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Surgery to a powermaster starter - how to get the gesrs out!?

When I had the similar issue on the 1998 Suburban, I know IWas at the proper torque. I went through 3 starters and finally had the original rebuilt. It installed without issue. I was just a tiny bit gun shy by then. I never did figure out what the issue was. IIRC all 3 starters were Gms that I had here and had rebuilt.
 
Sucks, ut better to know the issue. I was really wondering because between this forum and the hummer forum, probably 100 of those starters have went on in the last few years. No one had any issue anything like that, and in the last pic it is very visibly bowed from the stress. Maximum clamp force of a fastener is almost always too much. Starter is expensive but glad you didn’t do it on something like a head or main bolt.

I destroyed my last powermaster on a 6.5 in my hummer by driving over the ledge on a hill top and someone previously drove in a huge piece of rebar (concrete reinforcement metal bar) for a place to hook on a winch snatch block. My hummer weighed 8,500lbs that trip and most of the weight was on that starter. It destroyed the center section where the windings are and the aluminum nose that you broke was perfectly fine on mine. Basically the rebar stabbed through my starter. I didn’t know at the time powermaster would have rebuilt it for me.

Anyways, my point is, that aluminum part held the load of probably three tons and did not fail. And it dropped onto the rebar, not a nice smooth settling.

the angle iron thing is a good option, so is removing it and have it welded up. Imo the best option, since they sent you a free replacement which technically was your fault- call them one more time and buy the part explaining you discovered the error.
 
@jrsavoie it seems like we have different branches in our club, then. It still sucks, obviously!

@Will L. you are absolutely right - at least I know the issue now, and it can be resolved. Its just a matter of lost time, money and pride, haha! I am almost cursing myself for being a good boy and using my torque bar. Thinking if I´d tightened it with my hands, I would probably have been fine, haha. Too late for that now!

Sounds like quite a ride you had on that hill top!? Quite the irony to hear that even though you put your entire hummer on it, the nose bit was fine. Do Powermaster rebuild stuff like that as well?

Judging by the customer service I got from Powermaster, no wonder there would be about 100 of them going in the last few years. If the products is only half as good as their service, I would really want to have their products on my burb! I've written to them and admitted my fault so they know what happened and offered to pay for the replacement nose they sent, and also checking the price on a new nose. If my welder guy manages to fix it, I´ll have it ready to go in monday, and quite frankly I'm kind of liking the thought of that. ;) over a month since I parked the burb, so I'm rather keen on getting it back on the road soon!
 
Will L. said:
Sucks, ut better to know the issue. I was really wondering because between this forum and the hummer forum, probably 100 of those starters have went on in the last few years. No one had any issue anything like that, and in the last pic it is very visibly bowed from the stress. Maximum clamp force of a fastener is almost always too much. Starter is expensive but glad you didn’t do it on something like a head or main bolt.

I destroyed my last powermaster on a 6.5 in my hummer by driving over the ledge on a hill top and someone previously drove in a huge piece of rebar (concrete reinforcement metal bar) for a place to hook on a winch snatch block. My hummer weighed 8,500lbs that trip and most of the weight was on that starter. It destroyed the center section where the windings are and the aluminum nose that you broke was perfectly fine on mine. Basically the rebar stabbed through my starter. I didn’t know at the time powermaster would have rebuilt it for me.

Anyways, my point is, that aluminum part held the load of probably three tons and did not fail. And it dropped onto the rebar, not a nice smooth settling.

the angle iron thing is a good option, so is removing it and have it welded up. Imo the best option, since they sent you a free replacement which technically was your fault- call them one more time and buy the part explaining you discovered the error.
Click to expand...
After my experience with the GM starters, I am not 100% sold on over torqueing being the issue. I never checked to seevwhat torque was used though
 
So here is what happened!
Yesterday, my machine shop genius friend welded in some metal and machined it back to what it used to be. We discussed making a bracket, but he found this to be the easiest solution. Of course, we managed to drill the hole 0,3mm too narrow, so when I was about to mount it today, I had to take it back and bore it up. Got that done in a hurry, back to the burb, and got it mounted and the inner fender back on. Still have some small things to fix before I try to start it up tomorrow. Exciting times! :) Pics of the "finished product" below:

Alu welded in before machining it:
2020-01-27 21.20.09.jpg

Machining down the surface for the bolt to meet:
2020-01-27 21.40.28.jpg

Ready to go back under the car. I gave it a little coat of spray paint before mounting it:
2020-01-27 22.35.57.jpg
 
Good news: got the burb up and running today! It was a totally new car to drive!!! :)

Bad news: There is a bad grinding sound when the engine is cold, just as it starts for a spilt sec. *sigh*

got my mum(!) out to help me video it, but the truck was to warm and the sound was gone. As I started it to drive home, the problem was gone.

Does anyone have an idea what may cause a sound like that?

cheers from a happy but worried Svein :)
 
Here is a video from the big first start after all the new parts and stansing still for a month:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com www.dropbox.com

I only used the glows before starting, so this is the «coldest possible» start i would ever do. Given that the injectors was new I was happy to hear it start so quick, but the grinding noise really scare me.
 
A cold start video with sound, like when you start it up tomorrow morning, would be most helpful. Really hard to imagine a sound from a description in a written post, you know.;) But, it could be nothing more than the normal sound of the teeth on the spinning bendix engaging into the teeth of the stationary flex plate ring gear for that split second and you're just experiencing a mild case of 'funny sound paranoia' due to all the trials and tribulations you've been through with this starter saga.
 
Haha, I have all the paranoia in the world right now!! ;)

You can hear the grinding sound at 00:27 in the video I posted. I will definitely try too shoot another video tomorrow when I'm starting to see if the sound is still present. Part of me wants to think the starter just needs to "seat its butt properly" and will be fine. Part of me see myself removing the inner fender again! 😂😂😂
 
It sounds like starter cranking after engine started.
It you are careful to release the key the moment it starts and the noise occurs again, remove the fly wheel cover and examine the flywheel teeth. Use something to mark the teeth as you hand turn the engine to see them all. You may have damaged flywheel causing it.
 
jrsavoie said:
When I had the similar issue on the 1998 Suburban, I know IWas at the proper torque. I went through 3 starters and finally had the original rebuilt. It installed without issue. I was just a tiny bit gun shy by then. I never did figure out what the issue was. IIRC all 3 starters were Gms that I had here and had rebuilt.
Click to expand...
Good old REMI...
 
Will L. said:
It sounds like starter cranking after engine started.
It you are careful to release the key the moment it starts and the noise occurs again, remove the fly wheel cover and examine the flywheel teeth. Use something to mark the teeth as you hand turn the engine to see them all. You may have damaged flywheel causing it.
Click to expand...
At the moment I have the feeling it might be a combination of me having to be quicker letting the key go (oh my god, this thing spins the engine so fast!), and the starter maybe being a bit slow disengaging when its cold.

MrMarty51 said:
Well I hope its nothing too serious and it will be gone in the morning. Oh wait, it might already be almost morning over there. 😳😹
Click to expand...
It was indeed, but I'm seldom up in the morning, haha! Did try it as I got out of bed this afternoon though. Been sitting for about 14 hours and was nice and cold. The sound is still present, but not nearly as scary as the first times.

Im thinking maybe it just needs to "seat its butt properly" after all? 🤞

Here is a video of this mornings cold start. The sound was still present, but much shorter and nicer:

Dropbox

www.dropbox.com www.dropbox.com
 
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