Problems with pre-engaged starter on Hewland Mk8

Has anyone come across this before.
My new FF1600 engine is fitted with ring gear for pre-engaged starter, now the one to use is Cortina automatic - because it has the solenoid on top instead of underneath- managed to get one of those easily enough(surprise surprise) but I have had to do a fair amount of fettling of the inside of the Hewland adaptor plate, both where the starter motor "nose cover" is and also on the inside of the stud bosses to get it to clear the slightly larger ring gear.
Even though it all cleared when I offered the adaptor plate to the block when we finally had the whole thing bolted together with the GBox the engine won't turn over.
Unfortunately we ran out of time and this has cost me a race start a Combe on Saturday. Still hopefully we will fix it in time for Cadwell in a couple of weeks.
Meantime if anybody has any ideas let me know.

tony thanks for your interest about my site. gary wrote off his car last year.was the karman ghia built in the early eighties and black and raced in the wendy wooles ,if so i remember it.sorry cant help with the box
graham

Tony,

I'd start by removing just the starter motor and see if the engine turns over by hand (one complete revolution). If so, it's the starter, and it's just possible the depth of the pinion gear is insufficient to clear the back of the ring gear (RG). It may also be that the increase in RG diameter is contacting the nose of the starter. Is it possible to remove one bolt only and swing the starter away slightly? This would confirm this.

If the engine still does not rotate with the starter removed, it sounds as if the RG needs more clearance in the bellhousing/adaptor plate.

I hope this helps.

Thanks Sparky,
Yes the problem was slightly larger ring gear fouling the adaptor plate, fixed that now by judicious removal of more aluminium!
What I would like to find now is a smaller / lighter starter motor that would fit the ford ring gear.

Graham - Yes the Karmann Ghia was black, driven by David Enderby based on a Tiga SC81, but I also built another one for Alan Humberstone, this time based on a Lola, bright pink it was, it tested once, never raced as far as I know. Now sitting in a container somewhere in Kent last I heard.

[This message has been edited by Tony Harman (edited 17 April 2000).]

Can you tell me which starter you are using (Part No.)as I assume from your description that it is either an LRS168 or LRS144 Lucas type.
If so I can have a rummage to see if any of the later CVH or Ztec units have the same PCD, pinion throw and tooth spacing.
The solenoid termination will be different but nothing a pair ofcrimping pliers won't sort.

Tony ,Where are the moulds for the Karman.? Can you E.Mail me some photos for my site
cheers graham

Hi Graham. Regarding the moulds etc. I think I still have all the pattern pletes for the bulkheads etc, David owns the moulds, I'm not exactly sure where they are but could find out if you wanted. As for e-mailing some pics I could probably do that some time in the future, I don't own a scanner at the moment as I only use a digital camera. Leave it with me I'll see what I can dig up.

Thanks Tony. How much would a set of unused 20 year old moulds be.
graham

I'll find out about the moulds - may take a while though.
Good this isn't it - started off as a question on Starter motors and ended up at body moulds....

Tony do you know where there are any sports 2000 tubs going gash , I dont mind a damaged one.I think ill post a separate thread.