Hello everyone, I have been having an issue with my chevy 235 that I have in my 1950 3100. A couple of years ago I put a 235 in someone gave me. Ever since then I have issue with the starter not engaging the flywheel consistently. I will push the button with my foot and about half the time the starter will spin and not turn the motor over. So I have finally got around to trying to fix it, so I removed the tin cover from the clutch/ flywheel area so I could see the pinion gear and the flywheel. I had an assumption that the pinion gear was not going far enough back to line up with the flywheel. I laid under the truck and looked while my son pushed the button. The pinion gear went back far enough it seemed, but it still didn't turn the flywheel on every attempt. Which is strange because I saw the pinion gear go back, seem to line up with the flywheel and not turn it but still spun. I am not even sure how that is possible. I have a starter that I used to have on a 261 that I tried using on it, but I found out the 261 starter's pinion gear is bigger than the one for the 235 and it grinds the flywheel when I try to start it. I counted the teeth on the 235's starter pinion gear and it has nine. Does anyone know what the issue might be?
Both 6 volt (original to your 50) and 12 volt (don't know what your 261 was) starters have 9 teeth. But the tooth design is different and will not interchange. Likely that your 261 was 12 volts.
It is possible that the starter drive on your 235 is engaging, but defective.
Last edited by Bill Hanlon; 11/16/202512:29 AM.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
Change the starter drive. It has a one way clutch built into it to prevent overspeeding the armature when the engine starts, and if it fails it will slip both ways. Since 6V and 12V starter shafts are different diameters, it's difficult (but not impossible) to use the wrong one. Some guys are just too talented when it comes to using a BFH! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Your 50 came with a 6 volt starter and likely still had one. My 52 has a six volt starter and works quite well with a 12 volt system. Unless someone has changed the flywheel to a 12 volt version, I'll bet you still have a 6 volt starter.
Read the tech tip to find out how to tell difference.
'57 GMC 102, Original 347 V8, HydraMatic, 3.08 rear gear, added A/C, disk front brakes, HEI, AFB carb, '98 Honda Black Currant paint. T-boned and totaled 10/12 '52 GMC 152 Stake Bed, Original 228, SM420, added A/C, HEI, disk front brakes, '67 Chev 3.55 rear gear. Gets used as a real truck.
Count the teeth on the flywheel, not the starter pinion. A 6V flywheel has 139 teeth- - - -a 12V flywheel has 168 teeth. The 9 tooth pinion gears on the starter drives have a slightly different pitch angle to match up with the flywheel. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
So, I got a starter repair kit from NAPA for a 235. I noticed the starter drive is shorter than the original. Will the new one work, I don't know how much shorter it could be and still engage the flywheel. Also, is there a trick to pull the old starter drive off, I cannot find anything that seems to be holding it on, I already removed the snap ring, but the gear seems to get stuck at the groove where the snap ring went.
That starter drive will not work. Measure the diameter of the armature shaft to see if you need a drive for a 6V or a 12V starter- - - - -they're different. Also, the driving lugs on the armature shaft are straight on the 6V , and angled on the 12V armature to make the drive gear rotate a little as it engages. To get the drive off the shaft, file, grind, or sand any burrs away where the snap ring attaches. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
