Starter woes - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

rayfinseats · 03-01-2012, 01:51 AM

I had it fixed for a couple months. Now I'm throwing in the towel. New flexplate and a new not rebuilt starter and taking it to a mechanic. One thing I learned about starters is Oriylee (spelled wrong on purpose) starters suck. The first $30 rebuilt tore up my flexplate. Then I went to a NEW chinese made starter and the bolts were coming loose that hold the starter together even after using lock tite. Then the replacement broke a tooth off the starter.
I finally had it working great for 2 months and now all of the sudden the flexplate is grinding bad. I must have hit the bad spot.
I found out that a SBC will stop in one of three different spots on the flexplate. The paper clip spacing trick seems to be the winner winner chicken dinner and I did add a front brace.
Funny, I've had small block chevys now for over 30 years and never had this many problems with starters. I guess the quality of the crap shipped into this country isn't what it used to be. I couldn't even find an ac delco starter unless I went to a dealer reman for $180. I'm sure I'll get it whipped now but dam...

joe231 · 03-01-2012, 01:54 AM

Paper clip trick?
Posted via Mobile Device

rayfinseats · 03-01-2012, 01:58 AM

As a feeler gauge between the gears...

joe231 · 03-01-2012, 02:06 AM

All the small block starters I've bought in the last 5+ years came with a spacer rod to set alignment along with directions on how to use it. I guess I lucked out, no shimming was required.
Posted via Mobile Device

rayfinseats · 03-01-2012, 02:13 AM

Ya, I tried that too.

joe231 · 03-01-2012, 02:21 AM

That sucks.
Posted via Mobile Device

rayfinseats · 03-01-2012, 02:32 AM

What really sucks is, as I was following the tow truck with my 1990 truck the 700r4 in it went out.

joe231 · 03-01-2012, 02:35 AM

When it rains...it pours
Posted via Mobile Device

rayfinseats · 03-04-2012, 12:35 AM

It looks like the starter was just barely contacting the teeth. No shims. The new flexplate and starter seem to mesh really good. The quality of the starter seems to be the issue. The flexplate didn't look too bad except a couple teeth. That must have been where it was slipping. It looked really good as we were spinning it over.

hopped up · 03-04-2012, 12:53 AM

Ivegot the same problem! About to pull my tranny and change my flywheel tommorrow
Posted via Mobile Device

rayfinseats · 03-06-2012, 10:42 PM

Problem solved. Will never buy an OREILLLY starter ever again. Junk. Wally mart batteries are also junk. 3-4 of those in the last year. Turned tha last one in for a core. Good riddens. Next time i'll get this starter rebuilt if need be.

motornut · 03-06-2012, 11:20 PM

pulled my flywheel bout a year ago,found three areas worn
new starter no shims needed,sometimes it starts first bump
was wondering how bad it was so i laid them ontop of each other
didn't look that bad when in tho

joe231 · 03-06-2012, 11:51 PM

I've heard people have bad luck with wal-mart batteries...
But I've been running the EverStart MAXX batteries in everything I own for over 10 years with no problems what do ever...
Strange...

Glad you got it fixed!!
Posted via Mobile Device

03-01-2012, 01:51 AM	#1
rayfinseats Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: sioux city, iowa Posts: 619	Starter woes I had it fixed for a couple months. Now I'm throwing in the towel. New flexplate and a new not rebuilt starter and taking it to a mechanic. One thing I learned about starters is Oriylee (spelled wrong on purpose) starters suck. The first $30 rebuilt tore up my flexplate. Then I went to a NEW chinese made starter and the bolts were coming loose that hold the starter together even after using lock tite. Then the replacement broke a tooth off the starter. I finally had it working great for 2 months and now all of the sudden the flexplate is grinding bad. I must have hit the bad spot. I found out that a SBC will stop in one of three different spots on the flexplate. The paper clip spacing trick seems to be the winner winner chicken dinner and I did add a front brace. Funny, I've had small block chevys now for over 30 years and never had this many problems with starters. I guess the quality of the crap shipped into this country isn't what it used to be. I couldn't even find an ac delco starter unless I went to a dealer reman for $180. I'm sure I'll get it whipped now but dam... Last edited by rayfinseats; 03-01-2012 at 02:16 AM.

03-01-2012, 01:54 AM	#2
joe231 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Palmer, Alaska Posts: 13,821	Re: Starter woes Paper clip trick? Posted via Mobile Device __________________ *CHEVY ONLY*

03-01-2012, 01:58 AM	#3
rayfinseats Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: sioux city, iowa Posts: 619	Re: Starter woes As a feeler gauge between the gears...

03-01-2012, 02:06 AM	#4
joe231 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Palmer, Alaska Posts: 13,821	Re: Starter woes All the small block starters I've bought in the last 5+ years came with a spacer rod to set alignment along with directions on how to use it. I guess I lucked out, no shimming was required. Posted via Mobile Device __________________ *CHEVY ONLY*

03-01-2012, 02:13 AM	#5
rayfinseats Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: sioux city, iowa Posts: 619	Re: Starter woes Ya, I tried that too.

03-01-2012, 02:21 AM	#6
joe231 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Palmer, Alaska Posts: 13,821	Re: Starter woes That sucks. Posted via Mobile Device __________________ *CHEVY ONLY*

03-01-2012, 02:32 AM	#7
rayfinseats Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: sioux city, iowa Posts: 619	Re: Starter woes What really sucks is, as I was following the tow truck with my 1990 truck the 700r4 in it went out.

03-01-2012, 02:35 AM	#8
joe231 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Palmer, Alaska Posts: 13,821	Re: Starter woes When it rains...it pours Posted via Mobile Device __________________ *CHEVY ONLY*

03-04-2012, 12:35 AM	#9
rayfinseats Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: sioux city, iowa Posts: 619	Re: Starter woes It looks like the starter was just barely contacting the teeth. No shims. The new flexplate and starter seem to mesh really good. The quality of the starter seems to be the issue. The flexplate didn't look too bad except a couple teeth. That must have been where it was slipping. It looked really good as we were spinning it over.

03-04-2012, 12:53 AM	#10
hopped up Registered User Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: los angeles,ca Posts: 3,617	Re: Starter woes Ivegot the same problem! About to pull my tranny and change my flywheel tommorrow Posted via Mobile Device

03-06-2012, 10:42 PM	#11
rayfinseats Registered User Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: sioux city, iowa Posts: 619	Re: Starter woes Problem solved. Will never buy an OREILLLY starter ever again. Junk. Wally mart batteries are also junk. 3-4 of those in the last year. Turned tha last one in for a core. Good riddens. Next time i'll get this starter rebuilt if need be.

03-06-2012, 11:20 PM	#12
motornut 78K & 79C Jimmys Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Ottawa Ont CANADA Posts: 7,901	Re: Starter woes pulled my flywheel bout a year ago,found three areas worn new starter no shims needed,sometimes it starts first bump was wondering how bad it was so i laid them ontop of each other didn't look that bad when in tho Attached Images __________________ John 1978 GMCJimmy4X4-350/203 1979 GMCJimmy4X2-305/350

03-06-2012, 11:51 PM	#13
joe231 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Palmer, Alaska Posts: 13,821	Re: Starter woes I've heard people have bad luck with wal-mart batteries... But I've been running the EverStart MAXX batteries in everything I own for over 10 years with no problems what do ever... Strange... Glad you got it fixed!! Posted via Mobile Device __________________ *CHEVY ONLY*



Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.

Register or Log In To remove these advertisements.