What Do You See In This Picture?

I have a couple ideas, but I'd really like to know what you all see.

Thanks in advance!

 

I see a flex plate with ground off teeth and a broken starter bolt.

 

I'm seeing a slightly worn flywheel ring gear with plenty of life left in the teeth.

 

Pete, I desperately want to believe you. The starter was far worse, and I just had it completely rebuilt for about $150 (see picture). I'm just hoping that the ring gear isn't worn too badly. Replacing that sounds like a real pain, even though I just so happen to have one lying around.

What about all the oil residue? Does it look too wet in there? I'm starting to worry about the rear main seal... but you guys are the experts. Tell me what to think.

Oh, and the bolt is just sitting there so I don't lose it. Luckily not broken.

Again, thanks!

 

I'd worry when it starts to make a puddle under the Jeep each night. Just my opinion.

 

No puddle, more of a piddle. Most of the leaks are from the transmission/transfer case. Good thing she parks on gravel.

 

I would stab that starter and go.

 

Hmmm--"just" as in not too many starts? I'd be sure things were right with the starter. One thing would be a correct & quality bendix drive that engages and retracts smoothly.

 

Dave - try no starts. It's raining cats and dogs right now in the Seattle area (shocker), and I've been putting off installing the starter, even thought it's probably the easiest thing to install on this Jeep. Besides, hunting starts up next week and I'm preoccupied with that. The rebuild was a local guy, who only orders up American parts. I'm thinking it's as quality as I could get.

 

According to my local starter/alternator rebuild guy, quality replacement parts for this stuff are getting hard to find. His work used to be top notch but, lately not so much. He claims it's junk parts. I believe him.

 

CJ51962---Now, I think I got it! When you pulled the starter you found it beat up, but have since had it rebuilt. Correct? I was reading it as if the newly rebuilt had been installed for a short time and was toast.

 

Dave, you're correct. Sorry about the confusion.

My guy said the same thing. Apparently he can only get parts from one guy on the east coast. Price for parts was much higher than the Chinese versions.

 

This is reman, but so is the one you just had done.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/ado-323-364/overview/

 

Parked on gravel you say? Move it slightly every time you park and get an oil and gravel driveway. It will cut down on the dust.

 

Just thought I should provide a courtesy update: the rebuilt starter runs like a dream. I mean really purrs... no grinding at all, and engages perfectly. I’m just glad I don’t have to put a new ring gear in!

 

I cleaned up my original motor for garage art, wired wheeled and clear coated it. Then I pulled the oil pan, side valve cover, valve cover, and timing cover and had them stripped, shined them up and clear coated them. I didn't know I had a rear seal leak. It always sat in a sand driveway. I could have changed the rear seal, but thought if it ain't broke don't fix it, there was not much oil in the bell housing, so I thought no leak. After I got it on the run in stand with radiator and ran it for a while there was oil under it right where the pan and bell housing come together. Thought I had a pan leak, put a new gasket on it again, still leaked. I have come to the conclusion that if you have a rear seal leak it don't always go into the bell housing, it leaks between the oil pan, and the rear engine plate. I plan to pull it apart and replace the rear seal, can't stand to have a garage art motor that drips in the floor. Point is you could have a rear seal leak and not have oil in the clutch area. Good luck

 

Thanks for the feedback - that way we all learn.