Put a new starter on 5.0 a while back and half the time it makes a grinding sound when I turn the key, like the starter gear is not engaging the ring gear, but spinning up against it. I've messed with the shims that came with the starter, but got no improvement no matter how I shimmed it.

Also, if I release the key while the motor is turning, it will continue to turn over until it starts.

Right now there are no shims under the starter and it acts just like it did with two thin shims under it. I just changed from a flexplate to a flywheel with no difference.

Any ideas?

 

Did you old starter have the same problem?

 

Nope. The old starter would just sit there like a dumb s**t and not make a sound about every other time you tried to start the car. I"d have to turn the key off and on a dozen times before it would wake up and start the car.

This one gets busy everytime you hit the key, but only turns the motor over about half the time. Just grinds against the flywheel the other half.

 

What bolts did you use to mount the starter?

 

A long one and a short one, both with knurling in the shank near the head. I'm pretty sure they are the original starter bolts. They're silver looking, like they're zinc plated or something.
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BTW. Seems like there wasn't s**t for clearance between the snout of the starter and the bellhousing. I had to sand the powdercoat off the bellhousing in that area to get the starter to go in far enough for the bolt holes to align.

Another thing. I don't have the dust cover that screws to the lower part of the bellhousing, if that makes a difference.