CJ7 Starter wont turn engine

[SKCrosby91]

Well, it's Sunday afternoon and I wanted a day to go shooting and off roading in the ol cj. This is all fine and dandy until I turn off the engine, then try to turn it back on. I recently replaced my stater and the solenoid, but the starter just spins. It's like the gears arent making contact with the engine to turn it. Any ideas how I can get this dude started so I can go home?!

 

[Catoctin Jeep]

Seems like the bendix is stuck. Tap the top of the starter, also look for loose wires, you may have missed one when installing the new starter.

 

[SKCrosby91]

Seems like the bendix is stuck. Tap the top of the starter, also look for loose wires, you may have missed one when installing the new starter.

I did all that, the bendix isn't stuck, and all the wires are fine. I think the gear the starter grabs to turn the engine is worn or something.

 

[69jeepcj]

Three things, bendix not kicking out, starter needs shimed, flywheel teeth are worn or missing. I had a 79 cj that was missing just a couple flywheel teeth and just every now and then the missing teeth would be in just the right spot that the starter would just spin when I hit the key. I had to turn the engine over just a bit by hand to move the flywheel teeth out of the way of the starter gear, then I would start right up.

 

[SteelHeadz]

Verify by taking the starter off the jeep. Clamp it on a vice and apply a 12v feed to the starter with a pair of jumper cables to see if the gear kicks out all the way. If not, it's. bad starter. Shims are also sometimes the cause for this if the mesh on the starter and flywheel gears are too tight.

 

[SKCrosby91]

Three things, bendix not kicking out, starter needs shimed, flywheel teeth are worn or missing. I had a 79 cj that was missing just a couple flywheel teeth and just every now and then the missing teeth would be in just the right spot that the starter would just spin when I hit the key. I had to turn the engine over just a bit by hand to move the flywheel teeth out of the way of the starter gear, then I would start right up.

I'm pretty sure I have a similar problem. Got home last night and took the starter off, looked at some of the teeth of the flywheel and there is a spot like you said where the teeth are nonexistent. I took a couple of pictures, it's not pretty. How bad is it to replace this guy? Or am I better off keeping a socket set in the jeep for the times it hits that spot?

 

[SKCrosby91]

These are the missing teeth pics I took. Starter tested out fine, seems like this is my problem.

 

[Catoctin Jeep]

That'll do it.. Time to remove the trans and x-fer case. Fun fun fun...

 

[PoliceMonkey161]

That'll do it.. Time to remove the trans and x-fer case. Fun fun fun...

X2 on this, not an easy fix!

 

[69jeepcj]

that looks pretty bad. Mine was just a few teeth. That would require taking out the trans, tcase, clutch, bellhousing, or just pull the engine to replace the flywheel. Changing the flywheel itself is the easy part, its getting to it.

 

[greg92jeepxj]

These are the missing teeth pics I took. Starter tested out fine, seems like this is my problem.

Whoa dude ! No way to red neck that ! A file couldn't do any justice there . Sorry you'll be bench pressing a t-case and trans , just kidding , I know a floor jack or lift will be employed. Best of luck , greg

 

[SKCrosby91]

Thanks for everyone's help, I really do appreciate it. For now, I'm just keeping a socket in the jeep for the times the starter can't grab and turn the engine. Sucks, but gotta do something when I need to drive the jeep. Will most likely post when I'm going to do this repair! Until then, my friends.