Noisy starter

[Jeepster376]

So I replaced my starter with a Napa rebuilt, just because my old one would occasionally struggle a bit. The old one had a couple thin shims so I installed the new one with the same shims. When I cranked it, it made horrible loud noises. So I removed the shims and now it's better but it's still very loud and doesn't sound good. I was better off with my old one that is now off in core charge land.


Now there is 153 tooth and 168 tooth flywheels, and corresponding starters. Is one the straight and one angled bolts? I have the angled bolts. Is it possible to have the wrong starter? Or is the starter I got a POS? I don't know if I should return this one, for another of the same, or if I need something different.

[dinnut]

in the 2 or 3 rebuilt oreilly starters ive had, the first one made the horrible cranking noise ( turned out the battery was low or some crap) and went out couple days later... the second was loud as crap and went out in a few months and now the third is nice and quiet. since its been a good boy im buying it a heat shield so i can stop going through starters!

ask them for another starter, or go for a ac delco unit.

[stllookn]

Make darned sure you adjust and shim the starter properly. Use the 1/8 inch diameter rod between the starter shaft and the flex plate gears to ensure you have the proper spacing. Then try again and see if it cures the problem. Recheck the starter after you have tightended the bolts and run it once just to make sure. Good Luck! I went through about 3 of them to get one good one too!

[Jeepster376]

Originally Posted by stllookn

Use the 1/8 inch diameter rod between the starter shaft and the flex plate gears to ensure you have the proper spacing.

Good stuff, I didn't know that. I did engage the bendix with a screwdriver to try and see the lash, It was difficult to tell though with the screwdriver in there. I don't think I need any shim, maybe less, but I can't go that way. I'll check with an 1/8" rod tomorrow, and try a few more starters till it's right.

[MOTHERTRUCKERS]

I have found on some rebuilt starters that filing the mounting pads on the starter will bring them into specs and quiet them down.

[Jeepster376]

Thanks guys. I had another go at it, with just a few test fittings, I ground the inner pad down a bit and shimmed the outer pad a bit, I got the shaft to teeth gap pretty close to 1/8". Now it starts smooth as silk, and I didn't have to go through a case of starters to find one that fits.

Thanks for the Tips.

[tom hand]

In the early 70's GM machined a bunch of 350's incorrectly on the starter pad....to solve the problem they machined the starter noses to fit....and all is good till you change the starter. If you have one of these blocks, shimming the starter won't fix the problem...it needs to be closer. Mothertruckers idea could work...or if you go to a starter rebuild shop that knows about this problem, they probably have a box of starter noses laying around that were milled from the factory

[GSFMECH]

As stupid as this sounds I've had luck cutting shims in half and installing under the outer bolt only. This tends to kick the starter in a little closer. Worth a shot, sometimes it works.
Mike

[Jeepster376]

It's not stupid, I read to do that in the shimming instructions from a starter manufacturers literature. To increase gap add a whole shim, to decrease the gap use a half shim on the outside. I did that and it helped a lot. But then I ground a little off the inside pad and that combined with the shim on the outside made it even better.

Also I found the proper clearance spec is supposed to be .025-.060" in the teeth when engaged you can check it with a piece of wire, or spark plug gauge. But I found the 1/8" rod or small screwdriver between the motor shaft and teeth as suggested by Stllookn to be much easier and worked out fine.

[1972C10]

Ive ground the pad down before to achive closer gap works great just be carefull to not take too much I used a roloc disc on a die grinder.

I never could find the Start button on a file.

[jescates]

I had some problems with my 78 block. I did like everyone said, put the 1/8 rod in between starter gear and flexplate, made a lot of noise. Then was experimenting with the shims. Ended up shimming the outer bolt only and everything worked great. They are picky.