Starter Solenoid Shimming for Gears?

[duwem]

I have read you need to adjust the solenoid postion on these old starters so the starter gear travels to the right positions in relation to the ring gear.

Can someone elaborate on this? My solenoid is the type that bolts to the top of the starter with 4 bolts, sloted holes in the bracket. Some use 2 bolts to the starter head and use shims instead of slots.

Something about manually activating the plunger and a paperclip?

Thanks

[OrrieG]

I do not think you need to shim 235 cylinders, only V-8 block mounted starters.

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by duwem

I have read you need to adjust the solenoid postion on these old starters so the starter gear travels to the right positions in relation to the ring gear.

Can someone elaborate on this? My solenoid is the type that bolts to the top of the starter with 4 bolts, sloted holes in the bracket. Some use 2 bolts to the starter head and use shims instead of slots.

Something about manually activating the plunger and a paperclip?

Thanks

Connect a battery ground to the starter. Connect a wire from the battery to the solenoid energiser wire. Not the large pole. It will activate the plunger. You want the starter bolted in when you do this. Slide the solenoid forward or backward to make sure the gear engages the flywheel without going to far and slamming the starter housing nose or not far enough and grinding the teeth off. With the flywheel cover off you will be able to look up into the flywheel hosuing and see where the engagment is on the flywheel.

These old starters had a habbit of knocking off the nose of the starter when not adjusted properly.

[mr48chev]

Your profile doesn't show what vehicle or engine you have or are working on so we really need to know that before someone can give you the correct advice rather than guessing what you are working on. I think Dwcrs is close to the right answer but there should be a method where the starter doesn't spin the engine to check this.

On that starter by shimming the starter drive I would believe that they mean for a person to place the correct thickness shim washer on the armature shaft between the drive and the snout. That would restrict the drive from going too far into the ring gear teeth.

[dwcsr]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Your profile doesn't show what vehicle or engine you have or are working on so we really need to know that before someone can give you the correct advice rather than guessing what you are working on. I think Dwcrs is close to the right answer but there should be a method where the starter doesn't spin the engine to check this.

On that starter by shimming the starter drive I would believe that they mean for a person to place the correct thickness shim washer on the armature shaft between the drive and the snout. That would restrict the drive from going too far into the ring gear teeth.

I should have stated that you DO NOT have the starter battery cable connected when you do this so the starter will not spin, it just pops out the bendix drive, Sorry.

[duwem]

Engine is a 235 appears to be a 58-62 vintage.

Starter solenoid style shown here.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=447342

I got it all mounted, wired up and running, but it doesn't engage every time. Ring gear teeth looked pretty rounded off.