[Michael C Henry]

The ring gear is usualy replaceable .That sort of thing happenes to flywheels .Check your starter drive and bendix.They make different grades of bendixs. I don't know anyone that is working on his own car that would settle for anything but the best.The expense difference is minimul.But it would add up for a manufacture that is rebuilding thousands and doesn't expect to see many of them returned.A good bendix will save the ring gear because the drive will stay engaged till engine is started and not release when engine just coughs.