Classic/Antique Car Repair: Starter problems on 1973 six, jumper cables, jumper wire

Question
I have inherited my late brothers cherished 73 TR6, and it is so much more than just a car to me. I am having starter problems, where on several occasions the starter would spin, but would not start the car. When I tried a second or third time, it would catch and start normally until that last time and it never caught. I replaced the starter with the same number starter that was on the engine (16166) but the new starter acts like the old one except it never catches. I determined that the starter gears are missing the flywheel by putting silver anti-seize grease on the starter gear, installed the starter, tried to start the car, removed the starter and noted where the grease was on the middle of the flywheel gears. I understand there are four different possible starters that could go on the same car. How can I determine which starter I need to try to fix this problem or is there something else I need to try?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and help.
Frank Walters

Answer
Hi Frank,
I show only two starters used on the TR-6. You should be using the later of the two if the engine has not been changed. Checking numbers on each may not be of use to you as the car may have had an engine change in it's life time. Also, do you know if the starter was a rebuilt? Be sure your battery is fully charged when doing any of the tests.

You are on the correct track in your tests. You have found that the gear teeth have not engaged but you need to do some more tests. With the starter out look at the gear and try to rotate the gear by hand. You should be able to rotate the gear by hand in one direction but not the other. That confirms the bendix may be ok. Connect jumper cables (like used to jump start a car)to the starter. Negative to the case and positive to the large post on the solenoid. (outer post)Now, connect a small jumper wire from the positive wire to the small flat spade connector on the solenoid. Hold the starter firmly as it will jump. Look at the gear, it should have jumped out to the end of it's travel. This confirms that the gear moves as far as it should. Now, as best as you can measure the distance from where the gear had moved to back to the mounting surface of the starter. Then measure the distance from the surface that the starter mounted to in to the flywheel ring gear. You should see then if the starter gear is moving far enough to engage the flywheel ring gear.
If all that measures close to correct, count the number of teeth on the starter gear and e-mail it to me.
longez8@bellsouth.net
Howard