Pre-engage Flywheel Starter Ring Orientation

[alanr]

I currently have the engine out of my+2 fitting my Voigt 5speed gearbox.
Whilst there I am replacing the somewhat mangled Flywheel starter ring and I have decided to fit a hi torque pre-engage starter motor.
So the question going through my head is do I change the the orientation of the ring gear to accomodate the pre-engage starter motor and fit the leading chamfered edge of the ring gear in the opposite direction?
In theory I suppose it doesn't matter due to the way the pre-engage starter works and it would definitely cause an issue if I ever change back to an inertia starter. I am probably overthinking this but logic says it would be better the other way around and I am just wondering what others think?

Alan.

[ericbushby]

Hi Alan,
The short answer is that it doesn`t matter.
I fitted a Powerlite RAC 472 pre-engaged starter nine years ago as recommended by the local Lotus specialist. As my starter ring was chamfered on both sides I was confident It would be OK. Soon afterwards a fellow club member wanted to do the same but it turned out that the ring was only chamfered on one side so we thought that would cause a problem as the pinion would now be engaging from the other side.
He contacted Powerlite who said that it would be OK, as the starter is designed to engage cleanly without chamfered teeth. This has proved to be the case and has given no trouble since.
So which ever way you fit the ring it will be OK.
Another point is that I don`t think you will ever change back to the Lucas starter once you have used a modern one.
Eric in Burnley
1967 S3SE DHC

[alanr]

Thinking about it some more in the light of day Eric I am sure you are correct and it doesn't matter at all which way the ring gear is fitted to accomodate a pre-engage starter but it was just ones of those things that crossed my mind as they do when lying awake at night!

Thanks again for the confirmation and reassurances.

Alan.

[stugilmour]

Alan, I had an issue, although it was with an MT-75 modern starter so may not be directly relevant.

The first starter with square cut teeth wouldn’t reliably work. I replaced it with a similar starter with chamfered teeth and it works reliably against the square cut ring gear.

I had always wondered if I mis-spec’d my engine build by not mentioning the pre-engaged starter.

As I say, May be different in your case.

[alanr]

Thanks for the input Stu.
Hmm....Definitely food for thought!

Alan