This sounds insane and doesn't make any sense to me at all. After replacing the pilot bearing in the eshaft, I reattached the transmission. Now my (aftermarket) starter motor doesn't fit anymore. It feels like it is too wide to fit in the hole, meaning that the outer diameter of the motor seems to be a tiny bit larger than the inner diameter of the hole. Note that before removing it, it was installed on the car and ran perfectly fine. So I test fitted my old OEM starter, which fits perfectly. I compared both with calipers, and they're the same size, the OEM one has even a slightly bigger diameter.

I'm at a loss, as I don't know how this can happen. If anyone could point me in any direction, your help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
n.

 

This is way out of the ordinary, there may be something stuck in the bell housing it hits or something. Did you just change the pilot bearing or did you put in a new clutch/flywheel?

Dale

 

I have an aftermarket clutch and flywheel, but they were already on the car before the issue happened. I checked the inside of the bell housing with a camera and there is nothing in the way. Just to be sure, I cleaned every contacting part with brake cleaner, but got the same results

 

That is weird. The only thing I can think of is perhaps the transmission might not be properly mated up to the engine - for example, if a dangling wire got caught in between the transmission bell housing and the engine's rear, the install may be cocked just enough to prevent the starter from bolting in.

 

The starter is held to the transmission by a bolt that goes into the bell housing on the bottom and a long bolt with nut at the top. I typically have the bolt at the top going in so the bolt head faces the front of the car. That has the end of the bolt hanging out and you can slide the starter onto that so it's held into place as you assemble. May be worth doing.

Also have you engaged the throw out bearing?

Did you press on the clutch pedal without the throwout bearing engaged? If so the end of the slave cylinder could have ejected and it's inside the trans somewhere.

May want to post some pictures too.

Dale

 

I had this happen on an RX8. In the end I decided that the trans was dropped or handled in such a way that it pushed the outer part of the bellhousing adjacent to the starter hole inward enough to cause the problem. I took a sandpaper flap wheel and simply "honed" the ID of the bellhousing starter hole on that thinner outer area until the starter finally fit back in place. Was never any issue afterward. HTHs.

 

Thanks to everyone that replied, I will try everything said above. Also I will add a video of the issue later today. What I find weird though is that the stock starter fits without any issue.

 

Wonder if the 2 starters are "clocked" just a bit differently and the solenoid or other is interfering with something?

 

I can't edit my original message, so here are two videos showing the issue. In the video depicting two motors, the first one is stock and the second is aftermarket. In the other video, only the fitment of the aftermarket one is shown.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Nr4UsrkTsYnDKknMA

 

Is that an impact bend in the transmission housing? Maybe your original starter has been modified to fit a non-circular opening like what @TeamRX8 speaks about.

 

Two things there.

First, there is a minor impact on the starter hole of the bell housing. It doesn't look like it distorts the starter hole enough to be too much of a problem.

Second, and the big one, the "new" starter is not the right starter, hands down. If you got that new from a parts store they gave you the wrong part. That's the real root of the problem here.

Dale

 

Noted. However, this starter used to be in the car and worked great. Now I'm really confused.

 

Well, I've NEVER seen an RX-7 starter that looked like that. Not the right part - doesn't fit - it's the wrong part, that's the root of the problem.

You could also get an RX-8 starter and upgrade your old FD starter. There's a few threads on that topic. The RX-8 starter is probably easier to get.

Dale

 

the way I read it, the starter was already in use, trans taken out, then suddenly same starter doesn’t fit. So again, I had this happen on an RX8 and the starter hole in the bellhousing didn’t look out of shape, but it was and simply honing the starter hole on that outer portion fixed it. It only has to 0.001” too small at any one spot and it’s not going to just slide in.

if you buy an RX8 stater then you need to be sure and get the 2kW version with 14 tooth gear; which is equivalent to the 2009+ RX8 starter, and will provide 300+ rpm starts with a good battery.

if it doesn’t fit though, then you know what to do.

.

 

Thanks a lot for the advice. I will try the grinding method this weekend and if that doesn't work, I'll purchase an rx8 starter.

Again, thanks to everyone who provided advice, I will get back to this threat once there is something new to be said.

 

This was the issue. I just ground the spot with the impact down a bit, and now it works again.

 

Good you got it fixed. Engineers or mark out blue would've helped you work out where your interference problem lay.

Be aware, that's not an rx8 starter if you ever need to replace it. The late 2.2kw(?) 14 tooth starter needs to be machined to fit an FD bellhousing, should be a thread here 5 or more years ago about converting the 13 tooth and finally the 14 tooth. What you have, is probably a TCP magic version, with a proper cast nose.

Edit: Just checked that vid again, dunno what engine mounts you have, I'd have a bloody noggin, or minus an eye if I had to work under there long, I'd be trimming that a touch.

 

Apology if I misled not being so familiar with FD interchangeability, because it’s a direct swap on the earlier S1 RX8 models. So it was my assumption based on the prior comments. I’d venture to say that a zoom-zoom starter on any rotary engine is worth it regardless.

here’s the post that seems to be referenced wrt machining for fitment

https://www.rx7club.com/3rd-generati.../#post11831316

.
Same thread mentions Banzai Racing selling upgraded 2kW motor, no mention of tooth count

High Torque 2KW Starter (93+ RX-7)

.
vs aftermarket fleabay late RX8 starter cost + fitment machining

https://tinyurl.com/25ht7krx

.