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Starter needs shims!? Need help

Old 05-31-2014, 03:01 PM
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Default Starter needs shims!? Need help

K here's the deal I have been back and forth to the parts store tried three different starters and get the same horrible results. Get my new starter wired up, purchased two new bolts and start tightening it get it all torqued hook up battery and go to start. I have the car in neutral and when I turn the key I either get a loud thud like the be Dix on the starter is slamming into the flywheel or a spinning whining noise like the teeth aren't catching. The reason I had to replace the starter is because my wife took the car out for a drive and it started to rain and then it flooded. She tried to pull off of what she the was the shoulder of the road but was actually a curb and drove up it. The car died and would not start. She got it towed home and when I got back from overseas I saw that the starter itself was broke and a piece of the block chipped off right where the long starter bolt threads in. I re welded that piece on and the bolt threads in just fine. Put the new starter in and bam same issue starter will not engage and turn the motor over. The engine is not seized I can turn the motor over by spinning the crank pulley with a socket. I'm at a loss for this. Do I need to shim it because it says shims are not required and I bought a set and drilled them to make the holes line up. With the starter installed and no shims installed the starter looks cocked or tilted downwards in the front where it meets the flywheel and the back where the wires are is tilted up towards the top of the motor so it has an angle. I can't get a picture because this new starter just broke the bracket broke right off like the original one did. Any suggestions or input will be great.
Old 05-31-2014, 07:38 PM
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Originally Posted by Mick68SS
K here's the deal I have been back and forth to the parts store tried three different starters and get the same horrible results. Get my new starter wired up, purchased two new bolts and start tightening it get it all torqued hook up battery and go to start. I have the car in neutral and when I turn the key I either get a loud thud like the be Dix on the starter is slamming into the flywheel or a spinning whining noise like the teeth aren't catching. The reason I had to replace the starter is because my wife took the car out for a drive and it started to rain and then it flooded. She tried to pull off of what she the was the shoulder of the road but was actually a curb and drove up it. The car died and would not start. She got it towed home and when I got back from overseas I saw that the starter itself was broke and a piece of the block chipped off right where the long starter bolt threads in. I re welded that piece on and the bolt threads in just fine. Put the new starter in and bam same issue starter will not engage and turn the motor over. The engine is not seized I can turn the motor over by spinning the crank pulley with a socket. I'm at a loss for this. Do I need to shim it because it says shims are not required and I bought a set and drilled them to make the holes line up. With the starter installed and no shims installed the starter looks cocked or tilted downwards in the front where it meets the flywheel and the back where the wires are is tilted up towards the top of the motor so it has an angle. I can't get a picture because this new starter just broke the bracket broke right off like the original one did. Any suggestions or input will be great.
The starter should not be cocked or angled, it needs to be parallel the engine centerline. Sounds like your "fix" went haywire...
Old 05-31-2014, 09:39 PM
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u sure the flexplate/flywheel isnt cracked or bent
Old 06-01-2014, 03:23 PM
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The shim I'm shopping will adjust the angle to where it is level. Just tired of these starters breaking at that little bracket built into it. And I spun the fly wheel all the way around and saw now damage to it. Without pull the tranny out to gain full access to the flywheel I can't fully see it. If those shim and new starter coming in on Tuesday doesn't work then I'll be pulling the tranny to check the flywheel. I need a new clutch anyways so better time then ever I guess. Is was my daily driver but I got a truck because I couldn't resolve the issue.
Old 06-01-2014, 03:46 PM
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I would remove the solenoid from the starter and install it without the solenoid. now move the start pinion manually with your hand and see how it meshes with the ring gear on the flywheel.
Old 06-01-2014, 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by S10xGN
The starter should not be cocked or angled, it needs to be parallel the engine centerline. Sounds like your "fix" went haywire...
X2 on this. very hard to fix that issue without the special $400 bracket or pulling and possible replacing the block.
Old 07-18-2018, 06:33 PM
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Bump. I'm having the same issue. 2 new starters both whine. Bolt holes are not stripped. Torqued to 37 ft lbs. Only difference is these are the truck starters with the 2 long bolts. My stock one with long bolt and short bolt doesn't make noise, so it's definitely the starters or how they mount up. What did you do to fix it?
Old 07-25-2018, 07:09 PM
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Originally Posted by 5.7stroker
Bump. I'm having the same issue. 2 new starters both whine. Bolt holes are not stripped. Torqued to 37 ft lbs. Only difference is these are the truck starters with the 2 long bolts. My stock one with long bolt and short bolt doesn't make noise, so it's definitely the starters or how they mount up. What did you do to fix it?
Just a suggestion, assuming you have a car LS1 engine for example, I *think* some of the truck engines like the LQ4 truck engines have their flexplate back further than LS1 motors, 2001+ LQ4's I think had a spacer you could remove, prior to that the crank was longer. I guess my point is that a "truck starter" as you describe "might" be set up for deeper flexplate. I'd say don't use a truck starter if this is what is happening. Not sure if it's the whole flexplate moved back or just the dip in the flexplate for the TC but here is some info, might be your problem:

Check: https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...ent-4l60e.html

Last edited by mk3cn4; 07-25-2018 at 07:27 PM.
Old 07-26-2018, 07:17 PM
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Originally Posted by mk3cn4
Just a suggestion, assuming you have a car LS1 engine for example, I *think* some of the truck engines like the LQ4 truck engines have their flexplate back further than LS1 motors, 2001+ LQ4's I think had a spacer you could remove, prior to that the crank was longer. I guess my point is that a "truck starter" as you describe "might" be set up for deeper flexplate. I'd say don't use a truck starter if this is what is happening. Not sure if it's the whole flexplate moved back or just the dip in the flexplate for the TC but here is some info, might be your problem:

Check: https://ls1tech.com/forums/conversio...ent-4l60e.html
The question still remains why my stock starter had no issues with the B&M flex plate, yet SUM-829200 and Bosch SR8581N which others have reported working with no issues in their 98-02 F body with both aftermarket and OEM flex plates resulted in being setup too deep on my car. I have a powermaster XS torque starter 9509 that I'm going to try tomorrow.


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