OK OK--I stand totally corrected and humbly educated!! Today we pulled the
starter, which was jammed with the flywheel and discovered flywheel tooth
marks in the front body of the starter. The DCO (me) had not installed the
approximately 3/8" spacer that sits between the starter and the rear plate on
the '79 Midget. Once the starter had been unbolted and removed, the spacer
installed in place, and the entire unit rebolted into its position, the
Midget started right up! The starter engaged beautifully!!!!
Bottom line: You really CAN turn the flywheel ring around to present the
unused side to the starter pinion. And it works just fine!!! In fact, Gary
(Lownsdale) showed me a brand NEW flywheel that was already mounted on an
engine, and the bevels are actually ON THE OTHER SIDE of the pinion
engagement side, meaning, they are out of the action anyway. Stated another
way, the bevels are on the front side of the flywheel ring and the pinion
engages into the REAR side of the flywheel ring.
Just Sooooooooo happy that this was an easy fix that did not involve pulling
the engine and breaking through that red Locktite I put on the flywheel
bolts.
One minor problem cropped up. After completing the starter installation, I
replaced the 5/8" heater hose that connected the heater to the cooling
system--When I started the engine, water poured out like a drain!!!!
Studying the problem, we concluded that the DPO (yep, HIM not ME) had
replaced the original 1/2" hose with 5/8" hose and cranked down on the
clamps. When I replaced the 5/8" hose I couldnt get it sealed and I lost
lots of water to the garage floor. When we replaced the 5/8" hose with 1/2"
all was well.
I drove it home today!!! 8^)
--David C.
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