Starter problems

[pokertramp]

This is about the only thing that is bothering me now. The starter is almost brand new from the looks of it. I had problems when I got the car so I messed with some shims. I got it almost perfect now but it the gear hangs up a bit after it's running and I get a high pitched noise.

I think the tip of the gear probably got a little bent from it hitting the flywheel. Should I try to file it down or just get a new starter? If I get a high torque mini starter, do I install without shims in the beginning or should I put back the 2 that's in there? I would hate to spend the money on a new starter and ruin it the same day.

By the way the engine is a 1975 Chevy 350.

 

[Geesie]

I'd say just get a new one. The one you have might be a shitty McParts rebuild.

 

[megaladon6]

actually it sounds like you're just a little bit too close. IIRC the gear should be .035in (1/32in) from the flywheel. a piece of wire or a punch makes a good tool for that.
if you swap the starter you may want to just use one from a 90's or so chevy truck. they had a mini style starter stock and are a lot cheaper. and i'd first mount it with the shims, disconnect the POS side of the battery and run a jumper wire to the solenoid. applying power at the signal wire post will extend the gear, just don't hold power there. this way you can measure it in position.
or you could just but a new pinion gear. it only takes a few minutes to swap one in.

 

[pokertramp]

Yeah the starter is a rebuild according to the sticker. Do I need to worry about the flex plate? I am not sure if it's a 153 or a 168 tooth. I guess I could count them,lol.

It seems like sometimes no matter what the gear on the starter is too big. today it wouldn't engage at all then it was fine after a few minutes but still gets hung up. I used a paper clip to check the distance and it seemed fine with 2 shims. With one or no shims is too tight and 3 it slips out. I tried just the inboard too. I spent a total of 7 hours trying different variations, took off the solenoid and moved the gear to see..

I think I will just get a new starter.

 

[pokertramp]

SOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:evil: I figured it out today. I had an old starter in my workshop from a Chevy 350 pickup. It was bigger than the one that came with the car and I noticed an immediate difference, the starter bolts did not need to be shimmed and the starter was tougher to get in.


When I bought the car last week, the guy told me it was a 1968 corvette 327 4 bolt main. From what I seen they didn't make one in 1968. The numbers on the block show a 1975 chevy C-20 pickup with a 350 4 bolt.

The guy put the wrong starter in the car. I put the old one I found in the workshop in with no shims and it started right up with no problems....Boy do I feel stupid,lol. Only took me 15 minutes to change versus the 30 hours I spent with shims.

So now I am stuck with an almost brand new 327 starter I can't use but The good thing is I didn't have to buy one, Thank god my father saves stuff.