GTOMike06

I bought a summit racing mini starter and it says it will fit a staggered or in line bolt pattern but it doesn't fit my staggered block without hitting the headers or the block. I went to orilleys and bought a suburban mini gear reduction starter. I tried to fit it on and it fit perfect but it left me with a couple questions before I tear up my brand new flywheel.

How do I get around the nose cone to make sure it doesn't need to be shimmed? There isn't any room under the bellhousing to pull the bendix out.

The starter bolts don't fit snug in the holes in the starter and leave quite a bit of play. I'm sure it's because the starter is designed for metric bolts but my block takes standard threads.

Also it's a 12.5 compression big block will this starter be enough to crank it?

Ironcross

It will work just fine...and your right about the bolts...I believe that there is bolts manufactured specifically to use a metric nose....Smart move by using the GM mini starter.....You do not shim GM starters....All my engines are 11-1 and higher , but I use the cast iron nose heavy duty starters for a 396/427 and sell both...Mine don't miss a beat

Kid Vette

I discovered that GM makes starter bolts to adapt these mini-starters to the Gen I small blocks. These are for the 153 tooth (straight bolt pattern) flywheel starters.



The short one is PN 14037733 and the long one is 12338064. They have 10mm shanks with 3/8" threads.

I think the staggered pattern uses 2 of the long ones (12338064). You should measure to make sure.

GTOMike06

I did some searching and it looks like dorman part number 678-107 is the same as gm 12338064. It would be easier to get the dorman since orilleys carries it versus driving to a dealership to get the gm part.

So I don't need any shims at all? Just bolt it on and go. My motor is a 70s 454 and the starter is off a late model 454 so I figured it might be close.

jnb5101

I use a GM mini on my 1973 454 block with the metric-SAE bolts and didn't need any shims. Spins that motor like a top!

zwede

You can get the special bolts, or you can get a section of thin-wall brass tubing at the HW store. It happens to fit just perfectly and removes the slop.

Sometimes even the GM starter needs shims. Mine did (late model GM starter off a truck, going on a 454 LS-5).

There's a small hole at the bottom of the starter. You can bend a small screw driver to fit in there and pull the bendix out.

GTOMike06

I found the dorman bolts and the auto parts store said they'll be in this afternoon. I might try bending a screwdriver to make sure it's good before I tear up a $250 flywheel. I was thinking about getting somebody to hit the key and putting a screwdriver behind it to see if it fits good.

mrvette

IF you get to energize that solenoid, you obviously need take that heavy output stud off the starter motor and so it don't spin and botch up all your crap.....

I have an '89 truck block 355 in mine, and so use the 'mini' starter.....no shim since my Pontiac daze.....that's been about 25+ years now.....