Starter alignment
#1
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Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
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Car: 1988 Firebird, 2000 GTP
Engine: 327
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 9" posi, 4.11
Starter alignment
I just got done replacing the flywheel because some jackball shimmed the starter wrong and it ate the teeth off my flywheel to the point where it would not engage. Has anyone ever had this problem, or have any suggestions on putting the starter in the right way? Thanks in advance.
Tyler
Tyler
#2
TZ,
Most flywheel ring gears outlast many replacement starters, so the depth must have been set really tight to cause the damage. Unfortunately, unless you have the engine out of the car, the easiest way to set the pinion depth is to install the starter, try it, and add shim it the engagement is not correct.
If you remove the solenoid from the starter, you can manually engage the pinion in the flywheel and monitor the clearance from under the car. Or you can connect everything except the positive battery cable and have an assistant use the key switch to engage the starter. A remote switch works well for this, too. Use round wire feelers or Plasigage if you are really **** about the 0.012" gear clearance. As I said, this is a lot easier with the engine out, but can be done if you are patient.
If you are like most os us, you'll get it close with the standard shim thicknesses and be happy with that.
------------------
Later,
Vader
------------------
"Make Me Bad..."
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0
KaleCo Auto Parts
Most flywheel ring gears outlast many replacement starters, so the depth must have been set really tight to cause the damage. Unfortunately, unless you have the engine out of the car, the easiest way to set the pinion depth is to install the starter, try it, and add shim it the engagement is not correct.
If you remove the solenoid from the starter, you can manually engage the pinion in the flywheel and monitor the clearance from under the car. Or you can connect everything except the positive battery cable and have an assistant use the key switch to engage the starter. A remote switch works well for this, too. Use round wire feelers or Plasigage if you are really **** about the 0.012" gear clearance. As I said, this is a lot easier with the engine out, but can be done if you are patient.
If you are like most os us, you'll get it close with the standard shim thicknesses and be happy with that.
------------------
Later,
Vader
------------------
"Make Me Bad..."
Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.0
KaleCo Auto Parts
#3
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Lincoln, Nebraska
Posts: 1,047
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Car: 1988 Firebird, 2000 GTP
Engine: 327
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 9" posi, 4.11
Thanks, I was just wondering if it would make a difference from the stock, or if there was another way to align them.
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