Starter - does this sound good to you?

[farside847]

I just replaced the stock starter with another stock starter. The new one makes a little more noise than the old one. Not a bad noise necessary, no grinding or kicking. But there is definitely some spin down noise.

Check it out, what do you guys think?
https://youtu.be/FHFYj7nvv4Q

I did a few searches on here and read a suggestion to take the cover off and look at the flywheel where the starter connects and measure the gap with a paperclip. Well, the starter housing butts right up and there is no way I can tell to get in there and measure. How do you do it? For fun, I made another video trying to record the engagement, didn't really work.
https://youtu.be/gGqXcMIIkIw

The flywheel looks bran new, no signs of damage. Its a stock 307. Thanks in advance!

[66clow]

It may need to be shimmed .

http://macc.chevelles.net/starter.htm

[farside847]

Originally Posted by 66clow

It may need to be shimmed .

http://macc.chevelles.net/starter.htm

That's what I was trying to determine. But how do I know if I need to shim if I can't get my hand in there to measure the gap? By sound? I don't know which way to shim...

That link is cool, it shows symptoms on the starter on a 350 I think (different mount on a 307). My starter is new, would it show these kinds of changes after only a dozen starts?

Thanks!

[66clow]

Follow this and see if it helps. You have to pull the gear out. It is not real easy to get in there.

https://goo.gl/photos/6XkRes7jV17ebYmv8

[farside847]

More research.

The 307 v8 starter does not bolt vertically to the engine block. It bolts horizontally to the bellhousing with 3 bolts. I read somewhere that it might not even be able to be shimmed. Mysterious

[farside847]

So, to close out this thread, I found some good information here: http://rmcavoy.freeshell.org/starters.html

In a nutshell, shims can only be used on engine block mounted starters. Since the 307 starter mounts to the bellhousing directly, shim is not possible.

So, back to my original question, does this starter sound ok? The only option if not us to replace it with another. But I'm starting to feel like this starter is fine.

[timski69gmc]

I was really looking forward to your fix for this. But it turns out, you starter is still quieter than mine.
Think I need to try shimming again.
Saw a post the other day regarding flywheel tooth counts. Starting to wonder if I have an incorrect flywheel. I have only heard one other truck starting as loud as mine. Everyone else seems to have quiet starters.
Will have to find a way to post the sound of mine up as well.

[farside847]

I reached out to the rebuild company (duralast ) with the same question, I will update if they get back to me.

[scooterpimp]

Run into this problem often , have gone through many venders. ,untill i found one that doesnt use China made parts to reman / build thier starters. (Or slyvania? ) Its pretty bad when you can hear that sound from industrial diesel engines.on startup...its pretty bad when you can look down the starter gear & see the difference by eye.

[farside847]

Got a reply from Duralast, they said the starter is working normally. Maybe I am just too sensitive.

[BugzC10]

I have a 307 with a TH350 tranny...the starter bolts to the block, not the bell housing with two correct bolts. ( I doubt if it is mounted differently for a stick shift, but I could be wrong) Did you check the gap between the starter gear and the flexplate gear? Use a paper clip as a guage to check the gap. If it is too loose or tight the outer or the inner starter bolt gets shimmed....I don't remember which bolt it is, but search it on this forum.

BTW?..couldn't tell by the video / sound clip....I have crappy hearing.

[farside847]

Originally Posted by BugzC10

I have a 307 with a TH350 tranny...the starter bolts to the block, not the bell housing with two correct bolts. ( I doubt if it is mounted differently for a stick shift, but I could be wrong) Did you check the gap between the starter gear and the flexplate gear? Use a paper clip as a guage to check the gap. If it is too loose or tight the outer or the inner starter bolt gets shimmed....I don't remember which bolt it is, but search it on this .

Yes, the manual transmission is different. Horizontally mounted, no shim possible. http://rmcavoy.freeshell.org/starters.html

[BugzC10]

Originally Posted by farside847

Yes, the manual transmission is different. Horizontally mounted, no shim possible. http://rmcavoy.freeshell.org/starters.html

Well..ya learn some thing new everyday....Ray's resto said some "early manuals" bolted to the bellhousing....I did't think a 71 was early. In you second video the starter sounds better (with my hearing).