flywheel

[jim]

What shop should I talk to about replacing a flywheel?  Would that be a motor thing or a transmission thing? 

This motor has about 5000 miles on it.  I wouldn't think the flywheel got that way since the motor was installed.  Should the shop have seen a damaged flywheel when installing the motor?

My starter sometimes seems to drag when it's hot.  Usually it seems to be fine.  If the motor dies when at operating temp and I try to start it immediately the starter acts like it won't turn at first, and then it will start the motor.  I can't get it off and to the parts store while it's hot.  It tested OK by the time I got it there. 
When I took off the starter to have it tested I saw that the flywheel has several teeth together with the edges severely worn or broken off on the ends.  I couldn't see how many were damaged.
Could that cause the symptoms that I thought were starter related? 

I have had a battery give the same symptoms but my load tester showed that the battery is good.

[thereverendbill]

your car is an automatic if I remember correctly.  what you could do is support the car on jackstands and take the tin covers off the back of the engine so you can inspect the flexplate teeth.  remove the power wire to the coil so you can have someone turn the car over so that you can inspect all of the teeth.  I think you might just have a starter that needs shimed or replaced

[IowaEagle]

Those Motorcraft starters like to do just what you are describing.  I would start there Jim.

[jim]

I had the starter off and tested.  I could see flywheel teeth through the starter opening.  From the center of the opening as far down as I could see the ends of the teeth were worn or broken off.  Looking up the teeth looked good.
The starter tested good, though it had cooled off by the time I got it to the store.