Starter is starting to tick me off!

[krue]

I have been having starter problems with this truck since I bought it. I have broken the shaft, cracked a nose cone, wore the bushing out of the end of another nose cone, replaced the flexplate twice and still having problems!

I think my block's mounting pad for the starter is not machined correctly and it is mounting the starter too far from the flexplate which lets the gears clash and bind. I shimmed the outer bolt with an 1/8th thick washer and it quit making racket, until this morning when it started again. My question is can I grind the snot out of the nosecone and get the gears lined up that way? Or am I going to have to buy a "special" nosecone to fix the misalignment?

Thanks, Krue

[jhow66]

By any chance could your flex plate be mounted backward? If so this would cause the plate to be farther from starter. What kind of motor? I have fooled chevy engines since 1956 and never found one that was not machined right (always a 1st time through). Small flexplate (153 tooth-12 3/4") or large (168 tooth-14")? There is a differant starter for each. Lets us know what you find if you get it fixed-good luck.

[krue]

Flex is mounted correctly, the clearance issue is side to side, not front to back. Original (as far as I can tell) 350 in my 70 GMC. The old timers at the local auto electric shop are the ones who told me about the block.

[2low72]

I have the same problem with my starter...Been trying to fix it for a month now. I'm about tired of shimming it so i think it's just the starter and gonna buy a new one here pretty soon...My buddy got a starter from the same autozone about the same time and his is grinding also..Think I'll just spend a little extra this time and buy a good one

[Orange70chevy]

I had this same problem with starters I bought from Autozone. A buddy of mine told me to buy a Delco Starter and this would fix it. It did work and I didn't even have to shim it. They are well worth the extra cash I will never buy another starter fron Autozone.

[A.P.]

The starter I bought from autozone, when I first installed it, it did grind. But after I shimmed it, the grinding is gone.

[Jeepster376]

I had the same problem with my starter from Napa. I ground down the inner bolt pad only, and added a small shim on the outer pad. Worked great, starts beautifully now.

[2low72]

Alright i shimmed the sucker for the last time. i started my truck 35 times today and not one time did it grind. hopefully i fixed the problem. guess i'll find out tomorrow.

[breeh]

I went through 4 NAPA starters before I got one that seems to be working. I have had it for about 8 months now. The next one will be from the General...

[Solver]

I battled the new starter on my longhorn rebuild for almost a week (my wasted time!!!). Shimmed it every which way. Old one was weak but it never ground on the flywheel. Finally took it back to Oreilly's and got a different one. Bolted it in place and worked the first time (no shims). The box both new starters came in had information on possible shimming needs. In fact the second box even had the shims. I have always driven Chevy's and they do seem to go through starters more regularly than some cars, but--------- I have never had to shim one before now. I figure since the starter comes with a lifetime warranty ,from now on when I get one that grinds I'll just take it back till I get one that doesn't.
Sorry about gripe on your post
Just needed to vent on this subject as I just went through it.

[Robert1970C20rstbukt]

Get an ACDelco starter, simple as that. I got a NOS one cheap($20!) and didn't even need shims. I bolted it on and wired it up, got in the truck and cranked it, and it sounded great. No wonder they always say to use Delco parts!

[RON WOODGEARD]

Krue,

I have to agree with these guys, It's not the block, It's the nose cone machining.. I never throw a nose cone away when I change starters Just in case I have a problem such as this..

[Lippyp]

Would this account for my second new *(reman) starter that starts fine when cold but when hot spins over but doesn't engage with the flexplate? I've used the little metal rod that comes with the starter to chack the clearance and it seems to be set up right but it looks like it is chewing up the side of the teeth on the flex plate when hot and not engaging right into the teeth. Will shimming help this or do I need to take the starter back....again! I have the old starter if I need to swap the nose cone over. (old one wouldn't start when hot at all, no click no turnover but fine when cold)

[ChevLoRay]

LippyP, this really has to frustrate you being on the "other side of the pond". Your hot start problem may be solvable by installing a heat shield between the exhaust manifolds/headers and the starter solenoid.

I replaced my carburetor and this resulted in a much leaner fuel/air mixture. Never had a hot start problem until that time. Seems that the leaner mixture made the engine run hotter and the increased heat caused the starter solenoid to bind up on attemped engagement. This caused the starter to "drag" as it turned....like the battery is dying. Installing the heat shield solved the problem and I've not had anymore starting problems of that sort in the past three years.

Say, in GB, aren't Carburetors referred to as "mixers". For some reason I recall reading that somewhere....maybe when I was driving my TR-3. When you have time and feel like enlightening us, give us some terminology lessons. I know that there are a number of folks who don't understand where to find the hood, bonnet, boot, wings, etc. Do starters have a different name? Alternators/generators: Dynamos? Gear boxes are self-explanatory. Anyway, hope my tip on the heat shield is of value.

[Lippyp]

I have had a heat shield wrapped around it for a while, some of the aluminized glass fabric which helped for a while, it was weak when I bought the truck and has now died completely. The first remanufactured one wouldn't turn over at all, the second turns over fine when hot and cold but won't engage with the flex plate properly when hot. I have the heat shielding on the new one too, I'm going to add a shim and see if that helps, if not it may have to go back as possibly the gear isn't being thrown far enough forward when hot.

Never heard a carb refered to as a mixer, a starter is a starter, they've always been carbs to me. Here's my initial English-American dictionary!

Hood - English, a convertible fabric top,
Hood - American, what we call a Bonnet
Trunk = Boot
Rockers = Sills
Fenders = wings
Antenna = aerial

I'll add more as I think of them!

[franko72]

I hear that you can buy a cast iron nose cone for starters instead of the cast pop metal alloy. I think that the cast iron nose cone starters were for big blocks.I have heard of flex plates being installed backwards causing that same problem. You said that you are sure it is installed correctly.Try adding an additional support bracket.