'92 SL1 Starter Will Not Engage

Mike wrote: > Starter rotates but starter gear will not engage. How can I fix > the problem? Plenty of batterey power, lights,, etc. About six > months ago Saturn replaced the starter. Problem then was starter > would not engage.

Starters engage one of two ways: Either the starter solenoid operates a lever that pulls the starter gear forward along a splined shaft into the ring gear, or there is a "Bendix drive" on the motor with a spiral threaded gizmo that pushes the gear forward from the motion of the starter motor. That said, there can be a dozen different reasons for the motor failing to engage, from simple sticking to having the starter loose to having the wrong starter to missing teeth on the ring gear on the flywheel.

First thing to check is that the starter is not loose and that all cables are tight. A bad connection or corroded cable can reduce the "oomph" going to the unit and cause it to fail this way.

Sounds like what they used to call a "Bendix" I think.. A spring-looking thing that forces the starter teeth to engage the flywheel on the car when spun. If the spring is bad, it never touches or grinds...

Regards, Joe - VROC #8013 - '86 VN750 - joe @ yunx .com - 973.571.1456 24/7

Ask me about "The Ride" on July 31, '04:

Took it back to dealer where they replaced the starter at no cost me. They replaced the starter in Aug '03.

Mike