Need help on starter problem

Any ideas on a starter problem that I have been having?

'85 Ply Voyager Van, 5speed manual, 2.2 engine.

When you turn the key the starter whines (spins), but does not engage. It
happens about one out of every three starts. Once it happens, it keeps
happening until you either, turn the key completly off and wait a moment,
rock the van (doesn't matter if it is in gear or not), or pump the clutch a
couple of times. The other times, the van starts fine.

No maintenance was done on the van in the 6 months prior to the problem
starting. It happens both when the engine is hot or cold. I do not hear
the starter hitting the flywheel. I have replaced the starter. Both the
old and new starter bench tested fine. Remounted the starter four times.
Replaced the ring gear on the flywheel. Replaced both the + and - battery
cables. Replaced the battery. Installed a Ford starter relay to bypass any
chance of corrosion in the ignition switch/selinod wiring.

Thanks

 

Manual tranny has a gear missing from the starter gear/flywheel, or very worn
teeth on one side. When you rock the van it causes the flywheel to move just
enough to catch the good teeth.

 

A starter has a special device called "bendix" (in Europe and Russia, not
sure about US) that binds an output gear of the starter and a starter's
rotor. It's task is to provide a "one-way" starter-to-engine connection -
the starter should be able to turn the crank shaft, but when the engine
starts it should not be able to spin the starter, or starter would be easily
damaged. That device usually has diameter about 2-2.5" and located inside
the starter attached to the small output gear. And if it is worn or abused
or made of the wrong steel, etc. it starts to slip. Sometimes in the
beginning, then more and more often...

I think that it is your case, I had it twice with my old Russian cars.
Solution might be a junk-yard starter, or may be you can buy it new
somewhere, I have not tried to find it in the US.

Of course, it may be something else, but looks too familiar for me.

Good luck,
Alex

 

Old Russian cars? Tell us more. Sounds interesting.

 

Old Russian cars? Tell us more. Sounds interesting.
What exactly sounds interesting? I had had the described above problem twice
(with different engines).

Alex in Raleigh

Lada 2101 1.1L 1973
Lada 21033 1.3L 1981
Lada 2105 1.3L 1984
Lada 2109 1.3L 1994

Intrepid ES 95 - now

PS. 1973 sounds old for me.