Starter Issues!

workin with a chevy 350 small block - straight 2 bolt starter, high torque-- seemingly after what seems like way too long of an adventure of adding and removing shims the starter still makes a loud high pitched sound, and when checked the starter gear is stuck in the fly wheel only to be released when the bolts are loosened- i have put up to 3 shims between the starter and block and as little as none in between and all seem to make no difference what so ever, the timing is right, the advance is correct and i have no idea to make of it anyone have any ideas? thanks guys

Sounds like the wrong nose on the starter.

without shims, bolt the starter to the block. By hand, twist the bendix outward so the teeth mesh into the flywheel. You will have to move the flywheel to allow the teeth to enguage.
Now look at the distance between the bendix teeth and the flywheel plate. not the tooth, the flex plate itself.
there should be a gap inbetween.
If the teeth of the bendix hit the plate itself, shim accordingly to allow 30 thou. at least gap.
Of course the bendix now will be locked into the flywheel bacause you enguaged it manually.
hand move the flywheel, about 2 inches. the bendix should release smoothly.
as far as noise, a high torque starter will whine, they do that. Not all of them but the majority will.
and yes, match your new starters nose cone with the old starter and make dam sure it is right. you will run in circles if that is not the correct starter or nose cone.

awesome thanks alot fellas - ill check it out

awesome thanks alot fellas - ill check it out
compare old starter with new if the same get another starter and mark flywheel rotate 360deg to make sure teeth are not damaged..

alright seems to be the right starter - and ive put in 5 shims and the starter key still sticks the fly wheel when trying to turn over the motor- crazy stuff, ill put in 6 shims but i cant imagine the factory who made the starter could have messed up the flange this badly

If you're putting so many shims in there, you've got some sort of mis-match of parts. Everywhere I've worked and with my own cars, I've never needed more than 2 shims. This purpose of the shims is to overcome the buildup of manufacturing tolderances between all the related parts.

You'll probably get away with it for a while, but eventually the pack of shims will loosen up. If you have a buddy that works in a machine shop, once you determine what thickness you need, have him replicate the shim pack in a single piece of aluminum bar stock.

Bob

if it were the right starter for the flywheel diameter then you would need ZERO shims



most of the old engines are 14" diameter wheel

staggered bolt pattern starter nose


what pattern is your starter nose right now you are trying to make work?


do you know if your flywheel is 12.5"/153tooth

or 14"/168 tooth ?

try the other pattern nose on your starter

no shims!

it is too far away if it is making a high pitch noise when cranking