Do I have the right starter?
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 312
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From: Nutley, NJ, USA
Do I have the right starter?
I have an 350 out of an 88 truck. It has a brand new Jeg's 153 tooth flexplate on it. I'm running the 3570 starter from my 305. It's not quite messing properly. It spins the motor, but grinds a bit. Does it just need to be shimmed, or is it just wrong?
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Joined: Jul 1999
Posts: 18,457
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From: Loveland, OH, US
Car: 4
Engine: 6
Transmission: 5
If it meshes at all, it's the right starter. The difference between the right one and any wrong one is 5/8", but the teeth are only 1/8" deep or so.
Try shims.
Try shims.
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Joined: Jan 2000
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With either of the two common SBC flywheels (153 or 168 tooth), if the starter mounts at all it should the correct one - pinion and all. The starter pad on the block should have been drilled to mount the standard starter in the correct position in either case. Most of the aftermarket mini-starters have two set of holes to fit either common pattern.
You need to remove the inspection cover and look at the mesh with a mirror. You can disable the starter motor by removing the small screw from the solenoid to the starter motor, and isolating the copper motor tab. Have an assistant crank the engine or use a remote starter jumper. If the starter motor is isolated it won't actually turn, only engage the solenoid. You can check the clearances while the pinion is engaged. You'll need a set of round wire feeler gauges to check the clearance. Around 0.030" or slightly less is about the normal gap at the bottom of the gear teeth. Don't hold the starter solenoid energized for more than 15 seconds at a time, then allow it to cool, or it may overheat and be destroyed. Any large gaps from the incorrect starter spacing should be obvious long before the fifteen seconds anyway.
Chances are your starter needs to be shimmed differently, but it's always good to check. Good luck.
You need to remove the inspection cover and look at the mesh with a mirror. You can disable the starter motor by removing the small screw from the solenoid to the starter motor, and isolating the copper motor tab. Have an assistant crank the engine or use a remote starter jumper. If the starter motor is isolated it won't actually turn, only engage the solenoid. You can check the clearances while the pinion is engaged. You'll need a set of round wire feeler gauges to check the clearance. Around 0.030" or slightly less is about the normal gap at the bottom of the gear teeth. Don't hold the starter solenoid energized for more than 15 seconds at a time, then allow it to cool, or it may overheat and be destroyed. Any large gaps from the incorrect starter spacing should be obvious long before the fifteen seconds anyway.
Chances are your starter needs to be shimmed differently, but it's always good to check. Good luck.
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 312
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From: Nutley, NJ, USA
Got underneath the car to find that apparently the longer bolt of the two wasn't all the way in... Gonna kick my brother's **** for not checking, but it's not his fault. Apparently, there was some shmutz inside the hole that kept it from going all the way in. Now it engages properly. Just gotta actually start the car, now. FIRST TIME IN A YEAR!!! WOO HOO!!!
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