help! starter woes kicking me.

[steve53]

I am in the middle of a '65 250 swap right now on my '53 3100. I have run into a stumbling block with the starter. Here's what I have so far for ingredients.

I used the tech tip over at stovebolt to get some insight.
http://www.stovebolt.com/techtips/en...lhousings.html

I have the '65 250 and original '53 3 speed all hooked up good with manual clutch. I used one of the bell housing cast numbers in the stovebolt tip. I got the motor mounts worked out good. Everything is in the truck ready to start for the first time. Heres where my problem "starts" haha.

The starter is missing the flywheel by a finger width. The gear shoots out of the starter far enough to come into contact with the teeth on the flywheel but it is too far off to the side to mesh.

I tried moving the starter close enough to the flywheel so it will engage but there is no meat left on the bellhousing when positioned that close to drill and tap new holes for the starter.

It seems I have a 153 tooth flywheel but I am not 100% sure. I just counted teeth between pressure plate mounting bolts and multiplied by 6.

What starter can I use that will end my woes? The bell housing has 3 holes to mount the starter. I used a starter from one of the numbers on the stovebolt tip as well. It originally had a smaller gear in the starter but I put a bigger gear in it and it just got me marginally closer. I got the biggest gear in there that will fit so I cant get any better in that regard.

Help!

[longbike]

It sounds like you might not have the correct flywheel in, there are different outside diameters.

[pgf545]

I not really sure about the 6 cylinders but Chevy used a 153 and a 164 tooth flywheel on the V-8's. You could easily get a starter to work by getting the matching flywheel/started combo...ie 153 tooth flywheel and 153 tooth starter. The way you could tell is by the started mounting bolts. the smaller flywheel used a straight across bolt pattern and the bigger one used the staggered bolt pattern. I think yours used the 3 bolt bell housing mount and I am not sure about them. I do know that the later 250's used the standard chevy starter because I had a 6 in my 69 Camaro and it had the regular starter.

I wonder if you could but a 164 tooth flywheel on there? I think the mounting bolt pattern is the same as the V-8's around that era. Might be worth a shot? Good luck

Bernie

[steve53]

i am trying to do it without having to replace the whole flywheel/clutch assembly

if i have to then i guess ill eat it but shouldnt there be a starter out there with my name on it?

[mr48chev]

What starter and flywheel do you have now?

The easiest way to make it work is with a 168 tooth flywheel and the three bolt starter that bolts to the bellhousing. That is what I have in my 48 with the 250 and cast iron truck bellhousing. And personally I like that starter mounting system as it makes for perfect starter alignment if you have the correct matching pieces.

If you run the starter that bolts to the block you usually have to cut some of the bottom ear off the bellhousing in the starter area (where the bottom bolt goes in if you use a starter that bolts to the bellhousing). That does destroy the bellhousing as far as installing the three bolt starter that bolts to the bellhousing though.

The first thing I would do is crawl under the truck with a marker of some kind in my hand and something to turn the flywheel and put a mark the flywheel and one of the teeth and then count the teeth as I turned the flywheel. Then you know what flywheel you have and can get the appropriate starter end housing to match.

[raycow]

If you have a cast iron bellhousing that is open on the bottom, it is made for use only with the 168 tooth flywheel. That one measures about 14" diameter over the teeth. There is only one starter which will bolt to the bellhousing, so you very likely have the correct starter now.

Your best fix is to replace the flywheel with a 168 tooth. For a boogered-up patch you can use a block-mounted 153 tooth starter with your present flywheel and cut away the interfering portion of the bellhousing. This will of course render the bellhousing unfit for future use with the correct starter.

Keep in mind that the block-mounted starter was not one of GM's better ideas. There are hundreds of posts on this message board alone reporting engagement problems, and I have seen at least as many more on other message boards I am subscribed to. Also, I used to work in the parts business, and I was getting the same complaint from customers even when these cars/trucks were being used as daily drivers. The bellhousing-mount assures correct engagement every time because the starter is located in the bellhousing by a machined shoulder, not by the bolts.

Ray

[steve53]

alrighty then im gona count teeth tonight. is it possible to get a 168 toother that will mount up with the clutch/pressure plate i have on the 153 tooth flywheel?

[raycow]

Originally Posted by steve53

is it possible to get a 168 toother that will mount up with the clutch/pressure plate i have on the 153 tooth flywheel?

Yes, you find those mostly on the earlier car engines, but I have seen them on a few trucks too. Don't forget, you can use any V-8 flywheel going back to 1955 (but not a 235 flywheel). Also, if you get desperate, any machine shop can drill the smaller bolt pattern on a 168 tooth flywheel.

Ray

[steve53]

i got the engine back out of the truck and got that pesky flywheel out. it was a 153 tooth flywheel and i have replaced it with a 168 tooth flywheel. starter grabs it fine now!

i ended up buying a new clutch assembly after all for the 168 tooth flywheel.

next step, put it back in tonight and see if i can get 'er started up!