MG-Cars.info

Welcome to our Site for MG, Triumph and Austin-Healey Car Information.

Parts

MG parts spares and accessories are available for MG T Series (TA, MG TB, MG TC, MG TD, MG TF), Magnette, MGA, Twin cam, MGB, MGBGT, MGC, MGC GT, MG Midget, Sprite and other MG models from British car spares company LBCarCo.

MG MGB Technical - Stuck starter motor

The starter on my 3-main 63 MGB stuck a few days ago. It was so stuck it was not possible to free it by turning the square at the front of the starter. I had to take it out, and it was really difficult to work it loose.

What can be the reason for this? It has never happened before, but I have noticed that the starter has always been thrown out very fast. It has not been possible to turn the engine around for any length of time. Any connection?

Shall I replace it with a reconditioned original type starter, or one of the new hi-torque starters?

Tore
Tore

Tore - The cause of your problem is a worn ring gear on the flywheel - unfortunately. The only fix is to remove and replace the flywheel, which requires removal of the engine :( The worn ring gear may have caused wear on the starter drive gear also, but the main culprit is the ring gear. Cheers - Dave
David DuBois

What David says is correct but if you have a good look at the bendix on the end of the starter motor and find they are a bit chewed up, replacing this can help to cure it for a while but the damage to the ring gear will eventually chew the new one up.
Trevor Harvey

Will a modern high torque starter be a possibility? I understand they go into the ring gear from the other side.

Tore
Tore

I've had success releasing a stuck starter by rocking the car in gear (usually 4th). But, you need to replace the ring gear. Unfortunately at minimum the engine needs to be pulled.

The gear reduction motors do engage from the front side not the back. It may or may not work on your damaged ring gear.
Robert McCoy

I own a '67 B and experienced the same problems. The ring gear is damaged on the back side and installing a starter that engages from the front side should solve your problem without having to pull the engine. RAY
RAY

Thanks everybody. I will try one of the new high torque starters that engages from the front.

Tore
Tore

Tore,

Had a similar problem with my '63 B. The back side of the ring gear was so worn that the starter would grind and then catch. It was a hideous sound. A friend recommended the new high torque starter, which engages on the un-worn front of the ring, and it works just fine and cranks smooth and fast.

Cheers,
Greg
Greg Van Hook

Bad news. I tried a high torque starter yesterday evening, the type sold by Moss Europe. The engine started immediately, but the starter did not release!

Tried three times and gave up. So now I plan to take the engine out next week and change the ring gear :-(

Tore
Tore

Got the engine out of the car yesterday and discovered the reason for the trouble. Some PO has installed a new flywheel ring gear the wrong way round! What I donīt understand now is why the starter has worked as well as it has from 2002 when I bought the car up to now.

Tore
Tore

Robert,

you said you managed to get the starter to release by rocking the car in gear. Was that on an MGB? I had a Hillman Imp which had the same type of starter and that would release by rocking the car. I have never managed to free the starter by rocking, whether in fourth or any other gear. On the MGB I always had to resort to turning the square end of the starter motor shaft (and I kept a spanner specially for this in the glove box) or like Tore by taking the mounting bolts out to release it. It was cured by fitting a new ring gear.

The time it locked solid and had to be removed was the time I wanted to drive to the Register Office before I got married. The MG really didn't want to go. The marriage didn't last. Did the car know something? I still have the MG though...

Time for a new ring gear, Tore!

Mike
Mike Standring

This thread was discussed between 15/06/2009 and 25/06/2009

MG MGB Technical index

This thread is from the archives. Join the live MG MGB Technical BBS now