Hi all, I recently bought a 1986 FB (yes they were sold up to '86 in the UK). I absolutely love it, however I've noticed something odd about starting the car. After stalling the car, if you immediately turn the key to the start position, it sound like the starter spins and grinds against something. If you take the key out and start it again, it starts normally.

Is this something abnormal, or is it just something I have to get used to?

 

Mine does that too. Even on regular old starts. I got a new (Reman technically) and it still does it. Its very humiliating to grind in front of others but it seems to be a very common issue. I couldnt get a concrete answer from my searching but I assume it has something to do with the solenoid being too slow and the gear spinning too soon

 

It could be that the flywheel is still spinning, albeit very very slowly.

 

I think it is the starters bendix mechanism, ie what moves the gear axially along the shaft to engage and disengage with the flywheel.

I had really good results on my 12a FB by replacing the starter with a good FC Series 4 starter. This is a bolt in arrangement (at least for my North America spec FB!). I found FC starters were way easier to come by and in higher rebuild quality.