1971 C10 starter issues

[Keno]

I just bought this 1971 C10 pickup, has a 350 engine 4 bl. automatic 350 with a/c. The starter is bad I've installed 4 different starters and it still isn't right.
Autozone # DL3510S nose sits to far back and wore out about 3/8 of the teeth on the starter. Took it back they give me a DL 3627S it looked closer sounded better but after 2 days the teeth broke off on that starter.

Bumper to Bumper looked it up and gave me a 25368 Worldwide rebuilt and it has done the same thing wore out the teeth about 3/8 in on the drive.

Now I've installed one from Advanced Auto P3508S Worldwide rebuilt and its just as bad so I'm sure it is only going to last a short time.

We've shimmed them in every direction possible and tried everything I know to do, I don't think we have gotten the right starter yet. I have even went as far as looking up the motor to make sure it's the original and heres those numbers VO331TBC.

This truck is driving me crazy and the sad part is it's all original with only 70,xxx miles on it!

The flywheel has some wear but nothing bad and it's not loose.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks
Keno
e-mail salleys@cox.net

[BigDaddyDave]

I have a 71 c10 also and i have been through the same thing. I have replaced 3 starters in a year. I have no answers for you,but if you figure it out please me know. All of my new starters sound great for about a month,then out of the blue,it starts to sound funny when i start the truck,with in a week or two, my starter is bad or broke.

[Keno]

Big Daddy,
This has all taken place in just a couple of weeks!! It's driving me CRAZY!!!
I've never had this much trouble with a starter and I've changed a lot of them out over the years. I had a 69 C-10 that gave me some problems but the second starter fixed that. Now I know why they were ready to sell this truck "it came with a rebuilt starter, just needed shimmed!"
Thanks for the reply

[BigDaddyDave]

Keno, What gets me is i can almost tell when mine is about to go. I have changed a few myself,but this gets old real quick. Good luck with your,and if i learn anything i will let you know.

[Bus Ted Knuckle]

Don't want to insult you, but did you shim it? if your ring-gear is bad, it'll ruin your starter too.

[dadsbrew]

Bus has a good idea, check your flywheel and make sure the ring gear teeth are'nt chewed up, it only needs to have a couple teeth screwed up to mess up your starter. And make sure you are'nt shimming it to much so that the starter gear barely touches the flywheel.

[willis0107]

sounds like a fly wheel issue to me wrong fly wheel = good buy starter

[Keno]

Flywheel doesn't have any broken teeth or bad spots I've already checked that, just looks like normal wear. Checked to see if it could be loose, no its tight. We have shimmed it a number of different times and different ways to no avail as well.

Whats the best way to check the gap between the ring tooth and the starter to shim it properly? These starters don't have a way to manually engage just the solenoid that I can see... do I need to run a wire direct to the solenoid to engage it to check???

I've been doing it by sound and it doesn't matter where it still grinds....
Thanks

[68gmsee]

Something definitely wrong somewhere.... I've never had that many bad starters, but certainly possible from the rebuilders these days. A lot of them may use "one" supplier for their parts including the pinion gears. Let us know what you finde.

One thing to make sure is that you check the whole circumference of the flywheel...

Try this from Auto Zone repair. Scroll down for GM starter shim checking.

http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us...rInfoPages.htm

[68gmsee]

One more thing. If you have trouble checking the clearance and need to engage the pinion, you may have to remove the solenoid from the starter.

I seem to remember in the older starters that one was able to remove the solenoid without removing the starter. Not sure of the newer ones.

[1971ChevyTruck]

I went through the same thing...tried every flywheel / starter combination available. We even took it in to the shop and 1 month later it did the same thing...drove me nuts for a year---then I bought a gear reduction high torque starter--lined it up--shimmed it properly and never had a problem again....just my 2 cents

[463]

have the original starter rebuilt. it's cheaper than frigen around. and you know what you have.

[Blue'72]

I went through this years ago on a Chevelle I had. I finally bought a brand new (not rebuilt) GM starter at the same time I was replacing the flex plate (flywheel). Never had another problem since. Prior to the new starter, I would try every shim combination, including just shimming the outside hole, or the inside hole, or both, or none.. It would work good for a few days and then start grinding again. I even put the bracket on which wasn't there before, that bolted to the block and the starter, and had the same problems. If I took the starter out and put it right back in exactly the same, it would work fine for a while. Went through several rebuilt starters before I finally bought a new one.

New starter, no shims, new flex plate, and I didn't have any more probs.

[crazy longhorn]

Dammit, this should be in FAQ, cause it comes up a lot. The old method to shimming a starter was to remove the soleniod, & pull it into the flex plate....check with a paper clip(.035 clearance, top of the starter tooth to the bottom tween 2 teeth on the flex). Now all the starter kits (the good ones)have been simplified. most send a 1/8" dia checker rod(if you dont have this, you can use a drill bit. bolt the starter up & and slide the 1/8" rod tween the armature shaft & the OD of the flex plate(not loose, but not force fit). This gives the ideal clearance. If its too loose, shim the outside corner ONLY....too tight, shim under both bolts. Make DAMN sure that your starter bolts are not tweaked/twisted, & DO use the front brace(bolts from the starter to the block). I have seen many replacement starters that need 3-4 shims under the outside corner to bring things into spec, & after many yrs of playin, I can( & you will too) hear a starter that is out of spec a 1/2 a block away.....if its too loose or too tight, it just dont sound right.....crazy L

[Keno]

Thanks everyone for your replies. I took the last one back today and had an older gentleman wait on me, here's the one you need try 2 full shims and 2 half shims on the outside bolt and see if that don't get it. B-A-M !!! Thank GOD for older guys that know their stuff it's quiet as all get out too.... this one did come with the instructions on shimming with the 1/8 in. rod and not the oldstyle between the gears .20mm crap. That's something else the older guy said the instructions that had been with these starter are wrong they are for the mid 60's model that bolted up differently.

Thanks again!!!

[crazy longhorn]

Originally Posted by Keno

Thanks everyone for your replies. I took the last one back today and had an older gentleman wait on me, here's the one you need try 2 full shims and 2 half shims on the outside bolt and see if that don't get it. B-A-M !!! Thank GOD for older guys that know their stuff it's quiet as all get out too.... this one did come with the instructions on shimming with the 1/8 in. rod and not the oldstyle between the gears .20mm crap. That's something else the older guy said the instructions that had been with these starter are wrong they are for the mid 60's model that bolted up differently.

Thanks again!!!

I think if the truth be told, GM "dropped the ball" on machining on the bottom of some of the blocks. They opted to machine the starter nose to compensate.....once the stock starter was lost, the game began....crazyL