Jaguar Repair: E-Type Starter problem

Question
Howard,

  The starter on my 1973 E-Type is making a mechanical Ka-Ka-Ka sound when I try to start the car and the engine shakes with it.  It's not the normal sound.  Its like the pinion is contacting the flywheel but skipping off the teeth.  I tried jumping the battery to another good battery and tapping a bit on the starter but no luck.  At one point the car actually started after this knocking sound but not anymore.  I had a starter problem with my XJ-6 a while ago, it just clicked when I tried it, you gave me diagnostics for that, should I just try those or does my description point to something obvious like a worn pinion or solenoid ?

  Thanks,

  Steve

Answer
Hi Steve,

That does not sound like the clicking of a solenoid with a low battery. It does sound more like a bendix problem since it shakes the engine with the sound. Flywheel ring gears do ware in a pattern but it is usually in the 120 degree areas not in a pattern that would shake the engine.

From your description, I believe you need to pull the starter motor to find the problem. My guess is the starter motor itself or the bendix. With the starter motor out you can examine the flywheel ring gear teeth by hand rotating the crank with a wrench.

Howard