Stumped..... Starter broke off with mounting

[Cslagleccs1]

So I drove home from work, nothing crazy just went straight home and the next day the trans am wouldn't turn over. I heard a horrible metallic knock when I tried to turn it on; so I put the car on the lift and my starter just fell right into my hands and broke the motor mounting for it. MY question is what could've caused this?? A seized engine?? even though I wasn't even driving the car just randomly wouldn't crank over.. I started to turn the harmonic balancer and couldn't get it to move at all but I haven't tried it without the spark plugs. Ideas and things I should look into?

[35th-ANV-SS]

I've seen that many times now so you're not alone, not that it makes you feel any better. Is the block ok? If so, you lucked out. It usually breaks on that end from what I have seen, ripping a hole in the block.

[Cslagleccs1]

So I drove home from work, nothing crazy just went straight home and the next day the trans am wouldn't turn over. I heard a horrible metallic knock when I tried to turn it on; so I put the car on the lift and my starter just fell right into my hands and broke the motor mounting for it. MY question is what could've caused this?? A seized engine?? even though I wasn't even driving the car just randomly wouldn't crank over.. I tried to turn the harmonic balancer and couldn't get it to move at all but I haven't tried it without the spark plugs. Ideas and things I should look into?

[SMWS6TA]

Looks like material failure. Your lucky it didn't take the block out like is normally the case.

There is a redesign that the starter has equal bolts instead of offset like OEM. Most ppl get the truck starter that comes like I mention. Like Jon said you got lucky it didn't break the block.

[SMWS6TA]

Cody I deleted the duplicate thread. It had no responses yet.

[Cslagleccs1]

What scares me is that I can't turn my crankshaft pulley, that is why I am at a lost because the engine didn't seize up while driving but that crank won't turn and my starter broke when I tried to turn the car on...

No problem, the forum was acting buggy on me at first!

[0rion]

pull the plugs and try to turn it over before jumping to any conclusions. Did it sit in the rain overnight by chance?

[Cslagleccs1]

Yes it did, bad storm the same night !!

[0rion]

hmmmm......I've heard before of the cowl seal leaking and letting water puddle on the intake then getting past an injector seal and into the cylinder. Not saying that's what happened but it wouldn't be the first time I've heard of that happening.

[Cslagleccs1]

Well I might check out a couple of things before I make my next move, hopefully it was just the starter loose and twisted itself off

[GoldenFlame]

Your lucky it didn't take the block out like is normally the case.

Chunk of something there, I can't tell what I'm looking at on the part of the starter... My condolences if that's a part of the engine.. A few people have had luck getting theirs welded but idk...

[SMWS6TA]

Looks like the block now that I can see it on a computer screen. :yikes:

[35th-ANV-SS]

Yup. I agree. Didn't see that part of the pic on my first look. Guess I will ask again since the OP didn't answer the first time - is the block ok?

[RONS98TA]

I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like that is 1/2 of the mounting locating from the block, stuck to the starter. Looking at the block, it only has 1 complete mounting bolt hole, and 1/2 of the other 1 on the side of the block. I also see water spots on the torque converter. This makes me think that the cowl ( like 0rion has mentioned) has probably leaked onto the intake manifold, found a leak past 1 of the injectors or intake seal, or somewhere, and gotten into 1 of the cylinders. I would first pull all the plugs out, then try to turn the motor over by hand and see if any water comes out of the cylinders. In any case, good luck and hopefully the engine is ok.

[SMWS6TA]

I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like that is 1/2 of the mounting locating from the block, stuck to the starter. Looking at the block, it only has 1 complete mounting bolt hole, and 1/2 of the other 1 on the side of the block. I also see water spots on the torque converter. This makes me think that the cowl ( like 0rion has mentioned) has probably leaked onto the intake manifold, found a leak past 1 of the injectors or intake seal, or somewhere, and gotten into 1 of the cylinders. I would first pull all the plugs out, then try to turn the motor over by hand and see if any water comes out of the cylinders. In any case, good luck and hopefully the engine is ok.

I hope you are not talking about the pic I posted. I was showing the OP a case of when the starter breaks off the mounting flange on a LS1. This was not the OPs motor.

[0rion]

na....he was talking about the OP's pic. That's the mounting ear on the block still on the bolt although your picture will pretty much show exactly what his looks like.

[RONS98TA]

Well, you both are correct. I was speaking of the starter in the 1 pict, and also the pict of the block and torque convertor in the other pict that SMWS6TA posted. I didn't even realize that wasn't the original posters pics. OPPS.