I just installed a powermaster mini starter on my 89 l98 with a stock starter one shim and it was fine i have three shims on this one and it still seems the pinion teeth are too tight to the flywheel i cant even get a big paper clip inbetween them and it makes a strange noises when bumping the motor over (car has no plugs or exhaust on it so it doesnt run) How many shims is it safe to run and is this normal anybody else got a mini starter out there?

 

that strange noise is probably do to the fact that it is a "gear reduction" starter... does it properly engage and dis engage

 

yes but its so tight theres hardly any clearance i was told you should be able to put a paper clip inbetween the teeth of the flywheel and pinion gear and it should barely fit mine wont even come close to going in. The starter seems to engage fine and spin the motor fine and when i take a pry pare and turn the flexplate over manually the starter disengages like it should. The problem was with 2 shims when the starter disengaged the end of the pinion would barely touch the fly wheel so i added another shim and it seems to clear now.

 

i should mention that a paper clip isnt the most accurate way to measure this... usually it is a trial and error sort of thing once you get it eyballed you will just have to wait until the car is running and give it a try...

 

yeah your right how can i tell once its started if the starter is too tight i mean right now it sounds like a car does when its started and you try to start it again when just bumping the motor over but i guess like u said because its a racing style gear reduction starter it will have a different sound then stock

 

i would say that if it engauges with out any grinding and dis engauges smoothly it should be good

 

i think i got it now i have a 1/16th shim in there and a 1/32th shim engages and disengages alot quiter should be even quieter with the plugs back in the car right now all 8 plugs are out so the starter is turning the motor easily