This morning while I was at work, my dad was moving the car out the garage to get in there and EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEk.....wouldnt turn over...I came home and tried it, the same EEEEEEEK sound...

I rolled the car back and found part of the starter laying on the ground. When I got under the car the starters teeth were still engaged into the flexplate. I loosened the bolts up and it popped back in, but the starter is terminated.

Any ideas what could have caused this? I just put that flexplate in not too long ago, but Ive started the car 20 times since then without any issues...now it just randomly explodes on me?

P.S. Its a Bosch Re-Man starter I put in about a year or two ago

:blink:

 

that makes no sense because that part of the starter doesn't have any stress on it or come in contact with anything.. unless something got stuck between that plate and the teeth on the starter.

 

From my experience, that would indicate that your timing is too far advanced, and the kickback on startup busted the starter housing. It's been a while since I have seen that.

 

Would getting another replacement Bosch or equiv at autozone be a bad idea then? Would a powermaster starter blow open as well?

As far as I know my timing is normal

 

had it happen to mine all it is is a starter misshap that almost never happens any starter would be fine just make you get a warranty on it

 

That is from either the starters front brace missing, and/or it isn't shimmed properly. The front brace is a curved angle piece that runs from the small stud on the front end of the starter to the engine block.

The shimming is done to set the proper gap between the flywheel/flexplate teeth and the starter pinion gear. There are usually instructions with a new/rebuilt starter that shows how to check the gap.

Note how the nose of the starter has a bushing for the shaft to ride in. When the starter pinion is wedged into the flywheel/flexplate teeth without the proper gap, a lot of side force is put on the nose of the starter. This is what cranks the nose off.

RBob.

 

Given that timing is so different nowadays, what with the ECM riding herd on it, and since you believe your timing to be OK, I'd have to agree

 

Front brace? I definitely dont have one of those...anyone got a pic of one?

 

http://www.google.com/search?q=GM+starter+brace
Thats what he's referring to. You also need to check the clearance from the gear to the flywheel/flexplate and install shims as required.

 

I've had that happen before the starter wasn't shimmed properly

 

I definitely do not have that starter bracket! I havent had that on my car since 2001... Is it that important that I should look into ordering another? Does summit or jegs even sell these peices?

And I will be honest, as for shimming a starter...I never knew after all these years you need to shim starters! Is there a specific tool like a caliper or something I need to use?!

This is jibberish to me, I never knew there was a bracket or shimming required when putting in a new starter motor....Help?

 

I purchased a Powermaster XS Torque Series starter, Do aftermarket starters require that bracket? And if anyone can direct me to the proper shim kit that would be awesome

Steve

 

I don't know about the support bracket. If the aftermarket starter is as large and heavy as the stock one, I'd say install the bracket.

If the aftermarket starter is one of those small reduction gear starters then the OEM bracket isn't going to fit. In this case, I'd say skip it.

There is no application specific shim kit. You buy the shims, measure the drive gear to ring gear clearance and install shims accordingly in order to get the clearance in spec. The "Help!" line of replacement parts at Vatozone and the like has a shim assortment.

I just had a thought. Did GM use the same shims for 153 tooth and 168 tooth starter applications?

Edit This should help you: http://www.chevytalk.org/fusionbb/sh...hp?tid/201405/

Good point in that Chevy Talk thread: You ARE using the correct starter bolts? Regular off the shelf bolts are different that the required starter bolts.

 

The starter I got is a mini starter, so I guess the bracket is a no go?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...=STRK:MEWNX:IT

Anyone know if the bolts will be different now compared to OEM? The original bolts were the one short one long set.