SOHC to DOHC Swap.... Starter issues...

[240silvia]

ok, so, I got the swap done. I turned the key and I heard this binding noise coming from the starter area. So I took the starter off, took it to advance, bench tested it, it's good. Clutch Setup: SPEC stage 3 SR clutch. SPEC billet steel flywheel (which is dual drilled for KA and SR clutches). When I try to start the car, the motor spins, I can manually turn it with a socket on the crank, so I know it's not locked up. I've never ran a KA motor with an SR clutch so I don't know if this is the issue or not. Kinda seems like the teeth on the starter isn't matching up with the flywheel right. When I pulled the starter, I felt the flywheel and I didn't see any kind of metal shavings. So it's not grinding. Does anyone have any ideas? Any help would be really appreciated.

[projectRDM]

If it's an SR flywheel (you didn't say), you'll never get it to engage. 240mm vs. 225mm.

[240silvia]

I ordered it from enjuku, they told me it would work on both the ka and sr motors. Given what you said, what's the answer???? SR starter? Would that work?

[projectRDM]

An SR flywheel will not work at all, it's a different size. An SR clutch mated to a KA flywheel is fine, though it's silly to mix/match parts when there's plenty of direct fit stuff for either application.

An SR starter won't work because it's designed to bolt to an SR bellhousing, and it uses a different drive mechanism.

[240silvia]

So pretty much I need to contact enjuku and figure out what the hell they sold me, lol. Thanks man, you've been a big help. I'd give you some rep if I could.

I ordered the clutch for the KA, they sent me the clutch for the SR. I didn't want to wait to send it back and get the right one so I asked what else I could do. They told me that SPEC made a flywheel that was for the KA that could accept KA/SR clutches. So I ordered it. Let's say the flywheel is for the KA, you should be able to use both the sohc and dohc starters, correct? If not, what would you check next?

[projectRDM]

If it's indeed a KA flywheel, something is binding in the bellhousing. If the starter is good and engaging correctly there could be a bolt loose that's jammed up against the flywheel, the backing plate could be on backwards or bent, or you've got the pressure plate/disc misaligned. It's also possible, though I've never verified it, that the pressure plate is binding up somewhere in the bellhousing since it's a different size.

[240silvia]

Now if the backing plate was on backwards, there wouldn't be a hole for the starter. It lines up with all the holes on the transmission. I've verified all the bolts on the trans are tight. I torqued the flywheel and clutch bolts to spec. I guess I'll call them tomorrow and see what they have to say.

[240silvia]

I just looked on enjuku's site and they only have that flywheel listed for the KA motor. You said something a few posts ago about a bolt binding the flywheel, are you saying a bolt could be actually hitting the flywheel?

[projectRDM]

It's doubtful since you haven't driven the car yet, but I'm throwing out all possibilities. I worked on a car that lost a pressure plate bolt and it made it's way behind the flywheel, locking it down at idle. The starter couldn't turn over and we ended up shearing the bolt in half to get it out. But that's unlikely in this case.
Since it's a KA flywheel, the ring gear/starter should meet up fine unless it's spaced out for some reason, so it's more likely on the clutch side.

[contranication]

^^^ That is so true, it happened to me with one of the flywheels from Spec, the same one you have, the whole in their flywheel stripped out, this was with a bolt at 28 ft-lbs of torque, but I had actually driven my car about 100 miles. Then one day I went to start it and the car would just crank, until I heard a snap.

A bolt from the pp got stuck between the flywheel and the starter and snapped my starter.

I had to take everything out, but Spec replaced my flywheel.

[240silvia]

I talked to Enjuku today, they told me they think SPEC manufactured the flywheels wrong. Enjuku thinks SPEC got the teeth count wrong. So, my instructions are to count the teeth on the flywheel.

Contranication - When you say one of your bolt holes stripped out. Was it on the aluminum flywheel, or the billet steel one?

[contranication]

The part number ends in S so I am assuming it is the steel one

[240silvia]

ok, so, I counted the teeth, 121, I got that 5 times! lol. The KA is supposed to have 110. So, Jason at Enjuku is sending me another one tomorrow. Very nice guy by the way. He's even covering shipping back to him. I'll inform you guys when it goes back in. Thanks for all the help.