Ok well it's a 350 bored .30 over so it's technically a 355. Well it runs great, still in the break-in process.


My issue is that it doesn't want to start half the time. The starter just makes this god awful whining and grinding noise and the motor doesn't turn. So does this mean I need more than an OEM replacement starter? Do I need a higher performance starter with more starting torque to crank it?


Thanks in advance for your help

 

the armiture might be bad in the starter. if your going to replace it id say go with a mini starter cause the oem ones wind up real close to the headers. then again if your running manifolds the oem is fine. did you build this motor or someone else? is this the starter that was originally on the car? if not did the starter come with it on already? it might also be a shimming issue but i doubt it. if its shimmed incorrectly youll eventually break the gear on the starter. i would check to make sure it has a shim in it. it could also be binding up u could usually hit the body of the starter to free it up while cranking it. even if that does work your better off just buying one or rebuilding it.

 

to me it sounds like u need to shim it or take some out.... sorry to say but a new starter may be needed and posibly flywheel depending on the damage....

 

I helped build the motor but I had a mechanic friend put it in while I was away for work.


He put the starter on when he dropped in the motor and all that. It isn't original, it is new. It also has maybe 10 starts on it, probably less.

I am going to pull it tomorrow and take a look at the gear and check the shims. I really hope I don't need a new flywheel.

 

i hope so good ..thata a bit** to do... while in the car....get urself a mini ive only hear good things about them

 

itll break the starter gear first. my buddies 73 camaro used to break starter gears constantly never hurt the fly wheel. i believe you can buy the shims seprately. i am in no way a mechanic but just what ive had happen. this tells you how to check for it. good luck. let me know how you make out. oh yeah if you need any parts for that thing let me know. ive got somethings i want to get rid of.
http://www.bulitpruf.com/bulitpruf_super_clutch.htm

 

i agree with Budsjlm. i've seen this problem many times. just start with one shim and see how that works. otherwise take it to a shop and they could shim it for small fee.

 

well guys, I tightened up the bolts on the starter and got it to crank for the last two days. Today at the gas station it did it again. The flywheel is in good shape no chipped or missing teeth just a little shiny from where the gear on the starter isn't fully engaging.

The starter Gear looks to be in good shape too. But it will free spin and make no other noise and the other half the time it will half engage and grind. Now there are no shims. But if I shimmed it what difference would it really make? Wouldn't adding shims actually pull it away from the flywheel?

You guys have been a big help this far. So keep it coming

 

where your starter bolts up are the holes parallel or diagnle? there are two different flywheels and starters and some small blocks are drilled for both. theres a 154 and 168 tooth fly wheel.

 

Diagonal, and the flywheel is a custom 168 tooth flywheel (I believe, it may have been 153)



I solved my problem by switching out the starter that the mechanic put on (for a 2001 silverado 3500) with a starter for a 1976 C10 pickup. We are all good and off and running.


Next weekend I am doing the oil pan gasket and front and rear main seals. If anyone has any tips for that it would be greatly appreciated. Wish me luck, and thanks again fellas.