Can a backfire damage a new starter?
 

Figured out my ignition problem (or lack thereof), and the engine backfired out the carb while trying to start it. Immediately after that, the starter began to sound like crap. Now it's noisy and kind of "grindy" when I spin the engine over. Tried it with the lanyard pulled and no change. It is one of the smaller gear reduction starters. It came with a shim, which I initially installed, but I removed the shim when the engine was out for the coupler issue because it looked like it had a better mesh without it.

I guess at this point I will try to put the shim back in to see if it helps. But it sounded OK before the backfire. Has anyone else seen this happen?

Yes It Can !!!!!

I had the same thing happen once before on a BBC. I simply loosened the starter, and re tightened. My guess is, the backfire had enough torque to slightly move the started out of alignment. After the re-tightening/ aligning, it worked like new.


Darrell.

Like DM says, Ive had to do that a couple times in the past.

I noticed the mini starter does not have a front bracket like the larger original one did. Has anyone run one of these with a front bracket? Did you have to fab one?

I dont think you need a front strap because the mini starters are a lot lighter. I also would pull the starter off and look at the pinnion gear and the teeth on the flywheel.

Hey good luck look at ring gear on flywheel lots of time it will blow the teeth off the flywheel.

Check your starter bolts. Have seen them bent before.