Starter not Engaging

[md250r]

I have a recently acquired M1078 that has developed a starter issue that is proving to be hard to nail down. Truck ran and drove great for a couple months. Went out last week to take it out for some exercise and I could hear the starter motor turning, but the engine would spin. Removed the starter thinking the bendix had failed and took to a local starter/alternator shop, who disassembled, cleaned, and check it over and found no problems. They bench tested and it worked perfectly. Reinstalled the starter and same issue. Starter spins, but not engaging the engine. BTW, the flywheel teeth that are visible look fine and no noise that you would typically hear when teeth are damaged or mot meshing properly. So the starter was removed for a second time and taken to a second starter shop who bench tested again and found no issues. He suggested that the ring gear on the flywheel may be slipping. Have any of you ever encountered a similar issue?

 

[Ronmar]

Reach in there with a prybar and see if you can rotate the ring gear...

 

[spankybear]

I Would try and sawp relay K1

 

[Floridianson]

I Would try and sawp relay K1

Believe he said starter spun over in the truck so K1 should be ok. All I have to say about the problem is

 

[spankybear]

Believe he said starter spun over in the truck so K1 should be ok. All I have to say about the problem is

He said the starter was bench tested and that was ok... Simple test and I have seen issues with K1 myself and strange started issues. Easy to rule out.

 

[Skyhawk13205]

Sometimes a battery with good voltage may not perform under load causing the bendix to not/slightly engage. Mine does it when the batteries and slightly low causing a grinding noise from the starter trying to engage.

 

[md250r]

Confirmed last night that the ring gear is detached from the flywheel. This job just got serious. Upon trying to rotate it, the gear came off completely so engine is going to have to come out.

 

[Ronmar]

Dam!

 

[spankybear]

Confirmed last night that the ring gear is detached from the flywheel. This job just got serious. Upon trying to rotate it, the gear came off completely so engine is going to have to come out.

Or the transmission