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My buddy has a Camaro with a healthy hi-compression 350 (about 11.5 to 1). This thing likes to eat starters. They'll work for about two to six months and die. He's tried starters from a few different auto-parts stores and have had the same (lack of) success. Since they're stock starters, I'm thinking the high compression is what's killing them. This got me to thinking about the early 90's 4.3L equipped 4WD S-10's. These had gear reduction starters installed in them from the factory. My thinking is I can grab one of these starters and put it in his Camaro. It's smaller, lighter by about 10 pounds, and it costs $154 from Autozone. If I remember correctly the gear reduction is 3.3 to 1, so this should be a good bucks-down mini-starter. I could go even cheaper and pull it at the junkyard. Has anyone here heard or done the same thing? I'd like some thoughts on this if anyone has any...
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
Thanks for the info Two Lane. My buddy wouldn't go with the mini-starter. Said he had enough of mini-starters. We got the S-10 starter today. It's a hell of alot smaller than the original direct drive starter that was in it. We also got a Ford solenoid so I could do the remote starter solenoid install (here's the link on how to do that if anyone needs it... http://www.maliburacing.com/starter_solenoid.html). We ran into a problem in the starter mounting pad on the engine though. The inner bolt hole had a small stress crack running from it, and the outer bolt hole had a chunk of metal broken off from the outside of the tab. My buddy ran a piece of threaded rod as far up into the outer bolt hole as he could get it, and double-nutted the other end once we put the starter in place. I don't think this is going to hold. I think the rest of the tab is going to break off, leaving what's left of the outer bolt hole useless. The only way I know how to fix that problem is to use a starter plate kit like what they used on the old chevy 265's if you wanted to run a tranny other than a powerglide. If that's the case, he's going to hate it when I tell him that he'll have to get another starter for it! ;D Anyone else have any ideas on how to fix this problem?Comment
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
new block.
Probably the bolt hole problems were part of the problem with eating starters.
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"If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurkComment
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
I've had the same problem before... It's on my backup engine in the garage. I cut the ear off the block and bolted a chunk of steel in it's place and then drilled and tapped it. I'll try to get a picture up a little later.Comment
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
I'd mentioned to him about the possiblity of having to replace the block. Obviously, he wasn't thrilled with that prospect. ;) After seeing the mounting pad, I agree with you about the bolt holes. This is the first time I've had a chance to really look at and put my hands on this particular car. Whoever owned it before him liked to do hack jobs, and the "qualified mechanics" he's taken the car to for repairs since he's owned it haven't been any better. With some work, it would be a really nice car. I'm going to mention the starter plate kit and see what he says. He's been bitching about the stall of the current tourque converter in it anyway, so that would give him the excuse he needs to drop the transmission. If he doesn't want do do it, I may offer him a little cash and take it off of his hands. Again, thanks Two Lane and squirrel. You guys have validated my thoughts on how to fix the problems with this car.Originally posted by squirrelComment
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
Cool. I posted my previous post before I had a chance to look at this one. Since it's your backup engine, I assume you added the chunk of steel while it's been out of the car. One thing I've noticed is there's not much room to work on one of these F-bodies with full length headers. Again, it would give him the excuse he needs to replace his tourque converter if we have to pull the engine. Thanks for the help! ;DOriginally posted by Dans 83Comment
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
after destroying quite a few starters trying to start a engine with 65 degrees and 13.5:1 i would like to add something here.
i don't think the major problem is compression. i think the main problem is timing. if he had a ignition cut of switch, and fliped it on while the engine was spinning it might add some life to those poor starters.Originally posted by TCComment
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
Hey!! Not to bad for my first time posting pics... I got 2 out of 3! And your right it's not a job you want to do in the car! But I think it turned out pretty good for an angle grinder and a file. The only machining I did was the countersinks for the bolts that hold it to the block but I don't that it was even needed. The broken block is the reason for going through starters. The starter pivots on the inside bolt, kicking the drive gear away from the flexplate... putting abnormal stress on the starter shaft, sometimes even cracking the nose piece on the starter. This fix worked out great... otherwise it wouldn't be my backup!!Comment
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
Nice work DansComment
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
Thanks... I had another block but it was stock and would have needed to be bored .030 and decked... this seemed to be a cheaper way to go!Originally posted by LobucrodComment
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
that's nice!
also there is a starter that bolts to the face of the bellhousing that is used on the older Chevys from the 50s, up to 72 on trucks with manual trans. You could make (or buy?) a motor plate to go between the engine and trans and bolt that early starter to it.
It's called the "3 bolt starter"
maybe a Lakewood scattershield motor plate (look on ebay) would work? you'd have to be sure to install the front starter brace
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"If it don't go, chrome it!" --Stroker McGurkComment
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
Well, my friend's Camaro is down again. This time, some teeth ended up breaking off of the flywheel. When I installed the starter I made sure to measure the flywheel to starter teeth spacing (went to three different spots on the flywheel) and everything measured fine. When I started the car, I noticed the starter bogging down occasionally, and he said all of his starters on this car did that. After inspecting the carnage and offering a few opinions as to the cause, he stated that he was on his fourth flywheel in this car! This was news to me, as he had never mentioned anything about going through all these flywheels. I asked him where he got the motor and he said he bought it off of a guy who "had it rebuilt for one of his cars, but decided to put another motor in it". I asked if, during the rebuild, did the guy have the mains align bored and honed or if anything had been done with the crankshaft and he said he didn't know. It sound like either the crankshaft has something wrong with the flywheel mounting area, or the mains are out of alignment. Either way, I told him I wasn't touching the car again unless it was to pull the motor. The guy has 10 Grand in this car...most of it in the motor. For that damn much money, I'm going to know everything I can about the motor! My opinion is to pull the motor and get a new/rebuilt short block, pull most of the stuff off of his old motor, buy a new cam, and carry on smartly from there. Anyone here have any ideas I haven't thought of for this pile?Comment
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Re: Another GM Starter Question...
If the line bore was off shimming the starter would solve the problem I think... But you may be onto something with the flywheel being off center. Have you looked at the depth of engagment on the flywheel... if the tourque converter isn't seated fully into the crank the mounting points will pull on the flywheel pulling it away from the starter gear at the converter bolting points!Comment
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