I put a new mini starter on my 80 SL6. It bolted right up. The starter solenoid pulls in and the starter spins happily away, but there is no engement with the flywheel whatsoever.

I didn't compare the old starter with the new in terms of the nose length. Maybe that is it. Or it could be the shim is in the way of the bendix.

I can't remember whether I got this thing from eBay or the auto parts store. If it came from the auto parts store I think I asked for a 1996 Dodge Dakota starter. Sorry it has been a couple of years since I bought the thing.

Where do I look for the problem, while it is still bolted up?

Thanks,
bwhitejr

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'72 Duster (Performance 360)
'83 Ramcharger (Performance 318)
'80 TrailDuster (360)
'80 D-150 Truck (See Below)
CompCams 252S, Holley 390cfm, Offy manifold
Ported, Polished and Gasket Matched
P4286813 Springs,0.040 Overbore,
0.090 Shaved Head

Neither of those is the problem.
If you bought it as a "100% new" starter, whether from eBay or a parts store, it is a Chinese copycat item--not a genuine Japanese-made Nippondenso unit. As with all other Chinese copycats, quality is "luck of the draw" at best.

If you bought it as a "remanufactured" starter, quality of those is also iffy.
You don't/can't. It has to come off. Either the drive pinion isn't being shifted into place by the solenoid, or it is but the drive clutch is dead or missing...or the starter was assembled with an incorrect (too small) drive pinion for the application.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Not that it is your problem, but I tore my hair out last year, with a starter not spinning the engine. Turned out the starter was turning backwards, due to a battery with reverse polarity.
There was other damage to the vehicles electrical system, also.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

Charrlie that is funny. I had the same thing happen once back in the 1980's. Darn near drove me NUTS!

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-76 Cordoba, 360 4bbl
-68 Valiant, 273 2bbl
-67 Dart /6 4bbl, Leaning Tower of Power!!!

If you did buy it at a parts store, try to remember which one. Even if you lost the receipt, most parts stores can look up the invoice by your phone number. It could have a lifetime warranty.
It's worth looking into.

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"Ja, Ich fahre ein altes auto."
'78 Volare 225
'67 Charger 318

You know, just thinking about my previous post about the reversed polarity battery. Whether a "new" Chineese, or a rebuilt starter, it is not impossible that the coils are connected wrong, and the starter is spinning backwards. It would be unusual but not impossible, more likely the a reversed battery. Easy enough to check, with the starter removed, and connected to a battery on the bench.

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Charrlie_S
65 Valiant 100 2dr post 170 turbo
66 Valiant Signet 170 nitrous
64 Valiant Signet
64 Valiant 4dr 170
64 Valiant 4dr 225

Before I knew better, I bought a Powermaster brand mini starter. Eventually it did the same thing, spin freely without turning the motor. When I called them up (this was past its warranty) they told me it most likely needed a $50 "clutch kit".

Assuming one does have a starter running backwards, wouldn't it still turn the engine backwards?

Pierre:
No. The backwards spin would not engage the little drive gear of the starter to the ring gear. Kind of like; trying to drive a screw with the drill motor in reverse. Spins nicely but won’t bite in.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

If the starter has been lying around and may have a little corrosion or hardened grease in the engagement parts, and old trick is to whack it carefully a couple of times with a soft mallet or hammer while trying to start. Be careful not to strike it to hard!
Olaf

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Aspenized

I took the new mini off, compared the nose length and the amount of travel by the gear. Both travelled 3/4" (the new mini and old one). I connected the mini to the car wiring (to make sure it wasn't part of the problem) and tested it that way. It moved the bendix as before and spun, so I installed it. When I hit the key it amde a funny scraping noise, but started the engine. I stopped the engine and tried it again. It made a similar noise and started. I got on line an ordered a new solenoid assembly from Rock Auto and installed that in the old starter and remounted it. Works fine now. Just don't know what was making the noise on the mini starter. I suspect the cable from the starter realy to the starter is getting old and broken inside. I will be replacing it next.
Doesn't have the zing it should have, like when it is connected to the battery through jumper cables.

bwhitejr

_________________
'72 Duster (Performance 360)
'83 Ramcharger (Performance 318)
'80 TrailDuster (360)
'80 D-150 Truck (See Below)
CompCams 252S, Holley 390cfm, Offy manifold
Ported, Polished and Gasket Matched
P4286813 Springs,0.040 Overbore,
0.090 Shaved Head