Starter issues?

The starter on my '63 grinds and does not catch. It just makes a horrific sounding whir/grinding noise, like the starter bendix is grinding the fly wheel. If I turn the crank pully on the front to a different spot the starter will sometimes engage normally for a moment. Then back to the whir/grinding B.S.. I am worried that it is the fly wheel ring gear. I have heard that on inline motors they will stop predominantly in two spots causing excessive wear of the ring gear in those spots. If it is the ring gear, how hard are these motors to pull out, cange the ring gear and put back in?

 

not too bad to pull one. heck half of the floor unbolts, so you can get to the rear of the engine. you can knock the ring gear off and turn it over and re use it, if it hasnt been done before

 

Hello All...
I think this topic brings to light some needed information (especially for myself) the "matching" of flywheel ring gears with the appropriate starter teeth.
I've had in the past, a similar condition whereby the starter (new-rebuild) sounded terrible when trying to start the engine... both starter and flywheel were being "eaten" when I then heard about the ring gear teeth numbers need to match the starter teeth numbers.
I'm in the process of re-assembling the CJ5 (1958) and want to be sure I have this "match-up" correctly addressed. My local starter rebuilder looked at me a little funny when I asked about the "correct starter teeth"... Are there differences w/starters?
Enlightenment please....
Joe in Jersey