Alright, since I got the motor in I've been having trouble with the starter. Right after the motor was in the car, the starter would grind, say 1 out of four times, so I shimmed it with two shims. Great, no grinding for 7 or 8 starts, then it started intermittently grinding again, about once every five times. Then it quit starting all together, so I added another shim, didn't help. :(

The flexplate is new, the starter is the same one that was on the car when I pulled the motor out. The flexplate was the same size as the original, but I didn't check its curvature. The next flexplate "appears" closer to the nose of the starter, but I don't think this is causing the problem. The teeth on the flexplate look great, but the starter is getter pretty sharp and thin.

There is also something on the starter hub I didn't notice before, I don't know if it just happened, is supposed to be this way, or if its been this way for a while. Right at the end of the hub(away from the starter) is a bushing that looks kind of like a lock-washer.

I'm going to get someone to tap the starter while I lay under the car tomorrow and see if I can see the problem.

Now the car sits, with a grinding starter and no way to start it...any help is appreciated...

 

It sounds like maybe the starter jammed up and broke a tooth off the gears or something..you will need to drop the starter down and check the gears, also note the wear patterns where it made it shiny.Check the flexplate too and the teeth on them.
DId you get an aftermarket flywheel?

 

Bill, the starter still has all of its gears, but they are wearing fast.

I can't find anybody to tap the starter for me, I think the shaft might be moving up/down and thats causing the problem...I'm not sure though.

I thought the flexplate was OEM, they looked identical minus the curvature I didn't check, both are balanced for an externally balanced motor.

 

A word of advice....have your original starter rebuilt by a reputable shop. Don't go out and buy one of those lifetime warranty rebuilt starters (the ones where you hand them your old one and they get a rebuilt off the shelf).

I did this with my old '79 Vette I had and could never get it aligned properly. I must have brought the starter back 10 times and getting a new one and still no luck. I wound up finally having to replace the flexplate and getting a Tildon gear reduction starter.

Sounds like you should get the starter rebuilt if there is that much wear on the starter.

 

Hey Canyon,

My truck is just sitting outside right now not starting either.:( I went to start it and the starter would just grind on the flywheel. Martin came over (I am in Dallas) and we looked at it. At first we thought it was the timing being so way out of wack that it was turning the starter back. Then we pulled the starter and the bolts that were holding the starter up were not starter bolts, and the starter wobbled some when the bolts were all the way tight. So we went to Napa and got some "starter bolts" and that fixed that problem. Now the truck still won't start, but it doesn't grind. He's coming back over here (to a friends) tomorrow and we are going to change my plugs, hopefully they are so fouled that it isn't sparking.

But, check your bolts, make sure they are "starter bolts" and your starter doesn't wobble around, it could of moved out of allingment or something.

Talk to you later,

foxspy
1990 Chevy 454ss
ZZ502 1000cfm Accel/Speed Pro FI

 

Hey Lee,

I swapped the starter and now I'm having no worries with the starting. I moved my fans to in front of the radiator and they work great in the cold, hopefully they'll work in Phoenix too. Now all thats left is the transmission. I pulled the governor and cleaned it, still nothing...the tranny shop is coming up sometime this week, I cancelled my appointment for Friday because it wouldn't start.

Good luck getting your truck running, hopefully my car will be done by next weekend.

Talk to you later,
Canyon