On a mid 80's 900 Saab, if I'm going to replace my starter, should I also check the flywheel for any damage?

Question

A buddy of mine says that replacing the starter won't do any good if the flywheel is shot also. I've never heard this before. Is he right?

Answer 1

Always a good idea to do a visual inspection of the flywheel when starter is out. You need to turn engine over to see the edge of the wheel all the way around. Look for broken teeth or worn , they should be sharpe. If it is bad, you need to remove transmisson or engine to gain access to flywheel. Big job.

Answer 2

In a nutshell, If the starter has been giving you problems for a while by not engaging all the way on the ring gear, it could have damaged the teeth.

Although, as someone noted before me, it's quite a job to replace the flex plate\flywheel.

Answer 3

Godzilla