Go Back  Offshoreonly.com > Technical > General Q & A
problem with bulldog flywheel >

problem with bulldog flywheel

Notices

problem with bulldog flywheel

Old 09-28-2013, 09:57 AM
  #1  
Registered
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 534
Likes: 0
Received 22 Likes on 11 Posts
Default problem with bulldog flywheel

I have a Bulldog 500 engine in my boat ,I bought this engine last year ,and it had a bellhousing with top mount reverse rotation starter .
I had to change it to bravo style bell house ,and took off the flywheel to heat the ring gear and place the gear on the block side (was mounted on transom side for top mount reverse starter )
The flywheel is made for mounting the ring gear on either side cause of the edge right in the center .
So I mounted the flywheel to the engine and found that the starter gear would only come less than 3/16 inch into the flywheel ring gear .... how come ?? so I tried several starters ,and finally a hitachi mini high torque starter came 3/16 in the ring gear .
I was afraid doing this ,so I took off the flywheel ,and machined out 1/16 , or maybe a fraction more ,I did not want to made the center of the flywheel weak by taking off too much ...
So now the starter gear was a little less than 5/16 into the flywheel gear .
Now I have about 40 hours or so on the engine ,and today the starter made noises that indicate there is something wrong ... either the ring gear is worn ,or the starter gear .. I want to take off the starter tomorrow ,to see whats wrong ,but I think I need to change something so the starter gear goes all the way up into the flywheel gear .
Anybody know how to do this ? or have had a simular problem like this ?
stirling is offline  
Old 09-28-2013, 10:47 AM
  #2  
Registered
iTrader: (2)
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Between A Womans Leggs in IL
Posts: 6,306
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by stirling
I have a Bulldog 500 engine in my boat ,I bought this engine last year ,and it had a bellhousing with top mount reverse rotation starter .
I had to change it to bravo style bell house ,and took off the flywheel to heat the ring gear and place the gear on the block side (was mounted on transom side for top mount reverse starter )
The flywheel is made for mounting the ring gear on either side cause of the edge right in the center .
So I mounted the flywheel to the engine and found that the starter gear would only come less than 3/16 inch into the flywheel ring gear .... how come ?? so I tried several starters ,and finally a hitachi mini high torque starter came 3/16 in the ring gear .
I was afraid doing this ,so I took off the flywheel ,and machined out 1/16 , or maybe a fraction more ,I did not want to made the center of the flywheel weak by taking off too much ...
So now the starter gear was a little less than 5/16 into the flywheel gear .
Now I have about 40 hours or so on the engine ,and today the starter made noises that indicate there is something wrong ... either the ring gear is worn ,or the starter gear .. I want to take off the starter tomorrow ,to see whats wrong ,but I think I need to change something so the starter gear goes all the way up into the flywheel gear .
Anybody know how to do this ? or have had a simular problem like this ?
your issue is the diameter of the flywheel..by chance did you count the teeth on the flywheel? their are 2 versions of starter's and flywheel's,,153 tooth and 168 tooth..you just have to figure out which starter goes with what flywheel..instead of machineing the flywheel you should have read the instructions and shimmed the starter correctly..your soppose to have like .060 gap between the teethe of the flywheel and starter,,you need a pin gauge to do this and the engine has to be out to shim it rite..
FIXX is offline  
Old 09-28-2013, 11:34 AM
  #3  
Registered
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 534
Likes: 0
Received 22 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

No ,this flywheel belongs to this engine ,I only switched the ring gear from engine side to the other side of the flywheel ,so from top mount starter reverse rotation ,to block mount starter normal rotation.
The flywheel is a 168 tooth ,and the starter is a Hitachi hi torque mini starter ,the gap is exactly like it should be ,I mouted it with a feeler gauge .
A 153 tooth flywheel would not be tall enough to let the gears touch .
There were 2 shims with the starter ,but no need to use them.
The starter is located in the center line of the crankshaft,adding shims would not make any difference ,cause the starter is going to go lower only ,I need to move my starter to the transom so it comes more into the flywheel gear

Last edited by stirling; 09-28-2013 at 11:38 AM.
stirling is offline  
Old 09-28-2013, 11:46 AM
  #4  
Registered
iTrader: (2)
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Between A Womans Leggs in IL
Posts: 6,306
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Default

Originally Posted by stirling
No ,this flywheel belongs to this engine ,I only switched the ring gear from engine side to the other side of the flywheel ,so from top mount starter reverse rotation ,to block mount starter normal rotation.
The flywheel is a 168 tooth ,and the starter is a Hitachi hi torque mini starter ,the gap is exactly like it should be ,I mouted it with a feeler gauge .
A 153 tooth flywheel would not be tall enough to let the gears touch .
There were 2 shims with the starter ,but no need to use them.
The starter is located in the center line of the crankshaft,adding shims would not make any difference ,cause the starter is going to go lower only ,I need to move my starter to the transom so it comes more into the flywheel gear
you say Hitachi hi torque mini starter,,does the starter have a nosecone? if not and its one of those race style starter look where the thick alunimum block that the starter bolts go through..now look where the starter bolts to that aluminum block,,their should be shim's between the block and the motor gear's ..remove those shims so the bendex will move closer to the flywheel..caution.removing those shims move the gear closer to the flywheel and could rub the flywheel..
FIXX is offline  
Old 09-28-2013, 12:09 PM
  #5  
Registered
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 534
Likes: 0
Received 22 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

You are right ,and I did remove a thin shim ,but it was so little ,and I needed almost 1/4 inch to move to the rear ... I have several starters ,also mini straters and big mercruiser starters ,all of them would not come the full 3/8 inch into the flywheel gear , thats why I machines some material out of the center of the flywheel ,I will try to shoot some pics ,but I don,t know if I can post here ... Thanks for help BTW
stirling is offline  
Old 09-28-2013, 02:08 PM
  #6  
Registered
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 534
Likes: 0
Received 22 Likes on 11 Posts
Default

There ,s also a bearing in the Alu block that limits the starter to go to the rear,maybe I can try to machine the chamber that holds the bearing ,dunno how much I gain then.
stirling is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.