Mini-Starter Issues?

[Texasbigblock]

I know this is a long shot, but thought I would see if anyone has had the problem that I'm encountering. I bought a Summit mini-starter for my big block in my 1970. The headers that are on the truck, I bought used, so I don't recall the brand but they were either Hooker or Hedman, long tubes that were bought originally for a square body. The oem style starter fit fine, but the mini-starter will not. It is a clockable, linear bolt pattern starter. It seems that since the starter is shorter, the solenoid is closer to the flywheel and hits the block. If I rotate it, the body of the starter hits the headers. Has anyone come across this before? Ill try to get pics tomorrow morning if itll help.
Thanks

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by Texasbigblock

I know this is a long shot, but thought I would see if anyone has had the problem that I'm encountering. I bought a Summit mini-starter for my big block in my 1970. The headers that are on the truck, I bought used, so I don't recall the brand but they were either Hooker or Hedman, long tubes that were bought originally for a square body. The oem style starter fit fine, but the mini-starter will not. It is a clockable, linear bolt pattern starter. It seems that since the starter is shorter, the solenoid is closer to the flywheel and hits the block. If I rotate it, the body of the starter hits the headers. Has anyone come across this before? Ill try to get pics tomorrow morning if itll help.
Thanks

Yes, I ran into the same problem. The summit starter not only won't install but it won't mesh with a 168 tooth ring gear either. You need a different starter. The GM PN is 9000852 but that part is obsolete so....good luck finding a good replacement. It's a PG260 starter and there are numerous sources for one. Price is about $60.00.

[Texasbigblock]

So is the description wrong? The Summit 829000 starter is listed as fitting 153 and 168 tooth ring gears in big and small block applications. I'm thinking of just machining a new nose piece that will rotate the solenoid downward (toward the ground) and it should clear and I'll have easier access to the wires. Any reason this wouldn't work? Thanks for the response Fitz.

[Texasbigblock]

EDIT: I guess if it doesn't mesh with the 168, it won't work anyway.

[Fitz]

Originally Posted by Texasbigblock

So is the description wrong? The Summit 829000 starter is listed as fitting 153 and 168 tooth ring gears in big and small block applications. I'm thinking of just machining a new nose piece that will rotate the solenoid downward (toward the ground) and it should clear and I'll have easier access to the wires. Any reason this wouldn't work? Thanks for the response Fitz.

Yup. It's wrong. I bought the Summit starter and even though the description says it will mesh with both 153 & 168 tooth ring gears, it won't. Summit sent me a different type and it would not work either. The big block starter you need is a PG260 and Summit does not sell one.

If you want to go through the trouble of machining the nosepiece and turning the solenoid, go ahead, but when you are done machining that, you will have to machine the face that mounts against the block until the pinion shaft with the pinion retracted into the nosepiece is 0.125 plus or minus 0.005 inches from the ring gear for it to mesh. That is how the starter supplied by GM with my 572 fit, and when it failed I bought 5 starters before I wised up and called Delco. They gave me the housing type (PG260) and then I found a starter that would work on that motor. All in all, a very frustrating experience. I don't mind working on my truck but I spent the better part of two months polishing the shop floor with the back of my shirt trying to get that fixed! It's not hard if you have a lift but changing a starter a dozen times with the truck on jackstands is not my idea of fun.

[1972BlueC20]

I just had this same starter SUM-829000 and it worked for a whopping month or less!! It just almost left me stranded the other night and I had to beat it with a hammer to get myself home....I went and bought an Autozone starter with a lifetime warranty that fits a 1995 Chevrolet Caprice 5.7 (and other models I'm sure).....this one works for me because I have a 153 tooth flywheel.....my engine isn't the original engine....it's the 350 / 330 HP with Vortec heads.

The starter off a 1996 Silverado would work for the 168 tooth.....they are gear reduction starters and work great.

Anyways.....this summit starter is on it's way back now for a refund.

It got good ratings overall, but if you look at the bad ratings....a lot of people say it just quit working on them as it did on me.

Also I did notice that even with my stock ramhorn manifolds the summit starter was about 1/2 an inch away from my exhaust pipe which could of caused some heat soak issues later.....the new Autozone starter is much further away from the pipe now.

[Texasbigblock]

Thanks for the info guys. It's too late to return mine because i had already "modified" the nose piece. I went ahead and made a complete new nosepiece that rotated the starter to be solenoid down and allowed me more room away from the ring gear and with shims I should be able to get it pretty close. If not, I'll be getting the '96 silverado starter if it'll fit with my long tube headers. Isn't it roughly the same size as the old gm starters, just gear reduced?

[1972BlueC20]

Originally Posted by Texasbigblock

Thanks for the info guys. It's too late to return mine because i had already "modified" the nose piece. I went ahead and made a complete new nosepiece that rotated the starter to be solenoid down and allowed me more room away from the ring gear and with shims I should be able to get it pretty close. If not, I'll be getting the '96 silverado starter if it'll fit with my long tube headers. Isn't it roughly the same size as the old gm starters, just gear reduced?

Yeah not sure on the size. Probably similar to the original starter. My straight bolt pattern off the 95 caprice is smaller even than the summit mini starter. Not sure about the 168 tooth version. Good luck man!!

[1972BlueC20]

Well let me rephrase that. I'm not sure if the caprice starter is smaller but it for some reason is much further away from my exhaust pipe than the summit starter

[Andy4639]

STOP:
Before you buy a starter look at this thread I posted about 4 years ago.The starter was still working when I sold the 305 and swapped in the LS motor. I never had a minutes trouble out of it and that was a lot of hot starts.

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

[1972BlueC20]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

STOP:
Before you buy a starter look at this thread I posted about 4 years ago.The starter was still working when I sold the 305 and swapped in the LS motor. I never had a minutes trouble out of it and that was a lot of hot starts.

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

Yeah man that's the same basic starter as the one I got that fits a caprice, except yours is a offset bolt pattern which is what the OP needs since his flywheel should be 168 tooth. Damn good starters these later model gm units are. Plus a lifetime warranty included from your local parts store is nice too !