stvaughn

I rebuilt the 283 in my 1960. The starter worked fine before I "fixed things". The things I changed that effect the starter are: dialed in the bellhousing using Robbie Mc's .007 dowel pins and a Browell Bellhousing alignment tool and turned the ring gear over. I do not remember which way I moved the bellhousing.

Now when I start the engine the starter gear will stay engaged for an extra second or so making an awful sound as the flywheel turns the starter. I have had the starter checked by a good starter mechanic and he say it's ok. With the starter mounted on the engine I can apply 12 volts to the solenoid only and the starter gear will engage just fine but when I remove power it will hang up at the front edge of the ring gear. When I apply a little rearward pressure to the starter gear it will retract into the starter. Turning the flywheel slightly also allows the gear to retract. When I apply power to the solenoid with the starter removed the starter gear pulls out and back in just fine. I know I have an alignment problem, just can't figure out how to solve it. Help appreciated.

Steve

Easy Rhino

Sounds like it could be misalignment between the starter gear and ring gear, which is remedied by shimming the starter, which adds clearance between the two gears.

stvaughn

The starter on a my 283 bolts directly to the bellhousing, not the block. How do you shim it away from the ring gear? CC shows this starter http://www.parts123.com/corvettecent...50e&ukey=44364 Will it fit my engine? If so that may be what I need. I do have two threaded holes in the block. It says 57-61, I have tried a '64 'Vette starter and the bolt dimensions are to wide.

Steve

MikeM

Put a shim under the center bolt to **** shim it. You may be fixing a symptom rather than the cause but that's how you shim it.

The CC starter is for the 153 tooth flywheel. The Corvette 283 engines didn't use that starter.

Easy Rhino

Shim sets are available for the classic two-bolt Chevy starter setup. I would consider using these, if that is your problem. They come with directions, and you can vary their thickness by stacking them up.

stvaughn

OK, Thanks, I'll give it a try.

Frankie the Fink

Before I do all that I'd take a really, really close look at the flywheel (flipped or not) and make sure the teeth aren't "hooked" or worn... Could have already been flipped once or worn too extensively for flipping to help.

Also think about replacing the starter drive anyway (about $9). That part can get weak but still look good on a bench test; just some cheap insurance.

Shimming a bell-housing mounted starter would be a bit down the list to solve the problem. Not sure what "**** shimming" is but I don't see how you can "****" the starter (regardless of how the bellhousing has been moved laterally) and maintain the parallel faces of the flywheel and starter drive gear. Maybe it works...

W Guy

Did you recheck the bellhousing centering after you installed the offset dowels?

Verne

MikeM

I suspect that is the real problem.

MikeM

The purpose of this forum is to learn from others that have been there before you. Never doubt me.

The OP asked how to shim a bellhousing mounted starter and I told him.

I would have suggested to change the starter drive also but his starter man on first base said the starter was good. Who am I to question that?

65tripleblack

In post #1 the OP states that he centered the BH using a ROBB MC alignment tool........nicknamed a "bowling pin". Use of that tool makes BH alignment foolproof! No mistakes like can happen with a dial indicator.

He stated that he flipped the ring gear over. Maybe he shouldn't have. If the starter was OK before he did those things, then there's no reason to suspect it now. I think he needs to shim the starter further away from the ring gear.

Frankie the Fink

I don't have issues with your advice, generally, mostly its the delivery.

Not sure I'd trust the "starter guy" opinion from applying voltage on a bench where there is no resistance to the drive slamming back and forth. Different story on a car with a rotating (perhaps slightly worn) flywheel....

That's all I'm sayin'

stvaughn

Yes, it was within .002-.003 of center.

stvaughn

The ring gear had the typical SBC wear. It was not terribly but it had never been flipped and the back side was perfect. Maybe if I had not flipped it there would have been enough wear to allow the starter gear to pull free, but I did, and I don't want to pull the transmission to reverse it just to see if that works. At least not yet.

MikeM noted that his suggestion was just a possible way to make it work and not necessarily the proper way. Since I don't know of a way to move the starter away from the ring gear in a parallel direction I will give it a try tomorrow and see if it works. If not....well I don't know, I may just have to live with it and hope something "wears in" before it wears out.

If it does work, then I will replace the drive gear for "insurance".

I do appreciate all the idea's guys.

Steve

Frankie the Fink

That's exactly what I would do. If cocking the starter makes things work properly then case closed. I can tell you I had a fit with my '61 starter when I got the car...swapping out the starter drive helped some. Turned out it was the engagement fork from the solenoid to the starter drive. It was worn in a very strange way and replacing it fixed me up completely. I wouldn't let the starter completely off the hook yet as the culprit !

That's the vertical piece between parts #2 and #6 in the picture

stvaughn

Well I decided to take the starter apart as Frankie suggested and it was not in the best of shape. The link was worn and since I wanted to replace the drive gear and it was not an O.E. starter anyway I just called my NAPA man and got a reman unit from him. It works fine.

Thanks for helping out.

Steve

Frankie the Fink

That's great.
Sometimes those off-the-car "bench tests" don't tell the whole story

Avispa

Sure glad you fixed it with a new starter. I kinda gritted my teeth (pun intended) at the idea of shimming one bolt on the starter. Do that and the starter teeth won't be parallel to the flywheel teeth. Seems like a fast way to need a new starter and flywheel ring gear.

MikeM

I had a guy worked for me that used to shim the bellhousing mounted starters with a wooden popsicle stick. None of them ever came back!

Sometimes, you gotta' do what you gotta' do.

But I never said that would fix the real problem.

stvaughn

I'm glad it worked also but , sometimes you gotta' do what ya gotta' do and if the shim had worked I would have used it. I do believe that I probably shifted the starter closer to the ring gear and that caused the original problem and if I ever dial in another bellhousing on a 283 I'll pay close attention to the way it moves.

Steve