Starter Clunked and Now Makes Angry Noise

[Mike Quillici]

I went to start my truck the other day and it cranked for a second, went clunk, and stopped. I tried again, and the same thing happened. Tried a third time, crank and clunk and stop. Fourth time it started, but sounded really bad while it was cranking. Ever since then, it hasn't clunked anymore, but it sounds really bad. What happened? Is it a bad starter, solenoid, loose starter. . . ?

It's a 1972 C-10 with a 350.

[highperf4x4]

you haven't even checked to see if it's loose yet?

Welcome to the board!

See if it's tight first and we can think on it some more. Don't try to start it anymore though until you figure it out. You will likely damage the teeth on the flywheel.

[Mike Quillici]

Will do. Thanks. I was reading, though, that shims are often used to position the starter correctly. How do I know if shims are needed, where do they go, and what do they do?

[jbristo67]

Originally Posted by highperf4x4

you haven't even checked to see if it's loose yet?

Welcome to the board!

See if it's tight first and we can think on it some more. Don't try to start it anymore though until you figure it out. You will likely damage the teeth on the flywheel.

Or crack the ear off the block hince ruining the motor. I have seen it happen

[mclairmo]

Originally Posted by Mike Quillici

Will do. Thanks. I was reading, though, that shims are often used to position the starter correctly. How do I know if shims are needed, where do they go, and what do they do?

The topic of shims and how to measure the clearance between the flywheel/flexplate and starter pinion gear has been covered several times here. Do a search and you should be able to find it. I use a large paper clip to measure it. Stock starters don't usually need shims but the mini starters seem to need one or two of them.

[dirtyd_nd]

If you replaced the starter and it started doing that, I would say shims. If it just started making the noise after working for how ever long, it's the starter. Stock starters have a plastic planetary gear set up and and will strip out fairly easy. Mine started doing the same thing. Took it to a guy that rebuilds starters and it was fixed in 30 minutes for $30.
Dale

[Mike Quillici]

Good to know. The starter worked fine (I don't know for how long. I just bought the truck recently.), went clunk several times, and now sounds terrible. I will make sure everything is nice and tight tonight. If that doesn't fix it, then it sounds like it's probably safe to assume that the starter needs to be replaced. Hopefully the noise that I'm hearing is the starter grinding internally and not the starter grinding on the fly wheel. . . .

[mclairmo]

If it did not grind the flywheel before, then it is highly unlikely it is doing that now. More likely that the starter needs to be rebuilt.

[Mike Quillici]

Good deal. Thanks for the info everyone. Now I just have to figure out how to get the old one out and the new one in without dropping it on my face. . .

[texanidiot25]

I put 2x4s under it, kept the battery wire in place, and kept my face outta the way! Learned the hard way how much that hurts... With a busted lip!

[sleepertruck72]

If you are gonna remove it, use a jackstand underneath it. It works perfect and wont let it bust your face

[toddtheodd]

To know if you need shims... there is a little bar that comes with the new started.
You stick it between the flywheel and the pole that the gear comes out on. The little bar is the correct distance the 2 should be apart, so it should slide between the two, but not have a lot of space to do it.
If it does, shim to fix. Shims on the outside edge will move it closer, and shims on the inside move it away. You can just break the little shims in half if you need it on one side and not the other.

This is speaking from the experience of 10 starters destroyed before FINALLY figuring out what that little bar was for. Never had a problem since.

Todd

Edit:
Oh, and for removal... Undo the wires FIRST... you don't want to break a wire or yank the little thingy off the end (speaking from experience... again)
Then, break both bolts free, and remove one all the way. Once it's out, screw it back in with your fingers about 5 or 6 threads... then take the other bolt out. The one finger threaded will hold the starter and keep it from falling on your face. Now, while pushing the starter back up against the block (This will have it so that the weight of the starter is already being held) remove the finger threaded bolt. Then just ease it on out. If you have long tube headers... you will have to twist it around and crap... pain in my butt to say the least.

Again... experience of replacing 10 starters. O'Reillys has a lifetime warranty... so they will replace it for free no questions asked.

[Mike Quillici]

Great info guys. Thanks for the help!

[highperf4x4]

Originally Posted by jbristo67

Or crack the ear off the block hince ruining the motor. I have seen it happen

yessir, that would suck!

[Mike Quillici]

Incidentally, in order to use the little bar that the new starter comes with, you have to remove the flex plate/flywheel cover, right? I'm assuming a few bolts and it comes right off. Is that correct???

[highperf4x4]

Should just be 4 bots for the dust cover but why would you need to remove it?

[Mike Quillici]

I was under the impression that you had to remove the dust cover in order to measure the spacing of starter from the flex plate. Can you do this without removing the cover?

[mclairmo]

Yes,the dust cover needs to come off to measure the pinion gear to flywheel/flexplate clearance. Juts four bolts. You can then also check your flexplate/flywheel for damage, cracks, broken teeth, etc.

[toddtheodd]

Hell... I don't even have that cover. Is it necessary?

[UltraBlue71]

I would look for one todd, especially if your off the beaten path much in your truck, they keep alot of excess dirt and crap out...

One other thing please unhook your negative battery post first, I saw a guy with a metal watch on burn the crap out of his wrist pulling a starter off a sbc, it threw arcs everywhere! not to mention arc welding your tools to your solenoid!

[faribran]

.. dont forget the front, starter to block, brace, when you put the starter back on... very important.

[Mike Quillici]

Originally Posted by faribran

.. dont forget the front, starter to block, brace, when you put the starter back on... very important.

When I removed the starter, there were only two bolts holding it up there. Should there have been something else too???

[toddtheodd]

Originally Posted by UltraBlue71

I would look for one todd, especially if your off the beaten path much in your truck, they keep alot of excess dirt and crap out...

One other thing please unhook your negative battery post first, I saw a guy with a metal watch on burn the crap out of his wrist pulling a starter off a sbc, it threw arcs everywhere! not to mention arc welding your tools to your solenoid!

Highway driving... I live in a city. I don't even know where a dirt road is...

[highperf4x4]

Originally Posted by toddtheodd

Hell... I don't even have that cover. Is it necessary?

Yeah if you want to protect your front seal and torque converter shaft. They call it a "dust" shield. It's meant to keep out anything that might cause the front seal to fail and even deflect as much water as possible.

Originally Posted by Mike Quillici

When I removed the starter, there were only two bolts holding it up there. Should there have been something else too???

Not that I've ever seen.

[mr48chev]

Originally Posted by Mike Quillici

When I removed the starter, there were only two bolts holding it up there. Should there have been something else too???

There should be a support strap (looks like a piece of curved angle iron) that goes from the stud sticking out of the top bolt on the end of the starter housing to the block. That keeps the starter from trying to wiggle or bounce when you are cranking the engine. It is often left off by guys swapping starters but helps the starter live longer.

Now my curious mind wants to know what you found with the starter.