I'm trying to buy a new starter motor over here and it's proving jolly tricky.

 

yes

 

I don't recall a ear being a difference in sbc 153 starters.
Afaik a 153 is a 153 weather the bolt heads are metric the block is standard.
Lt1 , vette gear reduction l98 all are 153 and work in place of the stock starter.
168 starter have a staggered bolt pattern.

 

No they are not the same.

Earlier auto starters will not fit in the T-5 BH. If memory serves, they have a different shape around the nosepiece, such that the early (larger) nose won't go into the T-5 BH without interference. Again going off of memory which is weak after 30-some-odd years, the early auto starters were the same as late 70s T-350 ones (yes I had a 78 El Camino 305 with this setup), which explains why the T-5 Feature From The Future was not accommodated by them.

After 87 or 88 or so that all went away. All starters were the T-5 shape.

Order a starter for a 91 or some such. The books should show only one, and it will fit and work correctly.

 

Even in the later years the 350 TPI uses a different starter than a 305 TBI.

Get the right one for the application.

 

Any 93-97 Camaro V8 starter is going to fit, weigh less, and probably last longer. There were a couple versions, either works.

Really, there's no reason to dicker around with the 82-92 third gen starters unless you develop a left cheek twitch at using parts that may not score well in a concours show.

Furthermore, I just wanted to gripe your importer guy sounds like an over helpful Nanny.

 

i think they're trying to be helpful. if you use metric bolts in a block designed for 3/8-16 bolts, you will most likely crack the block at the outer most starter mounting point, (ear).
i'm not sure what year they went metric? perhaps do some research online?
http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/Starter_motors

 

Metric threads in a small block Chevy? Not likely. The LT1/4 and the Gen-1 Vortecs still use SAE threads.

What will bolt to the engine, won't necessarily fit the car. If you don't want headaches like needing to extend or alter electrical wires, or grinding, etc - stick with the starter intended for the application.

 

Ok, here's an extract from the catalogue.

BYN3553 305 metric-some £80.59
305 1982 vin H,7, auto 305 1983 vin H,S, all
BYN6316 305 metric-small O.D. some £100.69
305 1984 vin G,H, all 305 1985 vin G, man 1st production
305 1985 vin F,H, man 305 1986 vin G, man
305 1986-87 vin F,H, man
305 1988-90 vin E,F man
BYN6313 305 1985 vin G, man 2nd prod' £87.23
BYN6418 305 1991-92 vin E,F, all £77.95

BYN6316 is what I'm attempting to order - my existing starter has the cast ear identifying it as an 'early production' starter - as opposed to BYN6313, which also seems to match the spec of my car. I'm told these motors are by MCS. Checking the parts numbers seems to suggest that 6313 is a staggered starter:

http://www.obbstartersandalternators.com/6313n-p-3100.html

...which is still listed for MT/T5, even though it appears to be a staggered starter (which mine definitely isn't). I thought a staggered starter was never used with the 153 tooth flywheel?

 

note SAE 3/8-16 starter bolts up to 1981.
http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/de...0277&ppt=C0330

from this link; http://forums.superchevy.com/super-c...er-bolt-whole/

chevy blocks up through 81.. are drilled at the starter mount for 3/8 -16 bolts..

chevy blocks from 82 are drilled for 10MM x1.5 bolts..

using metric bolts in a block that has SAE threads will split the block almost every time... the metric bolts are 0.020" larger... so it's like splitting firewood..

 

[QUOTE

My starter definitely looks like the 6316 though... Can anyone shed any light on what the functional difference might be?

Oh well, better get on with helping the wife sort out Christmas!

Cheers,
ND[/left][/QUOTE]

heres a link to some starters at local parts store with very similar part numbers. the 6316 looks like what you need.
http://www.autozone.com/batteries-st...carburetor-ohv

i thought maybe some other pics in the link above might help?
Merry Christmas!

 

There is no functional difference with regard to third gens, as long as the starter is a smaller pinion cone design that fits the T5 bellhousing.

If GM made two high volume production part designs, both will tend to show up in the aftermarket too, especially on a part that gets cores turned in and remanufactured.

At the same time, if two designs can be merged into one, the aftermarket will tend to do that to streamline and save costs.

If I was dead set on knowing the actual differences, I would probably go junkyards get and disassemble both styles. There may be resources for rebuild parts available that highlight different subassembly parts; I probably have Delco catalogs that go over differences.

As far as fixing the car and driving it, my previous post is a pertinent answer.

 

Yes, I was getting a bit frustrated by the supplier's nannying. Unfortunately in the UK your sources of parts are rather limited, although these guys have rather undermined the one advantage of trying to purchase in the UK - quick delivery!

I did consider LT1/4 starters - particularly as I have headers and I'm nervous of heat soak. However, I couldn't be certain that I'd purchase the correct unit and making mistakes when you have to import from abroad can be costly and time-consuming, so I opted to stick with stock-pattern starters, just to be sure the thing would work. However, a quick check on Rockauto seems to suggest the third-gen starters have 9-tooth pinions, but the 93-onwards starters have 11-tooth pinions. Is this correct? Surely this means one of the 4th-gen starters wouldn't work with a stock 153-tooth flywheel on a third gen?