Purchased this mini-starter http://store.summitracing.com/partde...0&autoview=sku and now I have at least 1/8" from the starter gear to the flywheel.

The clearance is supposed to be between .040" and .100". They supplied a shim to go between the starter mounting block and stater motor but that would only increase the clearance.

Any ideas short of returning the damn thing to fix this? I had to grind on the mounting block to get it to clear my oil pan...

 

Have you tried just adding a shim to the outside bolt?

 

That would only decrease the gear clearance between the starter and flywheel, right?

I need to physically move the starter closer towards the rear of the car (and flywheel).

I want to pull out the gear to see if it does reach all the way across the flywheel. If so, were all good but trying to get a screwdriver between the starter mounting block and starter gear to slide the starter gear out is impossible.
The starter gear is recessed into the mounting block.

 

I am slightly confused. You have .125" between the starter gear and the flywheel...What exactly is this clearance of? You say you need to move the starter towards the rear of the car? How do you know you have 1/8" clearace if you're not able to pull out the starter gear? Confused...but I may be reading it wrong.

 

You can't decrease the clearance between the pinion and flywheel UNLESS you installed the shim between the starter motor and mounting block. If you didn't install that or it's not already installed.....see how it works as is. That clearance isn't nearly as critical as your gear mesh clearance.

 

http://static.summitracing.com/globa...sum-829000.pdf

Stek, click above and look at figure 1, ring gear clearance. I still need to find a way to pull out that starter gear (I think I have a way) to see how much actually engages the flywheel teeth. This may not actually pose a problem at all even though the instructions for my starter say otherwise.

Viprklr, that's what I thought unless I could machine the mounting block. My guess is it is just production tolerance in where the bolt holes were drilled in the mounting block.
I thought about taking it apart and having 1/16" - 1/8" cut off one side of the block but that's no fun.

*SIDE NOTE*

If you look at the pic of my starter (above) you will see a notch cut out in the mounting block to clear the oil pan. Mine did not have that but had a angled piece taken off that I still had to grind quite a bit on to get it to clear the pan

Mine looked more like this

 

Yea, really there isn't too much that can be done - like Vipr said, unless you installed the shim, the starter sits where it sits. Obviously, once you get the gear pulled out, you'll have yourself an idea as to how it's going to sit. Other than that, I would give Summit a call and see what they say.

 

if you want to move the starter gear out to see if it engages properly and to use the gage pin provided then disconnect the positive battery cable. Use a remote starter switch to connect to the starter solenoid's purple wire and battery positive terminal. This will disable the starter motor, but allow the starter gear to kick out and stay out as long the remote switch is closed.

There are other ways to do this, but this is mine. A remote trigger switch leaves you with one hand free.

 

i know what you mean guy i have a 82 camaro with the same prob i bought a high torq starter and the bolt pattern matches but im like 1/2 in away from the flywheel called the place i got it from (auto zone the handy capped place) they said i couldnt return it and it should fit, yeah well what i come up with is a custom braket it lets me bolt the braket to the bell housing and have two additonal holes to mont my stater im still working on it but thats all i can come up with let me know what you got goin on man i might need some help next lol

 

Well, I decided to go with it and it seems to be okay. After adding like .060" shims everything seems fine. So far at least...