Starter shims on 2000 3.8L
 

Anyone ever run into an issue with their starter? I am having an issue with mine, grinding after the motor starts and was told by the previous owner that his son may not have put any shims on the starter when he replaced it. Just curious if anyone has had their starter off and if it had shims on it.

Some rebuilders will mill .001 or so off the mounting surface of the starter to insure it is flat. Most of the time there's enough clearance between the ring gear and drive gear of the starter so that shims aren't required, but if that clearance was near minimum spec to begin with then shims will be required to add clearance. This problem becomes most apparent on older vehicles where a starter may have been rebuilt multiple times, but I have also run into it on newer vehicles.

Sounds like the plunger isn't retracting fully to me. Shims would only lower the position of the starter not move it toward the front of the engine. If it's rubbing it would be my guess that the bendix(gear) and plunger assembly aren't retracting fully after initial operation.

I have purchased a brand new starter to put in, just waiting for better weather. Never did care for rebuilds. I just wasn't sure, never dealt with shims before.

had to do mine on fathers day :/

o would have to agree with pacerss

here's a how to write up

http://montecarloforum.com/forum/how-section-30/3800-starter-replacemnet-how-pics-37164/

I just had a similar issue with the starter on my 98 3100. I'd heard of a starter shim before...pretty sure anyway...but I had no real idea what one was. Much less why you'd use one.

Anywho...my problem came from installing a new flexplate. Which then led to a needlessly replaced starter. And then finally digging around on the web long enough to finding a very helpful .pdf(link here + below). Which told me quite clearly that I needed to add some shims for extra clearance. And what do you know? 2½ .015" shims installed later(2 full + ½ on the bolt closest to the engine)...BINGO! :thumbsup:

Problem solved.

https://www1.remyinc.com/webpictures...ps/TBSTR01.pdf