Thread: Starter pinion not close enough to the flywheel

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I have a recently purchased 69 corvette convertible, solid driver. It has a 383 NOM. It appears it is from a 70 - 75 Chevy, maybe newer. The new HI Torque starter I just purchased is supposed to be .1 to .140 inches away from flywheel at rest, (not the mesh gap distance). It is about .350. One other stock motor appears also to be about that far. The starter I removed was father than that and made a loud noise when I first stated it. Clearly too far away.

Is there a 350 that requires a longer starter nose to get closer to the flywheel.
Any ideas.

thanks
cal

cal

Automatic or 4/5 speed?
Do you know the tooth count/size of the flywheel/flexplate?

There are 2 sizes for automatics-- 153 & 168 tooth starters. I dont know if this is true for 4/5 speed trans.
Try to research starters. There are a few that advertise they work with either a 153 or 168
flexplate ring gear. I dont know if this is true with 4/5 speeds.
Anyone add to this?

( edit )
Does the starter mount boss have 3 holes? 2 straight across from each other & 1 kinda at an angle?

It is a 4 speed. 168 tooth flywheel. The starter has the correct part number for a 69 corvette. The pinion will mesh correctly it is just not close enough to the flywheel. It engages only 25 to 33 percent of the pinion. I have heard there is a longer nosed starter but cant find a part number. I cant believe the flywheel is set to far in.

thanks

cal

GM indeed used two different starter snouts starting in the '70's. You can read about it on the Crankshaft Coalition - http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/w...#Starter_noses but I think what you need is the starter with the staggered mounting holes (for a 168 tooth flywheel) as opposed to the one that's straight across (for a 153 tooth flywheel). I saw one note saying that they had luck asking for a 1972 truck starter, but can't say for sure. I'd go to NAPA and have them pull both of the GM starters that they list across the late '60's thru the '70's, with yours in hand for comparison.

I have a mini starter that uses both sets of holes. I have it set for 168. At rest the pinion is still .360 away from the pressure plate. Will not engage completely Can the plate be located to far forward. The motor runs great.

thanks
cal

I take it that its an aftermarket starter???????????????why not use a chevy one on it??????????

Going to try one today, however I have the original starter (rebuilt) from my other 69 and it also sets too far back. I wanted to try a hi torque starter on this 383.

cal

Cal,
If you look at the Wiki information, the cast iron snout is different in length from the cast aluminum snout on the OEM. My initial thought is that while your starter will bolt to either the in-line or staggered block pattern, the position of the bendix is wrong. I'd be calling Summit to talk to them about the different starters they sell, and which one works for you. The problem is you don't really know what year your engine was built or the model application, so you have to go by dimensions and that's a lot harder in today's computer driven parts listings.

Can you tell if its a stock flywheel and if the ring gear is on it correctly?? not crooked/run out or too far back?????????

I been out in the shop looking at crankshafts, blocks, flywheels,etc-many possibilities-----I didn't measure anything but with the possibility of one piece/2 piece rear seal cranks, 153/168 flywheels, and all the different years of blocks--I'd bet that you have an aftermarket starter component that is either wrong application or defectice in some way/fit-

If you can measure the distance from the back edge of your block to the ring gear I will install a flywheel on an engine in progress and measure to see if they match-----------

168 flywheel, manual. The starter was for a 69 corvette 350. I have now tried a 72 stock starter and it has enough throw to reach The flywheel. The hi torque mini starter will not. I have also been told a big block starter will bolt up and has a longer throw.

I am checking. Still do not understand why there is a difference in flywheel gap.
I can measure from the back of the bell housing to where the flywheel starts will that help.

thanks
cal