955L Will Not Turn Over / Replacing Flywheel

[flyman]

I'm getting rrr sound, "just whines no cranking or clicking" when turning the start switch.
It seemed the starter wasn’t engaging the flywheel.
Then did a bunch quick turning of the switch, back and forth, got it working.
Ran the machine a few hrs. Turned it off, tried starting it again. Getting the whine sound. No luck starting.
Was thinking the pinion is probably not snapped into engagement with the flywheel ring gear.
Took the side covers off, smacked the starter with a hammer while someone turned the switch. No luck.
Pretty sure the starter motor isn't locked.
With the loader arms down, pulled off the belly pans. Pulled out the starter.

Found
Starter piston teeth (helix ring gear/ bendix drive) chipped away
Ring Gear bad teeth (flywheel ring gear) are chipped away

My assumption, the starter continued turning, flywheel was stuck, jams up.

To do next...
Check to see if the engine will turn two complete revolutions of the crankshaft using the fan by hand (using a wrench on the front pulley);
make sure the motor is not hydro-locked, making sure the crankshaft moves, even though fan moves.

Do I have to pull the motor to replace the Flywheel? If yes, any tips, reference how to do this? Or should I even try to weld teeth on the Flywheel through the opening and fix the starter bendix drive, test it?

 

[Nige]

In case you were not aware the ring gear in the flywheel is a separate part. Either way it will require the flywheel to be removed to replace it.

You said that you had previously removed the belly guards. Have a look at the area of the coupling between the flywheel and the torque converter. You may also have to remove the floor plate in the cab. If that coupling was disassembled and the converter input flange was removed would that give you enough space to remove the flywheel either upwards or down.?

 

[flyman]

I’ve removed the front 3 smaller belly guards to help get the starter out. The rear is a large plate and will start evaluating if there is enough room. Bummer part, just had the front apart, replaced the head gasket.

 

[sawmilleng]

While you are at it, and have everything wide open, get the starter rebuilt and tested or get a new one. Don't just change the bendix out.

Also, check the flywheel enclosure to make sure all the shrapnel is cleaned out!

Jon.

 

[Delmer]

Those teeth don't look bad at all except for the missing three. How many more teeth are missing? That would make the decision for me. Three only, you could weld and grind new ones and it might last longer than you need it. I'd hate to put a new starter on that ring gear, because it would chew up the starter gear and the next tooth in the ring gear, but it would probably start for a while.

It looks like the lower teeth show wear on the back side of the teeth, either from the engine driving the starter because the starter stayed engaged, or because the starter gear was too big?