Starter makes clunking noise

[Ethan341]

After putting a fresh clutch in my truck the starter has been giving me lots of troubles lately...It starts starts occasionally fine but most of the time it makes a terrible clunking noise from the starter. I swapped starters with it from another truck and tried every combination of shims. Don't really know how to describe the noise, its not a dead battery clicking noise but a clunking sound and the engine still turns over just slowly when it happens. After searching around the internet I couldn't find any solutions so anybody have any ideas of what could be happening?

[mctattooer]

Are you positive everything tight? Flywheel and clutch and all?just trying to eliminate things is all

[Ethan341]

I am positive I torqued everything to spec and I am sure I would have heard if it was loose when driving it.

[geezer#99]

Is it a block mounted or bellhousing mounted starter?

[Ethan341]

Block mounted

[geezer#99]

Did you use the correct knurled shoulder starter bolts?
You might need a starter brace.
A thread here on that.

http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=492532

[Ethan341]

I used the correct starter bolts but I don't understand what changed that made it not work as it was working fine before with no brace.

[custom10nut]

Are you absolutely sure you have the right starter. When you say “flywheel” do you mean Flexplate?
I ask this because there are two different starters that will bolt in, but only the one is right.
Does the nose cone have a flat spot on the top, so that the starter clears the bell Housing? If not, you have a round nose cone (from a 73-later) and even though it bolts in tight, it will never line up correctly.

[kazoocruiser]

Originally Posted by Ethan341

I used the correct starter bolts but I don't understand what changed that made it not work as it was working fine before with no brace.

Not to be funny here, or flame you, but what changed here is that you worked on it. So you installed a problem. I would not be so "positive" you torqued everything to spec.

Without hearing a noise video, or being next to the truck to hear what you are describing as a clunk kind of limits me to offering a guess that you can tear to pieces.

You've tried shimming and alternative starters and all of that effort has not fixed anything. Maybe it is time to look elsewhere.

I think you have a loose flywheel. It's banging back and forth, and when it gets cocked, the starter binds and drags.

It's a heavy clutch pack hanging off the back of the flywheel. it wouldn't take much in the way of loose flywheel bolts to present the problem you are describing here.

[RUN GMC]

Check and re-tighten bolts on my installed an high torque starter off an Escalade on my 87 GMC.......after first crank it started clunking noise on next try.....with shield we couldnt tell it didnt totally seat itself.......re-tighten same been good ever since............

[El Dorado Jim]

sub'd

[kazoocruiser]

Did you ever get this problem sorted out?