starter noise STILL

[chris989]

Hello all,

did a complete rebuild of my 89 v2500 5.7 burb. New hays flywheel, new GM starter, shimmed on the engine stand, bolts torqued and it is beginning to make the same old GM grinding starter sound.

My old motor sounded bad too, This is a new block, trans, and starter. Does anyone have a cure for the GM grind? Mini starter, different flywheel????

I have a Pontiac, AMC, Ford, and a 67 chevy that are silent when cranking, I can put any starter of the shelf and they all sound perfect.

Any advice.
Chris

[mongocanfly]

I'd recheck the shims...maybe ad some more and try it

[donut]

Correct knurled bolts? Bolt holes in decent shape?

[Tetanus Express]

You got the correct tooth flywheel for the starter your running? Does it engage ok or is it grinding at the beginning of engagement? Did it just start grinding after the rebuild or did not grind on the first start but then start later?

[chris989]

I have all the right parts,

The thing has sounded good the past year and now this week, a few times i get the high pitch sound.

I guess i will start with a re-torque and new bolts,

My suspicion is maybe the gear is engaging to deep into the flywheel? like the starter needs to be moved towards the front of the motor. I don't think it is a depth of teeth engagement unless my new starter is loosing a bearing.

any starter recommendations? I currently have a AC delco from the dealer, but that to is a reman.

Chris

[Tetanus Express]

When you say high pitch noise? Have you tried replacing just the solenoid. Does it sound like may be spinning but not engaging?

[tucsonjwt]

It could be that the starter is not engaging properly with the flywheel. In my case, all of the flywheel teeth were scuffed up on the face side of the flywheel. The high pitched sound was the pinion gear of the starter not extending far enough to engage the gears - it was just spinning on the face surface of the flywheel.

[Tetanus Express]

Maybe you should try a starter heat shield. If you have exhaust that is running close to the starter.

Chris if yours turns out to be a solenoid you may want to run a heat shield also.

[chris989]

when cranking it grind a little but right at start up it has that iconic chevrolet whip pitched sound.


I am going to film it while cranking so i can slow the film down and see the engagement of the teeth.

might take a week but i will report back.

[mongocanfly]

I thought dodge was the only one with a "classic starter sound"..haha

[andyh1956]

Ok start by PROPERLY shimming the starter, IF needed. To do it proper remover the starter, then remove to solenoid. It gets removed so you can manually extend the drive into the gear. re- install the starter w/ correct shouldered bolts & NO shims. Next, extend the drive into the ring gear teeth & insert the gauge. Use (I think this is right) a 1/8" drill bit. You should be able to insert the drill between the teeth. Too tight & it won't go. Too loose & it will be sloppy.
I've NEVER had good luck with aftermarket flywheels & gears myself, your mileage may vary!

[chris989]

Originally Posted by andyh1956

Ok start by PROPERLY shimming the starter, IF needed. To do it proper remover the starter, then remove to solenoid. It gets removed so you can manually extend the drive into the gear. re- install the starter w/ correct shouldered bolts & NO shims. Next, extend the drive into the ring gear teeth & insert the gauge. Use (I think this is right) a 1/8" drill bit. You should be able to insert the drill between the teeth. Too tight & it won't go. Too loose & it will be sloppy.
I've NEVER had good luck with aftermarket flywheels & gears myself, your mileage may vary!

I shimmed/spec the starter while the motor was on the engine stand. It was perfect.

I am running this Hays flex plate.
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hay-10-025/overview/

[cadillac_al]

I have the same flexplate, works for me. I think filming it would be a great way to see what it is doing. Since the flexplate is new you should be able to see if it is getting scuffed up from the starter being too tight and not engaging the teeth. My old flexplate looked like tuscon's, all grinded up and teeth worn down on the starter side.

[tucsonjwt]

I would say that every mechanic I ever talked to about starters has told me that they almost never have to shim a starter. I tend to think that having the wrong starter to begin with is the real issue. As I mentioned above, the pinion gear on the Hitachi starter was just not extending far enough to properly engage the flywheel - it was not an alignment issue at all. The Hitachi is advertised as a "one size fits all" 153 tooth or 168 tooth flywheel, but it is not for all engines - my guess is it is not suitable for big blocks - small blocks maybe it will work.

The advice to manually extend the pinion gear on the starter first is the way to go. Measure that extended length first, then install the starter and see how much space is between the front of the flexplate and the unextended (at rest) pinion gear. If that dimension is almost the same, then your starter won't work.

[Bluestep]

I would check the bolts and then try the starter with no shim. Most of the time with a quality starter no shim is required. Also, you may want to add the support bracket on the forward end of the starter. They really help prevent the starter from moving around. Chevy used them on a lot of applications.

[franken]

Maybe no help, but GM also used a brace/bracket at the front. Sort of a bent angle iron bit bolted to the block and front of the starter. Might snag one of those.

[andyh1956]

You might try removing the screw that connects the solenoid to the field coils then have someone energize the solenoid with the key switch. That way you could lay under & watch the drive engage the teeth & see how deep it goes without it turning.

[1970pelle]

I think its the starter bolts. There most likely to long.


Ken