The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Starter Problem Help Please

I have a 1953 Chevy 3800 with a 66 or newer 292 engine that has a starter problem. When I bought the truck the starter did work but one of the bolt holes on the starter housing was broken out and the starter was hanging loose. I went to a junkyard and got another starter off a 292, bolted it up and the starter won't engage. It just clunks real bad. I changed the nose of the junkyard starter to the other starter with the broken nose, bolted it up and still have the same problem. The original starter had markings in paint, saying 70 Chevy 1-Ton 4 Sp V8. Did GM make two differant starters for differant flywheels? Help Please, Thanks in advance,
Ralph

I know for sure that GM made at least two different flywheels, maybe more. A starter built for one flywheel won't work on another flywheel with a different set of teeth. You need a "flywheel dentist"...

Ralph,
Will the engine turn over by other means than the starter? Make sure the engine is not stuck. No amount of starters will fix the problem. Could have fuel or water in the cylinders - hydrostatic lock.
Fred

Maybe you can take the starters a part and swap the front part that's broke.

The engine does turn over by hand, it's not stuck. I think my next move is to count the teeth on the flywheel. This might prove to be a challange but don't know what else to try.
Thanks, Ralph

From the best of my knowledge, the flywheel should have 168 teeth which is the same as a V-8 of that era. The starter should have 3 horizontal mount holes to the bellhousing which is also the same as the V-8 (if it has a standard trans). Since it worked once it should need the same nose but it sounds like you have been there. Try to post some pictures and perhaps someone may have additional ideas.
Fred

I am still not making any progress with the starter problem. The flywheel has 168 teeth, I removed the solenoid and operated by hand and the bendix slid right into the ringear. I shimmed the starter a little and thought I was making some headway but got delayed, had to have thr radiator rebuilt, that took two weeks. Radiator back in and now tested starter, same old thing, clunks bad and won't turn over. I am now going to remove the solenoid again and try to engage by hand and then turn flywheel to see if it binds up or what is going on. Thanks for any ideas to help solve the problem, Ralph

Ralph,

Your previous posts indicate your starter is a key switched solenoid type. When the key is turned to START and the solenoid energizes, it drives two copper discs together at the end of its travel. This is the switch that powers the starter so it will spin. You say your starter just goes 'clunk'. Is the starter actually trying to turn or is the starter drive just blasting into the ring gear properly but not closing the switch and spinning the starter.

Have you pulled the starter and cycled it on the bench with a battery or charger to see it pull in and spin. These are two separate operations.

Stuart

The starter does try to engage but the drive gear will not match up with the flywheel. I removed the solenoid and engaged the drive gear with the flywheel and it went right in. Then I turned the flywheel with the drive gear engaged, this is when it got bound up and wouldn't turn. This tells me the gear ratio is wrong between starter drive and ring gear. GM might have made two different starter drive gears or someone might have changer the flywheel causing the problem. Still checking on a solution, all sugestions appreciated, Thanks, Ralph

Hy grain truck, Just to clarify, your starter bolts to the engine block with vertical bolts, or it bolts to the bellhousing with horizontal bolts? If it is bolted to the engine with vertical bolts, shims can be installed between the starter and the engine block, installing shims increases the clearance between the flywheel ring gear and the starter drive gear, a shim set comes with all rebuilt vertical mount chevy starters, hope that helps

The Starter mounts by 3 Horizontal bolts and I am thinking that it should not use shims. I am going to get a number off the flywheel and go to Chevy dealer and see if they can give me any help.
Thanks,
Ralph

This is a tough one. I,ve juggled GM starters & flywheels for many years & never have had that problem. Put the starter in a vise or on the bench & hook booster cables to it. Put a screw driver from the S term to the pos. cable. The gear should come forward & the starter should spin fast. You can put a new gear on the flywheel.

I hung the old starter on loose and it will turn the engine over, so that is where it stands right now. going to run it like that for now. Looks like a transmission teardown some time this summer to check out further. Thanks for all the help, Ralph