beerme

In my case there were options for both fly wheels....You might check with your shop and see if they have an option for the smaller fly wheel.

Best of luck

Chevrolet12

I may check with eagle but I believe if I go that route I would have to have the flexplate balanced the same as the 400 flexplate. I have a buddy at a local machine shop and have been talking with him a bit and recommended the mini high torque starter for 153 and 168 tooth. He said I can shim them in and out more than the staggered starters. Idk. And they really aren't that expensive and the others were warranty anyway.

WVZR-1

I avoided commenting because you keep insisting "you know" BUT just because the knurled portion "seems" to be appropriate doesn't make it so. The drive end housing has 10mm bores (or should have) and the bolts I suggested to you by GM part # are meant to be used in the 10mm housing bore. 3/8 hardware used there in itself seems to suggest that you would have failures and you mention 2, now maybe the third.

You mention it was suggested to maybe machine the pad where it meets the block. That has possible potentials and might not be that difficult to accomplish. I believe there's a "casting web" that connects the mounting pad bosses to the block and it's recessed so you could likely just reduce the material at the two bosses. I'd maybe consider buying just the drive end housing and working with it. I might also consider chasing down a "correct" JY used OE starter and check it's fit. If that fits build it.

An alternative - buy an after-market BUT be sure to buy one that has a "removable" mounting pad so that IF you still have the misfit out of the box the mounting pad could be machined for a correct fit.

If your issue is a quality of the FLYWHEEL supplied these seem likely much less aggravation than doing what's required in this car to replace the flywheel.

This thread should certainly serve as an "educational tip" for anyone to confirm starter fitment BEFORE the engine install.

Find a dealer with the bolts I mentioned in stock and compare yours with theirs using "instruments".

I believe the "knurl" on them is actually dual dimensioned. The bolt will be 10mm with a short knurl of that spec and closer to the threads the knurl would be reduced to match the 3/8-16 of the engine block.

Chevrolet12

I do understand all of that. And I also had a buddy that has been building circle track engines for 40 years come take a look and seen what I seen. Too far away. Checked bolts. Correct. That's out of the way now. No shims under the starter closest it can be too far away. Changed flexplate because it got chewed a little.. Now I'm getting a little high torque racing starter and see if I can get it close enough

Chevrolet12

I bought a new high torque Hitachi starter and installed it.. All clearances were perfect out of the box. Cranked it quite a few times and no problems. Works flawless. I don't know what the deal is with the factory style starters but they will not work. So I can stick with this style starter..

WVZR-1

Sheet happens ... no doubt BUT you don't know that maybe the flywheel wasn't the issue. You can't just blame the PMGR-260 style motor entirely. You replaced "both" again and this time you were fortunate and I'm betting the flywheel this time wasn't from the same source either.

It's good you're happy and the situation seems resolved -

Chevrolet12

It wasn't the flywheel because it was all new. It come with my rotating assembly. I called eagle to get the correct replacement and it was a pioneer fra104 . I am going to assume it was because the tooth count on the starter. This one has 9. Or the inline bolt pattern. Whatever the problem I'm just going to stick with this starter on this engine. Like I said I never had this kind of problem with those starters before.