I would still get the starter you are going to be using checked,(not some other one) I have put in brand new ones that didn't work. (not just hooked up to a battery, do the megger checks and what not, test the actual components) It would be a lot easier than pulling the engine. Not to mention if it tests good, it will already be out. And at least drain the oil, to see what you can see. No, no its true, if it has bearings that tight, you will get metal in the oil. (I work on heavy industrial machinery and oil sampling/analysis is a routine and very useful procedure) And it will either get really loose, or seize up. And you could possibly lose a lot of oil pressure as well. All I know is you don't have a bearing that tight for any length of time before you reach catastrophic failure. I could be wrong of course, I have seen ball bearings run for a year with no perceptible lubrication, no idea how, but I saw it...You could have someone hold the clutch in and try turning it by hand, just on the off chance it is something in the transmission. You do have it neutral when you are turning it by hand right? At this point I take nothing for granted.
Last edited by brokenhead; 01/30/2012 1:16 PM.
