18hp Vanguard starter/flywheel ?

[RustyBucket]

G'mornin!, my 18hp Vanguard regularly strips the nylon starter gear. I've replaced both the starter and the gear NUMEROUS times. The engine is in my '03 EZGO golf cart and it ain't easy to access the starter. The ring gear on the flywheel is aluminum and looks like it is riveted in place. QUESTION: is there way to replace these parts with steel gears? I caused myself all this trouble when I replaced the camshaft, the new cam doesn't have the compression release flyweight. I replaced the battery, cables & solenoid with BIGGER parts & the engine spins fine on the starter but eats the gear after 20-30 starts. The engine model# is 350447 & the type is 1075-A1 5848.
Thanks in advance for your help !!

 

[StarTech]

First you have the wrong camshaft as the OEM for that engine does have an ACR. Camshaft 845649


Second those replaceable ring gears are NLA. And according to the IPL those ring gears could be steel or aluminum. Flywheel steel ring is 808768 but it is now NLA too.

So your only option is to replace the camshaft with the correct one.

 

[RustyBucket]

Thanks for the response. I have the original cam that came in the engine. I installed the present cam after I was disappointed with the Vanguards performance & throttle response. I also changed valve springs, pushrods & timing advance. These modifications changed the "personality" of this little engine drastically. I'm very pleased with it's performance. I have a hitch on both ends of the cart and tow & push trailers around my property. It also cruises around the neighborhood of an evening. I can reinstall the stock cam if I have to but I'd like to find a better solution.