If it's not the starter, then what could it be?

[flashlight]

I have a 1994 geo metro. 1.0L, 3 cylinder, manual transmission. I traded out the straters because they were wrong . The one previously in the car was for an automatic so I replaced it with one for a manual transmission. But it still ends up making a sound like you dropped a bowling ball on a concrete floor. The engine does start and everything else runs fine. And is the spacer supposed to go back in with the manual starter or is that only supposed to be with the automatic?

[Crvett69]

check all your motor mounts. rock the engine back and forth and see if you get same clunk

[DOCTORBILL]

Could he be missing a tooth in the flywheel gear teeth?

Does the clunck happen immediately that you turn the Key or while it is cranking?

Immediate clunck would be the solenoid - no?

Clunck while cranking would be a missing flywheel tooth - no?

DoctorBill

[91Caprice9c1]

Dr. Bill is right. Does it ever clunk and not start the first try? I have had to stack two, and once even three spacers between the starter and the bellhousing in order to get a couple of my geos starting properly with brand new starters. Also, make sure you have a dowel for each bolt to properly align the starter. Spacers are hard to come by, I've only been able to acquire extras from junk yards. Goodluck.