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Engine alined bored now starter issues to flexplate
So installed new flexplate and high torque starter and they do not come even close. The starter gear is too far away.
do I have mill down the starter mounting to bring the starter up to match the teeth?.
If so any idea on how much?
Do you know how many teeth are on your flex plate..there is two different numbers
153 teeth or
168 teeth
sounds to me you might have the wrong flex plate..is new one same diamter as the old one??
The flexplate is 168 brand new and so is the 168 starter stagered mount.
Check out fast Monty starter shiming, he's explaining milling down the starter mount and why.
Butler performance sells pontiac milldown starters.
Last edited by Pat71vette; May 21, 2026 at 08:23 PM.
Most hi-torque mini starters have 2 sets of mounting holes. (For either 153 or 168 flywheels.) If your starter is about 1/2" away from engaging, you used the wrong set of mounting holes. Just move it over to the closer holes.
line honing/line boring crank's centerline thru crank saddles certainly can and does raise the crank centerline. CL moves closer to cam centerline. Some is faced off of each of the Five main bearing caps; then line bored/honed. Suggest ask Your local Pro auto machinist. Prima facie proof is the fact that "special" "shorter" timing sets are often necessary.
If block needs line hone/bore --- suggest your Pro also measure for deviation from lifter bore alignment.
Blueprinting an ailing block can become very pricey.
Thanks Rebelyell, exactly unfortunately my builder past away. So can't ask him. The starter I thinking maybe one to two thousands off the mount.
it's far enough right now from stock that it will chew up both gears.
Last edited by Pat71vette; May 22, 2026 at 05:55 AM.
That's too bad your builder passed away; but that's in the rearview now.
In all seriousness; suggest you find a Local Pro Automotive Machine Shop, who's leader is very much alive to the shop's everyday duties, then y'all get acquainted.
Estimating starter clearances can be fraught with rabbit holes.
Especially so when given today's Wide variety of starter options (And Their REQUIRED SPECIFIC starter bolts).
Lotsa guys use the WRONG starter bolts because they all look about the same, You may simply have the WRONG BOLTS.
So many not-so-obvious differences in Knurl OD and Taper. Those Bolts MUST be matched to starter brand and P/N.
Which starterbrand and part number are you trying to fit ? Which brand and part number starter bolts are you trying to fit ?
Pics can help here but they CANNOT meet need for accurate brands & P/Ns.
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WESTON MACHINE is a very good auto machine shop at Piscataway, New Jersey
About an hour N-NE of Levittown, PA. Charlie Weston has been the real deal pro auto machinist for a Looong time.
As mentioned, line boring does in fact raise the crank, typically .005" (which moves it far less from the starter because it's almost horizontal to the crank) so not enough to affect starter engagement. I personally know of three distinct starter snouts for 1st generation SBC, one each for its respective ring gear. None of them are "sort of close" if they're wrong, they're either right on the money, shimmable or way off. If you're dealing with a more modern generation I defer to those with more current knowledge.
I had to miIll down the starter mounting plate 60 thousands of inch. I also needed shorter starter bolts 4.33. I also tapped the third bolt hole for the starter and installed all three bolts .
engages perfect now I can move to next step. Thanks for everyones input.
Last edited by Pat71vette; May 27, 2026 at 09:16 PM.
Again, my so-called knowledge is rather obsolete so I've never seen any starter that mounts with three bolts but I'm willing to learn. Mind posting a photo? Glad you got it sorted!
Last edited by Tinkerah; May 28, 2026 at 05:19 AM.
Again, my so-called knowledge is rather obsolete so I've never seen any starter that mounts with three bolts but I'm willing to learn. Mind posting a photo? Glad you got it sorted!
^^^THIS^^^
and again, OP is probably using the wrong bolts to begin with; THAT happens A LOT.
BUT, we weren't gifted with any descriptive photos or part numbers; THAT happens A LOT as well.
^^^THIS^^^
and again, OP is probably using the wrong bolts to begin with; THAT happens A LOT.
BUT, we weren't gifted with any descriptive photos or part numbers; THAT happens A LOT as well.
I DID NOT use wrong bolts, they first set were brand new stock.
Second there is three holes in block depending on block. The starter is a high torque starter with a stagered pattern, one bolt hole is left rear, then two in front, some have both holes treaded and others do not.
I DID NOT use wrong bolts, they first set were brand new stock.
Second there is three holes in block depending on block. The starter is a high torque starter with a stagered pattern, one bolt hole is left rear, then two in front, some have both holes treaded and others do not.
That's no stock aka OE GM starter; Never was. Not old nor new. Not even close. IS some aftermarket likely based upon a Nippondenso design.
Likely was Not intended to use any stock aka OE GM bolts; likely intended to use some flavor of Aftermarket bolts.
Sure, it has a gear reduction, but just as unlikely to have permanent magnets. Instead, likely has wound field coils.
Sure as heck never intended to require use of Three starter bolts. Good luck with all that.
Again, my so-called knowledge is rather obsolete so I've never seen any starter that mounts with three bolts but I'm willing to learn. Mind posting a photo? Glad you got it sorted!
Here yah go !
But usually you only use two out of three
BUT ! A HUGE BUT - OP'S inner two bolts don't line up like original GM blocks have - just plain weird !
Well I learned something today. There are indeed starters that mount with three bolts (though I think two are still enough) but I think they're really rare.
Last edited by Tinkerah; May 30, 2026 at 04:04 PM.
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Engine alined bored now starter issues to flexplate
