what the hell happened to my starter?

[Dave]

There's is specific amount of gap necessary between the 2 gears that mesh together (flywheel and bendix gear). Often times if the gap is too much or not enough the starter gear becomes jammed. There is a tool that can obtained for measuring such gaps. Any auto parts house should have it.

[Toxic Redline]

THis happened to me with a racing starter, what happened is that it has a mounting bracket that you put the bolts through to and into the block, well that mounting bracked then attaches to the started by 3 or 4 small bolts, it had broken those holding bolts and allows some play in the starter, that is what happened to me

[Toxic Redline]

The first one is what it looks like together, the second shows how the mounting bracket thing can come apart, the third shows the holes that the mounting bolts go in, and if your wondering how i got those pictures, its because i have a stock starter in.

[tucsonjwt]

I got a GM high torque mini starter for my 454 and it does mount odd. It does not fill the "hole" completely where the stock starter went, so I question the whole mounting concept. I remember reading different bolt holes being used for different engines. I'll have to bolt a piece of sheet metal in that opening someday. It does take a while to wind down if it does not start the first time, but it does help overcome the "heat soak" problem on the big block.

[storked82]

Hello
Dont mean to sound like I know every thing I had the same thing happen to me 2 weeks ago I have the same small raceing stater I left the truck set for the winter went to start it it made a hell of a noise I took the starter off and the gear all the teeth was missing I got lucky and the fly wheel was ok so I just bought a new starter and now you can turn the key and it fires right up

Good luck

Jeff M

[dbmx66]

Originally Posted by storked82

Hello
Dont mean to sound like I know every thing I had the same thing happen to me 2 weeks ago I have the same small raceing stater I left the truck set for the winter went to start it it made a hell of a noise I took the starter off and the gear all the teeth was missing I got lucky and the fly wheel was ok so I just bought a new starter and now you can turn the key and it fires right up

Good luck

Jeff M

the teeth on both the flexplate and starter are good.

[dbmx66]

Originally Posted by Toxic Redline

THis happened to me with a racing starter, what happened is that it has a mounting bracket that you put the bolts through to and into the block, well that mounting bracked then attaches to the started by 3 or 4 small bolts, it had broken those holding bolts and allows some play in the starter, that is what happened to me

wen i took the starter off i checked them, they were fine