Seized Engine!

[red]

I ordered a new starter off eBay just to check that before I tear it apart. I'll look at the teeth again when I pull the old one.

Rob,

You should know, there are the old two-brush starters and the new four-brush starters for the FJ.  Four brushes will be a much better choice.
Your starter may be okay, and only the drive clutch may be bad.

[Rscott8111]

I honestly don't think the starter is bad, but I've neen wrong before. I basically just wanted a cheap one to eliminate the possibility before I decide to buy another engine or tear into this one. I figured in the grand scheme of things throwing $50 in the fire was not that bad.

[Pat Conlon]

The starter motor connects to the starter clutch...that's what I suspect is bad, the starter clutch....not the starter motor.

[Rscott8111]

Ah ok. So I assume that's the gear I can see inside the case with the starter out.

[racerrad8]

The starter meshes with the outer teeth of the gear in this photo. The smaller, larger teeth engage the one way starter clutch you can use see in the upper left of the photo.



Once that gear starts turning, it drives the starter drive chain coupled to the crankshaft.

Randy - RPM

Photo credit: cwyatt - FJ1289

[Rscott8111]

Awesome info! I bet somewhere there is my failure. I picked the previous owners brain real hard. He said it had been sitting for a long time and he was trying to start it. He said he was cranking it for at least ten minutes and it would hit try to run but wouldn't. Instead of stopping there he just kept holding the starter down hoping it would eventually run. Then he heard a loud pop and it quit doing anything. So , yeah not the smartest move.

[fj1289]

The starter meshes with the outer teeth of the gear in this photo. The smaller, larger teeth engage the one way starter clutch you can use see in the upper left of the photo.



Once that gear starts turning, it drives the starter drive chain coupled to the crankshaft.

Randy - RPM

Photo credit: cwyatt - FJ1289

My ratio of pictures of broken parts to good ones is kind of high...

[Rscott8111]

Unfortunately, now my Vmax is doing the same thing as the FJ starter. It's gonna be a long winter.