Starter Motor Complete Failure - Armature Stuck in Transmission Housing (Problem Solved)

Hi, new here and this is my first post. Gaining experience with my Taco so look forward to providing help instead of asking in the future.

2001 PreRunner - 5VZFE - Auto Transmission

My Toyota/Denso starter failed yesterday with a grinding sound and wouldn't even turn on ignition after. Ordered new Bosch unit, ready to install today.

Video if you prefer:

Removing my old starter, I noticed the Armature is stuck in - I assume - gearing that meets the starter at the entrance to the transmission case.

Pictured:
Haynes Manual Diagram:

View Of Lodged Part:

Up Close:

First, Am I correct in saying that's the Armature, and maybe bearing stuck?

It won't come out with a simple pull, and I wanted to ask the experts here (all of you - compared to me) if anyone has dealt with this, or if they know how I should proceed. What other parts should I inspect for damage or dislocation? Any tip is appreciated.

Thank you in advance. Really need to get this back on the road for work.

 

I would suggest getting a big screwdriver or pry bar, put it in neutral and move the flywheel to the left a tad then smack it with a hammer. Should come out. Then check the teeth on the flywheel.

 

OK, thanks for the tip. I'll try that in a bit and update.

 

Alright, reporting back. Learned about the shifter lock and got her in neutral. Unfortunately, the armature is so stuck - and my guess is mangled - between the flywheel and the tranny case, that I'm unable to get the flywheel to turn a degree in either direction.

Some questions that come to mind:
1) Is there a trick to the trade for turning the flywheel (other than a finger or a prybar through the starter's empty hole)?

2) Will the flywheel engage if I take the truck off the jack and roll her? If not in neutral, then maybe another auto trans setting?

3) I can't get much force behind the hammer either, and the whole situation here is making it apparent I should get a better angle for my hands, tools, and eyes. Is dropping the transmission something an amateur can do at home? I don't have a lot of experience but I was able to rebuild the entire front end, so I'm not completely incompetent - just need to learn many things on the fly.

At a loss here, I finally had her running like a dream and the starter literally thrwe a wrench in the gears =\

 

Flywheel is bolted to the crankshaft. Put a socket on the main pulley crankshaft bolt and use a breaker bar to rotate it enough to take the stress off the starter shaft since it appears to be wedged against the bell housing.

 

Will try this. I'm going to look up the crankshaft bolt, not eaxactly sure where it's located but I'm assuming somewhere along the height of where engine meets transmission.

 

Front of the engine, in the center of the damper pulley.

 

Front of engine, at bottom. Large pulley with drive belts going around it.

 

Right on, I found it. Fan was a bit in the way so I removed the front skidplate and torqued from underneath. Unfortunately i could not get it to move. Is there anything that usually prevents it from spinning, or is it probably the jammed flywheel?

 

Thanks, found it! Unable to make it budge unfortunately.

 

Gotta be the jammed flywheel. It should spin freely in either direction, only resistance would be the compression in the cylinders. Keep trying. Use a cheater bar if necessary and really lean into it. I believe you should be rotating counterclockwise. Hopefully the flywheel breaks loose before the bolt does.

 

If you can get a small pipe wrench, a pair of channel locks, or even some big vise grips on that broken starter drive, try twisting it. I think a good clockwise crank might just do it.

 

Thanks for the guidance, much appreciated. Have to stop now, will catch a ride to work tomorrow and hopefully make some progress on the Fourth!

 

At this point the transmission needs to come out.

It sure sounds like a Flex plate failure caused the starter to self destruct.

I have had starter drives fail but have never seen this much carnage.

Maybe the transmission locked up.

 

Update?

 

Remove the spark plugs and it should try really easy either direction

 

In this case that is not going to help. It can not hurt .

We are waiting to hear what happened OP

 

It looks like the starter drive gear shaft somehow separated from the starter. Is that what I am seeing? Is it sheared off?

The A340E will have a removable inspection plate that might provide another angle to access the area where that starter gear/flex plate interface is. It might also give some indication of the condition of the flex plate. It would be interesting to know if there is tooth damage or if the plate broke further in towards the crankshaft mounting point.

It is concerning that the OP was unable to rotate the engine at all. The thought occurs to me that if the engine is locked up solid it could cause the carnage we see to the starter gear end.

 

If the engine locked the starter would have just quit unable to turn.

It is all a guess till things come apart.

 

Thanks for the input guys. I tried everything here. When I removed the spark plugs I was able to get a bit of movement from the flex plate, but it began to dent/bend the armature worse with no progress in my ability to pull it out. Didn't want to risk the flex plate's teeth or bellhousing integrity, for the reward of maybe shearing the armature in two and it falling further in.


I've had it towed to a shop nearby, just one guy who works only on Toyotas. If I had the free time like I did just a few weeks ago, I'd try going through the trans myself. Unfortunately I'm putting in 16 hr days (2 hr commute to San Diego) and my schedule won't ease for a month. Swallowed my pride and looked around for a good shop. Had planned on doing all work myself, but such is life.

Thanks again guys, I appreciate it greatly.