aarroyo87

I just completed my LT1 swap into my Chevelle. I used my old starter from the donor car and it ended up cracking at the nose. I bought a new starter and 5 starts later, it cracks again in the same place. The starter does not sound like it has a tight mesh. I should also mention that I bought an after market flexplate that was 153 tooth and SFI approved. The flex plate is not warped and the teeth look great. What could be causing my starters to crack. Take a look at the nose being grinded away by the flex plate.

(2 cracked starters in 2 days) - I'm stumped cause I thought newer starters do not need shims.

Here is a picture.

slownova73

iTrader: (31)

mine just did that when it was in the body shop, i took it to get it fixed and the guy told me hes only ever seen that happen when the battery is low and it causes the worm gear to kick back or somthing like that?? 60$ got me a new end on it.

jb442

iTrader: (4)

What made this mark?

Based on the pic, it looks like the flex plate is to blame. I would mount a new starter, and turn over the motor manually and see if it makes the same mark. Shims may take care of the problem if it's that close. Did it make a high pitched whine? I think that may indicate that it's in need of a shim or two, but I wouldn't add too many.

shbox

Check mesh and shim as needed.

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

That's odd..

myltwon

iTrader: (1)

same things been happening to my buddy's 94

aarroyo87

Hopefully the company I bought it from will warranty the starter. I do not blame them if they don't. I'll measure the gap on the new starter.

Yes that mark was from the the flex plate. I wonder if my flex plate is slightly larger than my stock one. I know that they have the same number of teeth.

AChotrod

iTrader: (17)

Where do I get those shims? Ever since I put the car back together it sounds
super charged on start up??? Definitly the starter whinning

aarroyo87

I was able to warranty the starter but now I'm wondering how to move the starter gear so I can measure the gap. I hooked up power to the small terminal but the wires get hot for me to hold it there too long. Any ideas?

aarroyo87

Does the starter have another mounting bracket other than the 2 bolts that go into the engine block?

the_merv

iTrader: (88)

None that I have seen..

jmd

iTrader: (4)

Dorman / Help! # 02335 should have some for the 153 tooth SBC/LT1 starter.

ToxicTA

Ran into a problem like this years ago putting T5 beind a 406 SB, The bellhousing was the first issue but after a little research I found that the old starters from powerglide transmissions had iron nose cones. Most rebuilder might have something like this laying around if they have been in business for a while.

aarroyo87

I bought a shim kit and shimmed the starter so there was 1/8 of an inch between the ridge of the starter gear and the valley of the flexplate. I read on some other forum that this is a good way to measure it using a drill bit. If I went with the recommendation of shbox's diagram then the gear would barely engage the flexplate. I haven't tested it yet. I'm waiting on a friend so I can monitor the starter while he gives the ignition /starter a "tap."

jmd

iTrader: (4)

I can see how that would work. I don't know every starter and bellhousing, but the 87-92 L98 (5.7L) 153 tooth F-body starter does not fit the 83 or 84-92 T5 or 93-97 T56 bellhousings. All the LB9, L69 and LG4 (5.0L) and L99 and LT1 153 tooth F-body starters do fit them. Would you say that your iron cone starters were slimmer than the castings used on the later model starters?

forgedlt4

i broke a starter once because my spark plug wires were mixed up.

( a friend put on the passenger side )


i broke two in a row before i noticed it.

aarroyo87

I played around with the shims and I ended up using just one medium size shim and it seems to be working. I started the car 5 times and no broken starter yet. The starter gear still sticks but not as bad. The gear goes back in after the car is started. If the car does not start, then the gear sticks. The flexplate is new and I'm hoping the stickiness will go away when the flexplate wears.

madmike9396

iTrader: (29)

my 96 z broke one like that a while back

cat back 21

iTrader: (4)

I broke my starter two . I think I tightened it too much . I in the middle of a head , cam swap and plan on torqueing my new starter to keep from tightening it too much .

aarroyo87

Just a follow up. The medium size shim is working great. I've got about 20 to 35 starts without problems.