chevy 454 starter noise

[raccoonman]

our venerable Southwind has a 454 Chevy and it's got a noise when cranking that sounds like the flexplate/ring gear hanging up or bendix hanging up; i first thought the starter had loosened and went under to check it but it's tight as dick's hatband. it's got about 68k miles so i'm also thinking there's possibly a broken tooth on the ring gear. no other vehicle i've had made this kind of racket when cranking and if i'm doing it harm i want to remedy it.

[NHRA225]

A clinking noise usually indicates a bad Pinion gear on the Starter, on the other side of the issue it could also be the Ring Gear on the fexplate. I'd pull the Starter and have a look at both. One thing for sure it will only get worse and you will continue to do damage.

[bigskymt]

A cracked or loose flex plate will make a snapping sound more so when idling, shifting into gear or accelerating from a dead stop then cranking.
If the 'hanging-up' you mentioned means cranking slows down I'd suspect the starter.
You can remove the inspection plate at the bottom of the bell housing to inspect the ring gear. There are three bolts that attach the torque converter to the ring gear, one or more of which may be loose.
The flex plate can usually be R&R'd without removing the trans.

[JohnRR]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigskymt The flex plate can usually be R&R'd without removing the trans.

Are you really sure of this

I'm thinking the only alternative to pulling the transmission would be to pull the engine

[jimbo16720]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnRR Are you really sure of this I'm thinking the only alternative to pulling the transmission would be to pull the engine

You should have a plate facing toward the tranny that has small 7/16 bolts. Once you take that off you should be able to see the bottom half of the flex plate. You can check the teeth and then bump the starter to turn it and check the rest.

[JohnRR]

That works well for checking the ring gear teeth but it does not allow for R&R of the flex plate itself, to do that you need access to the flywheel flange bolts.

[bigskymt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnRR Are you really sure of this I'm thinking the only alternative to pulling the transmission would be to pull the engine

I'm absolutely sure of this having done it. Of course you will have to loosen all the bell housing bolts and split the block and tranny for clearance, remove the three torque converter bolts and push the converter toward the trans. This will allow enough room for a long box end wrench to remove the six flex plate bolts into the crank and sufficient room to push the flex plate over the lip on the crank end. If I remember correctly the flex plate bolts are only about .75".

[JohnRR]

The procedure as posed now to me is way different than implying it can be changed without removing the transmission but why split hairs it's a time consuming job either way.

[NHRA225]

If you do in fact need to change the Flexplate it's not that difficult. I've used this proceedure many times. Loosening the Torque converter sometimes will not permit enough room to get to the Fexpalte bolts.
Just remove the Torque Converter bolts
Loosen the Transmission Bolts and remove the 2 Bolts sencond up from the bottom. Install 12in long Grade 8 Bolts (any Hardware Store).
Remove the Drive Shaft and Shift linkage
Remove cooler lines
Loosen and remove Trans rear mounting bolts
With an adequet floor jack - Slide the Tranny back on the 2 long Bolts and Remove and replace the Flexplate.
This proceedure sounds time consuming but it isn't, maybe an hour in prep time.

[raccoonman]

i've made installation alignment pins like that for my Falcons, not so much to do this particular job, but to ease the hassle of putting a trans in with the engine in place. if the starter pinion is failing i might as well replace the whole starter and be done with it.

[Billieg]

I wouldn't replace the starter but get it rebuilt. The 454's are noted for heating up the starter and it won't start hot. The one you have has insulation in it to help it stay cool enough to start. Corvettes have this problem as well. Been there, done that...