Flywheel, starter or something else?

[Peanut]

Right guys, car is a 2.4 manual. About 4 weeks ago the car started to have some minor issues starting, it would take 4/5 secs to start while making a strange clicking noise, I didn't think too much of it. Then 2 weeks ago I went out to the car but it wouldn't start, my initial thought was the starter so I took that out, when testing it the solenoid was not retracting the cog. With this i bought a recon one from a reputable local store, put it in and tick tick start as it should be... until yesterday when it decided not to start again ( was making the EXACT same sound as before when trying to crank), so bump started it (process of elimination in my eyes was the battery as it was small and I didn't know how long it had been on the car, then starter then flywheel) drove it up to my local place again to get the battery tested, battery was fine but there was a more heavy duty one available so i got that on the off chance it would work... it didn't. So at that point I was pretty stumped, I decided to get a more professional diagnosis from a local mechanic ( the mechanic i swear by is away at the moment), with out taking anything off and going by the fact it was working for 2 weeks he suggested it was the teeth on the flywheel. Not content with the thought of splashing out for a new fly I decided to take the starter out and look at the fly teeth myself, to me they look as they should. I tested the starter, solenoid was fine but the motor seemed down on power (as did the old one) so took it up to the place I got it from, without me even saying anything one of the guys behind the counter stated how dusty and grimey it was and that it should be clean (looking back, the old one was also very dusty. Was the first time seeing a starter so wasn't sure what it was supposed to look like). New starter is coming tomorrow, also going to go to honda see if they know but for now does anyone here know anything?

Thanks.

 

[F6HAD]

It's quite possibly the flywheel.

The starter ring can become detatched from the flywheel. It happened on my wife's K20 FR-V

 

[Peanut]

Could this cause the dust build up? It was a very thick sooty substance. I will add that it did start once while trying yesterday and would occasionally start when warm.

 

[edgeoftime]

Sometimes the bendix does not engage with the ring gear, most engines always stop in the same place and the pinion on the starter and the ring gear take a bashing, try nudging the engine by engaging gear and rocking the car to move the wheels and hence the crankshaft, then see if it will engage. As it bump started what you can also try is turning the start key while the engine is running you will hear it engage, do not hold it for long though.

 

[Peanut]

Thanks for the replies guys. Got a new starter in today, same problem.Going to take it back off in a few days but at the moment it does seem to be that the starter ring is either detached or misaligned.

 

[F6HAD]

It's detatched mate. I went through the same crap with starter motors and it was the flywheel all along. I just used a secondhand flywheel it's been in 2 years without issue. They're single mass so no issue with DMF springs to worry about as long as the face is clean and not warped