starter issue

[allerston]

hi
i just put a new bendix in the starter regreased the gears and put it all back together but now when i started the car up it makes a grinding, widing noise before the engine starts . could i have put something in the starter wrong for it to make that noise or will the noise stop in a while

thanks

[Tiger]

On a BMW? Was there a shim you took out with the old starter?

[allerston]

On a BMW? Was there a shim you took out with the old starter?

what is a shim? anyway all i took out and replaced was the bendix aswel as the clip that stops the bendix from going to high

[Tiger]

Shim is a spacer... that prevents the starter from grinding the gears. Your starter is not aligned properly and that is why you her grinding noise. the space between the gear on the starter and the flexdisc is too close.

On BMW and MB... there usually is no shim except some may come with a one piece spacer. On most american cars, you have to add/subtract spacers until no grinding noise is heard.

[whiskychaser]

Dont know if this is appropriate, but on mine it shows a repair kit which seems to consist of a snap ring and spacer and a couple more bits.
Item 18RS:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...15&hg=12&fg=25
I've not had my starter apart but have just stripped the one on her Hyundai. On that it would be very easy to wrongly position the top of the shift lever
(7) where it engages with the solenoid. That would put the gear in the wrong place and it wouldnt release.
Did you flick the gear to ensure it springs back or bench test the motor before fitting?

[allerston]

thanks for all your help but guess what all i done was loosen the starter and just pull it upward with my right hand and tighten the 2 bolts and it started with no problem what so ever now i am glad that is over

[whiskychaser]

There is a steel dowel coming out of the bellhousing on mine. It goes through a hole in the starter flange so you cant really position it wrongly. Good to hear you got it sorted and it was a quick and cheap fix