Starter / ring gear issues

A

Arjen

Well-Known Member
Hello everyone

I seem to have some serious starter engagement problems on my 400ci block elco.
Any suggestions?
Oh and before I forget I am now the proud owner of my own 67 GTO!
 
some details and pictures , or the car, and starter on the engine,
would be helpful and is that a 400 pontiac or 400 chevy engine!
personally I think a properly built 400 Pontiac has some advantages
and yeah! I love the 1967 GTO body style, Ive built lots of pontiac engines ,
and swapped a few BBC engine into those cars over the decades

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pwm-9526

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/pwm-9112

Ive used both these starters in the past with no issues, obviously, you have hundreds of options




http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...-peanut-port-big-block-combo.2900/#post-44502

http://garage.grumpysperformance.co...ve-friends-with-similar-cars.5976/#post-87197
 
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Indycars said:
Needs pics of both the starter problem and your 67 GTO ...... please !
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Really nice GTO.
We don't have a "jealous" smiley, so I'll have to with this green one.:D

Did this starter ever work correctly on your 400 SBC, or did this problem just develop?
 
Loves302Chevy said:
Really nice GTO.
We don't have a "jealous" smiley, so I'll have to with this green one.:D

Did this starter ever work correctly on your 400 SBC, or did this problem just develop?
Click to expand...
The starter worked correctly on the previous 400 block. But never on the new one...
 
Get the Starter motor out.
Take a picture for me.
I know GM, Ford, & Chrysler starter motors better than anyone here stock OEM & Full Drag Race aftermarket models.

Several Variations of the 10 MT were made.
Special Armatures were used in early models with no part numbers stamped.
Only a Guy like me can Identify visual looking at a picture or in person.
Same with the Bendex pinion gear assembly.
 
And if the starter checks out OK, then unfortunately it's your block.
Blocks of that era sometimes had the starter mounting holes drilled in the wrong location, and shimming makes it even worse.
Let's see what Brian thinks first.
 
Loves302Chevy said:
And if the starter checks out OK, then unfortunately it's your block.
Blocks of that era sometimes had the starter mounting holes drilled in the wrong location, and shimming makes it even worse.
Let's see what Brian thinks first.
Click to expand...
I hope not Mike.
More often than not Factory 10 MT Starters were rebuilt 10-100 times by major auto chain stores sent to China or Mexico.
Terrible rebuilds done. Parts not replaced worn out. Inferior parts used.
Often the Chevy & Pontiac V8 Nose cones were Milled off to give a clean surface but too much machined away.
Should have been tossed in the scrap pile.
I know for a fact Pontiac V8 1955-1979 never ever had starter motor shims factory installed.
Not listed in any GM Service Manual to shim.
Tolerances were held tight factory New.
Starter shims came about from rebuilders deviating from OEM specs had to use shims.

Hard to tell what some one has without pictures, watching a video or seeing in person.

I have been told the Best select core Chevy Blocks were in installed into Corvettes.
C/K Chevy Trucks seem to be machined right.
I Love my 1999 Chevy Tahoe 4x4 with its 350 Votech engine.
Power like a 6.0 LS.
Just had to correct the Demo demons in that 4L60E trans, build myself & sink over $1K in new parts.
 
Maniacmechanic1 said:
I hope not Mike.
More often than not Factory 10 MT Starters were rebuilt 10-100 times by major auto chain stores sent to China or Mexico.
Terrible rebuilds done. Parts not replaced worn out. Inferior parts used.
Often the Chevy & Pontiac V8 Nose cones were Milled off to give a clean surface but too much machined away.
Should have been tossed in the scrap pile.
I know for a fact Pontiac V8 1955-1979 never ever had starter motor shims factory installed.
Not listed in any GM Service Manual to shim.
Tolerances were held tight factory New.
Starter shims came about from rebuilders deviating from OEM specs had to use shims.

Hard to tell what some one has without pictures, watching a video or seeing in person.

I have been told the Best select core Chevy Blocks were in installed into Corvettes.
C/K Chevy Trucks seem to be machined right.
I Love my 1999 Chevy Tahoe 4x4 with its 350 Votech engine.
Power like a 6.0 LS.
Just had to correct the Demo demons in that 4L60E trans, build myself & sink over $1K in new parts.
Click to expand...

I agree about the rebuilt starters.
Can't do an apples to apples comparison between 70's SBC blocks and 90's Vortech. Different machining completely.
Here is a line about the Gen1 blocks - The Starter Bolt Hole Problem, wherein the starter bolt holes are drilled too far from the crank, so the starter doesn't mesh properly and gets WORSE if you shim it; blocks with this problem make the starter make that horrible grinding noise you can hear from a quarter-mile away, and the motor EATS starters and flywheels.
That's just one of the problems with these blocks.
 
Loves302Chevy said:
I agree about the rebuilt starters.
Can't do an apples to apples comparison between 70's SBC blocks and 90's Vortech. Different machining completely.
Here is a line about the Gen1 blocks - The Starter Bolt Hole Problem, wherein the starter bolt holes are drilled too far from the crank, so the starter doesn't mesh properly and gets WORSE if you shim it; blocks with this problem make the starter make that horrible grinding noise you can hear from a quarter-mile away, and the motor EATS starters and flywheels.
That's just one of the problems with these blocks.
Click to expand...
When You Find a Factory Delco 10 MT starter dirty, greasy, & rusty like its 40-60 year old Junk its actually GOLD.
Means it never was rebuilt by Chuna or Jose Save'.
GM Blueprint specs still there.
Clean it up and rebuild. What I did with my Pontiac & Chevy cores.
Just out of them now. None I can build and sell to you guys here.
All on my own now.
 
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