the SFI Plate) slightly larger in diameter but not a lot. I install my OEM plate that was working fine before and it's hanging up also. When it's hung, I can rotate the crank with a socket and it will finally retract. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, David
Sounds like the starter gear is not totally parrallel to the flexplate. Are both mounting surfaces flat, or did something possibly get a little knicked. The other is the flexplate. Is it mounting flush with the crank? God forbid if the end of the crank got bent a touch by some boob at the shop dropping it. But if it's doing it with both flexplates.................
Are you just turning it over? Or is this after the engine is running? I thought this was a problem once, but actually after the engine started..it actually kicked the starter out. Many miles later it was still working fine.
I haven't actually started the engine yet, just turning it over. It appears that it might kick out if it were running. The plate is flush on the end of the crank and is consistent all the way around when it's turning, not wobbling as if it were bent (the crank). I'll check the mounting pads for the starter tonight to see if they're flat. Tempted to put it all back together, fire it up and see what happens with the new flex plate.
This is not anything to be too worried about. The spring tension in the starter gear is just holding it against the flywheel and friction is keeping it from retracting. Once the engine kicks the starter gear will be free to retract.
Yes, Birddog is right, not a problem. Just make sure that you have it shimmed to engage properly, and shimmed so that the started gear clears the forward "face" or "edge" of the flex plate. I actually had to trim down the starter mount surface to get proper engagment, and shim the starter back for the gear to clear. Gary G.
