Engine alined bored now starter issues to flexplate
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 339
Likes: 1
From: Levittown Pa
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 I have mill down the starter mounting to bring the starter up to match the teeth?.
If so any idea on how much?
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2023
Posts: 106
Likes: 4
From: West des moines iowa
Starter
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??
153 teeth or
168 teeth
sounds to me you might have the wrong flex plate..is new one same diamter as the old one??
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2023
Posts: 2,739
Likes: 1,610
From: Poplar Bluff MO
Sounds like a 153 tooth flex plate with an offset bolt pattern starter.
Do you have a photo of the underside of the starter?
Are the bolts for the starter straight across or offset?
Link to the flex plate and starter.
JT
Do you have a photo of the underside of the starter?
Are the bolts for the starter straight across or offset?
Link to the flex plate and starter.
JT
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 339
Likes: 1
From: Levittown Pa
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.
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.
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,924
Likes: 735
From: Youngstown Ohio
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.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 1,679
Likes: 586
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.
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.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 339
Likes: 1
From: Levittown Pa
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.
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.
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Drifting
Joined: Jun 2025
Posts: 1,679
Likes: 586
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 starter brand 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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
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 starter brand 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.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
