Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

Gents,
I have a 110 tooth flywheel, what is the correct starter motor to use? 9 tooth or ten tooth type?
If the wrong type is used will it damage thr ring gear?
Which gives the better crnaking speed?

cheers
Mark

I think that the early T.C. engines had the nine tooth bendix and the later ones had the ten tooth.
The ring gear teeth on my S2 are slightly worn and I used to have to fit a new bendix every 3 or 4 months, I always used the 9 tooth but they became very hard to get as I believe Lucas stopped making the 9 tooth.
I then fitted a ten tooth and from then on I had no more problems.
Although it sounds odd it does not seem to matter which bedix you fit but are 9 tooth ones still available?
Brian.

I am in a similar postion at the mo . I have counted 115 teeth on ring gear and have a choice (lucky me) of either 10 or 9 teeth starter . Which to go for . 115 /10 goes 11.5 , so I guess thats the first choice ?

Rick

Hey Rick, 115 ? :huh: not saying you're wrong but even Wilkins lists 110 for a T.C. from what car is that flywheel?
Brian.

Brian
I was under the car with a ratchet on crank pulley nut and 1 finger on flywheel and trying to turn and count at same time . I may need to check then . How many teeth apart from 110 are available then ?
This flywheel was on the engine when car bought .

Rick

Rick,
The Xflow also has 110 but I was once asked to fit a T.C. ring gear for someone and they supplied it, its a long time ago but I think it was 112 but I cant be certain, I dont know what it was from but it was supplied by the Ford agents.
Anyway it was exchanged for the correct one.
I thought I read somewhere that very early Fords (not T.C.'s) had 108 teeth but I think it unlikely as I think the starters were all the same.
Brian

I have had similar experiences. I had a new ring gear fitted at the time of an engine rebuild, together with a 9 tooth drive. Everything started off fine, but within a few months the teeth were starting to look very worn. Swapping to a ten tooth the starter sounds much healthier and i've had no more problems.

Ok guys I going back down the garage for a recount again . I asked my nephew to help this morning by turning the engine for me but he only managed to trap my fingers in the flyweel and bellhousing . So I have a trusted(?) friend to help tonight . If more the 110 teeth I will post again and we can mull over this one further .
Put it this way, it started and ran with this ring gear on it before I stripped the car , so it will run with it again . Unless someone wants to remove and refit the engine for me as I have done it to many times this and last year .

Rick :unsure:

I have been through this with my plus 2. I spoke to Christopher Neils and they said that flywheels with 107 teeth need a 9 tooth starter, and 110 teeth need a 10 tooth.

Berni

Berni
I would not trust CN's advice to far. All Elans came with 110 tooth ring gear and 9 tooth drive pinion on the starter.

Rohan