Rep Power: 0

Swapped a 2008 Civic 1.8L engine with an automatic transmission, used the flywheel from the original blown engine. The starter is not engaging the flywheel teeth, just freely spinning. Both the starter and the battery have been replaced along with grounding straps to make sure it wasn't a low voltage issue. The starter still spins without engaging the flywheel. Is it possible the flywheel was installed backwards (same position it would be for a manual transmission) and if so, would the problem be that the starter pinion is not moving far enough to engage the flywheel teeth? If that is the case would a starter for a manual transmission work? Does anyone have the depth measurements of the starter teeth through the starter mount for both manual and automatic configuration so this could be verified without separating the engine and transmission? Thanks for any information or insights on this issue!

 
Rep Power: 221

Did you buy the correct starter?

Flywheel for a manual trans should be different than the flexplate for the auto. Not sure if you could use a manual starter. I would get one from a junkyard if you were going to try

 
Rep Power: 366

wait, was your original car a manual?

 
Rep Power: 0

The Flywheel, flexplate, torque converter and transmission are the original automatic transmission parts. All three starters that have not worked are for the automatic. The flywheel appears to be the same, one side has the clutch contact area, the other does not and is the side the flexplate should be attached to. The gear ring is not center, neither is the mount point, so flipping the flywheel over changes the position of the flywheel gear ring. That is why the manual and automatic use different starters. Trying to figure out if the flexplate was accidentally mounted on the wrong side of the flywheel without pulling the engine and/or transmission again. The flexplate mount holes are threaded all the way through the flywheel so it could be mounted on either side of the flywheel.