How much is enough starter gear?

"Nick Has an Exocet" (nickallain)
09/06/2020 at 18:11 • Filed to: None

After a spirited drive in the Exocet last night , I stopped for about 20 minutes and shut the car off. Turned it back on, looped around and sped up the road.

Suddenly, the car stalled. I pushed in the clutch, then moved the shifter to neutral, and heard and felt a mechanical scraping sound that started fast and slowed down. That scraping eased into hearing the starter chugging on the engine. The engine restarted itself (clutch in, shifter in neutral, never touched the ignition). I never stopped rolling. I put the car into first (no issues), then gave it a little gas. Same thing happened as I hit about 3000-3500 rpm. I confirmed the ugly grinding sound happened when I put the shifter into neutral. I nursed the car with low RPMs for about a mile, then everything completely returned to normal as if nothing happened.

This car isn’t supposed to restart itself when it stalls. There’s no reason that the starter should have been turning. So I pulled the starter (see frayed cable) and inspected the flywheel this morning. There’s some carnage. I’m wondering if that’s enough damage to warrant doing a flywheel or whether I can just send it.

DISCUSSION (12)

HammerheadFistpunch > Nick Has an Exocet
09/06/2020 at 18:32

sounds like maybe the plunger on the starter isn’t fully retracting...though I don’t know why the starter was running on its own. I think you should be already so long as the plunger is fully engaging/disengaging.

gettingoldercarguy > Nick Has an Exocet
09/06/2020 at 18:46

You’ll love a lightweight flywheel, so there’s your answer. Was it a short that caused that?

What year is your donor?

jminer > Nick Has an Exocet
09/06/2020 at 19:01

I wouldn’t say that flywheel is bad enough to pull the transmission and replace it. The starter definitely shaved some life off of it, but it didn’t kill it (from the teeth we can see)

Seems like the starter shorted out somewhere. I’d also check the wiring along the rest of the start circuit to make sure there isn’t another short that could be jumping the solenoid.

Nick Has an Exocet > gettingoldercarguy
09/06/2020 at 19:01

2001. I’m really hoping it was a short at that frayed wire but I need to climb around the car a bit more. It’s too damn hot right now though.

gettingoldercarguy > Nick Has an Exocet
09/06/2020 at 19:05

Yeah y ’all are getting dunked on with heat right now.

https://www.advancedclutch.com/product/xact-flywheel-prolite-600255-2?gfid=p2647-c273269

I'm sure you already know but it’ll blow your mind.

Nick Has an Exocet > gettingoldercarguy
09/06/2020 at 19:12

That’s a pricy boi.

The Exocet is so light that I don’t know if I need a lightweight flywheel.

And yeah, it’s 92 in my room, about 87 in most of the house and 84 in the room with AC.

gettingoldercarguy > Nick Has an Exocet
09/06/2020 at 19:16

Shallow pan with tap water for your feet takes off 20+ degrees.

Yes your car is lightweight, but this rotational weight is totally different than making your car light, it’ll work synergistically with your lightness. Conversely, heavy cars don’t react in the same manner as light cars do.

Nick Has an Exocet > gettingoldercarguy
09/06/2020 at 19:29

Yeah, Exomotive actually doesn’t recommend a lightweight flywheel unless you’re going for the absolute best lap times. I mean, it’s silly to open it up and not go with an upgrade of some sort though.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Nick Has an Exocet
09/06/2020 at 19:37

Especially on a Miata platform, I’d skip the aluminum flywheel and puck clutch on anything street driven. A stage 1 clutch and having the machine shop of your choice whittel and re balance and OEM flywheel down to about 5-6 lbs less than it originally was will still have some fun gains while being a lot easier to live with.

Nick Has an Exocet > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
09/06/2020 at 19:39

I have a fidanza aluminum flywheel and a stage 1 clutch on my 91 miata. It’s a bit tricky to drive slow but rewards beating the piss out of it.

gettingoldercarguy > Nick Has an Exocet
09/06/2020 at 19:54

In Texas I had a drag race setup rx7. Heavily ported built motor, u n small turbo , etc. Never had a problem with the really light flywheel.

Definitely heavier than your exocet too.

gettingoldercarguy > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
09/06/2020 at 19:57

I like to take weight off the flywheel and add it in the harmonic balancer, still net gain in lightness but much cleaner bearings in the motor.