Mini Starter

[hdixon]

Hey guys can anyone help me out. I just purchase my 1969 C-10 it's has a sbc 400 cubic engine and I am having what I think is stater issue. when I attempt to start the engine it make a awful noise and some time stop turning the engine over I have to release it and try it again before it starts the engine I

[davepl]

Hmmm... beyond the obvious starter shim/alignment checks, has the engine been out recently? Could be the flexplate on backwards, though if I remember the 400 is externally balanced, it'd probably shake badly if that were the case...

Could be broken/missing teeth on the flexplate and just a starter alignment issue as well.

[hdixon]

maybe I will buy a new starter shim it correctly and see what happen I read a post on here early and someone was saying that a 2003 Yucon mini factor starter was a good starter for my application 1972 chevy is the year of the engine

[snj8198]

I just had some starter issues myself. Turns out that it is necessary to use specific knurled shoulder starter bolts to keep the starter from rocking during engagement. Don't use the standard non-knurled bolts that come with the starter. This is in tandem with proper engagement spacing.

[Andy4639]

O Rielly's has a great mini that they keep on the shelf.
The link has all the info.


http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s....php?p=4151565

[my56chevytruck]

As DAVEPL said, check out your flex plate, making sure it has all the teeth left, bolted on securely, then head over to Summit Racing or Jegs. Are you looking simply for a new starter or a high torque starter? Ask one of their reps as to what they would choose, it'll depend upon your $$.

[hdixon]

at this point I'm not sure if I should change the fly wheel or change the starter to change the fly wheel I need to remove the transmission and it would be costly to take it to a repair shop but it appears that the problem is the fly wheel or the starter I remember asking the guy about that noise when I purchase the truck and he said he had replace the starter and it did the same thing so would it be the fly wheel I went under the truck to inspect the fly wheel and notice shinny place on the fly wheel but no missing teeth and none look worn down to were it like it need to be replaced I'm lost here if anyone have any other idea please post them at this point I have gas in one hand and a match in the other now I don't have to go to the barber shop I have no hair left

[davepl]

I would say if the previous owner already said he replaced the starter and the same noise remained, something is up with the flexplate/flywheel.

Good tip on the knurled bolts, I didn't know they were special!

[HO455]

It sounds as if the starter is not engaging properly every time. That could cause it to make a bunch of noise one time as the starter gear can't mesh properly with the flywheel. Then the next time you try it catches the flywheel gear properly and starts. A common cause is an improperly shimmed starter. I have had GM starters that have needed as many as three shims to engage properly. A bad bushing in the Bendix can cause this too. A rebuilt/refurbished starter only has the most obviously bad components replaced, so the Bendix components could be good enough to pass the rebuilders test, but too worn to allow proper engagement of the gears when installed. The post by snj8198 is a good one as the incorrect bolts will not keep the starter from moving around. The torque of the bolts hold the starter down to the block but generally won't keep the starter from moving sideways. The knurled part acts like an index pin keeping the starter stable. V-8 engines will stop rotating most of the time in one of 3 or 4 spots thus the teeth on the flywheel don't wear evenly. Rotate the crankshaft by hand and inspect all of teeth. The gears will usually work OK with 20% of the material in a tooth missing. Several teeth next to each other missing 50% of the tooth material can be problematic. Hope this helps you resolve your issue.
Good luck.

[hdixon]

thanks I will give that a go I notice it has a Jeg mini on it. I can also try changing the bolts to knurled shoulder type I was thanking about trying put my starter button on and try and watch what it is doing when I bump it around I willing to try anything at this point because I want drive it the way it sound