The problem I was having, in a nutshell, was that sometimes the starter would go "click" but not turn the engine over. Hot, cold, didn't matter. Random event. But when it actually worked and started to turn the engine over it did jsut fine- no problems at all.

Well, I diagnosed the problem dead-bang. Starter's too tight against the flexplate and needs to be shimmed out a wee bit. Laying under the car with my 1,000,000 candle power "portable shop light" I watched the starter's spur gear engage on the flexplate ring gear. Or should I say- ATTEMPT to engage. It hit toot-to-tooth and the teeth didn't mesh sometimes. And, of course, if the starter's spur gear doesn't fully engage the ring gear on the flexplate the solenoid will never send power to the starter motor to begin cranking.

Shimming out the starter a little further should do the trick and allow for more reliable meshing of the spur and ring gears.

NOTE: Although this is a different engine than my original and a different starter the problem existed both before and after the new motor. The common denominator: I used the original flexplate off the first motor on this new motor. That would lead me to beleive that some flexplates may be just a smidge on the big side of their tolerances and be more prone to a problem like this while others may never encounter this issue regardless of how it's shimmed (if at all).

If you have a problem like this (and apprently many of you do) the diagnosis is as easy as taking off the tranny's plastic "inspection cover" underneath the torque converter, getting a bright light and watching the starter attempting to engage the ring gear.

 

I was having a similar problem last wk (or was it 2 wks ago?)
One shop told me that a spacing of .125" between the outer edge of the teeth on the ring gear and the starter gear shaft is the correct measurement.
Then a member here told me that a paperclip for spacing between the gear teeth when the gears are engaged, is a good measurement.

Just thought I'd throw that in, in case someone else out there is having the same trouble.

 

Cool, now I know how to fix that crap on mine.

 

When you go to your local auto parts and buy a starter they always keep the box the new starter came out of (atleast around here they do). If you happen to look in the box, you'll see that they often include a pair of shims, and a small metal rod that you are supposed to use to shim the starter. The diameter of the rod is supposed to be the correct gap between the spur gear on the starter and the flexplate/flywheel.

Bottom line: next time you buy a starter, ask to see whats in the box.

 

Sorry for bringing up an old post...

I know to check the gap on an auto you can just remove the inspection cover.

How do you do this on a manual tranny? Short of pulling the engine and looking at it on a stand... , or sliging the tranny back...how can the gap be measured properly?

 

bringing this back from the dead but i have the same prob and its driving me crazy ive tried everything even cleaned all the terminals so there like brand new. my starter right now has 2 shims on it ill check it tomorow maybe it has too many or not enough?

 

I had the same problems too. But my fix was just tightening the loose heavy gauge battery cable to the starter. Was wayyyy too loose.

 

ok so today i tried 2 shims, no shims, 1 shim, 3 shims im still having the same prob, maybe 4? i dont wanna go to far and strip off the teeth any ideas??

 

damon, what did you do to resolve your issue? i have a half shim on the engine side, its seems a little better but still clicking. i am at a lost here any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

This post is seven years old, might get a better response if you start a new one

 

old thread, but still good info. i believe there are also a couple of other threads that have pics showing the proper shimming of the starter.

xstang77, you wouldn't by chance have either an auto zone or O'Reilly life time starter on your car?
both have problems such as just clicking when you hit the ignition switch.

 

I also had nothing but problems when hot starting my car with autozone or o'reilly auto junk. I put a Hitachi style starter on and have no problems. The last starter would click and hit the flexplate but not start the car. The clearance on the pinion was perfect, but once hot just click. Had the starter warrantied, replacement starter did the same thing after 2 weeks.

 

not totally sure what starter is in it the previous owner said they replaced it because of the clicking. i have half a shim on the engine side and i got probably 10 good starts out of it yesterday, now today for some reason its back to the usual clicking