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kage87Z
03-04-2001, 03:08 PM
This thing has been dogging me forever...

I have a stroker; a 383. It's a 400 crank with the 2 piece rear main seal. I have the 14 inch flex plate. I've went thru three of them (and two starters) since I put this together, now on fp #4.

Excepting the practice I've gotten dropping the trans to replace the flex plate, I really don't have much to show for this effort.

What happens is that teeth break off. Now, the problem is that when the starter is installed, it's too far away from the crank. (And no, I'm not using any shims) So far, in fact, that the tips of the starter gear and the tips the flex plate gear barely engage. The end result is that when I start the engine, it sounds like ice cubes in a blender until it catches.

The problem is not as bad as it was; I ground off a fair amount from the mounting face of the starter, but it's still too far out for comfort, and it sounds like hell when it starts.

I've been told about a starter built to fix something like this issue, but it's for 396's and would require either redrilling the holes or adding an additional hole.

Any suggestions?

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87 Z28 TT
89 vette 383, ported plenum, ported heads, vette OEM TC, 700R4, SLP, Catco, Edlebrock CB, MSD, Accel, Alpine

72 Pinto Wgn
85 5.0L H.O., B&M, AOD, MSD, Accel, Sony, lowered, shaved, tinted, WHITE

kage87Z
03-10-2001, 07:57 AM
Just moving it back to the top.

JaysZee
03-10-2001, 09:37 AM
Your best bet would probably be milling the mounting surface on the starter until you have adequate gear engagement. You may also be able to shim the inside bolt only and rotate the starter drive closer to the Fly Wheel this way. Good Luck!

86iroczlt1
03-08-2007, 04:58 PM
wow, that explains alot........ive been using the stupid shim kit.....im gonna try shimming just the inside....


ice cubes in a blender....yea, ive heard that sound....seems like these starters are garbage from the word go......but how much shimming do you really need? i have a .040 AND a .060 in it now and it STILL doesnt work......im going to try shimming that one bolt only......hope it helps.....

86iroczlt1
03-09-2007, 11:15 AM
Your best bet would probably be milling the mounting surface on the starter until you have adequate gear engagement. You may also be able to shim the inside bolt only and rotate the starter drive closer to the Fly Wheel this way. Good Luck!


now thats a good helpful answer, and it helped....thanks for sharing that, my starter isnt like 100% reliable (my fault for buying cheap crap) now atleast it isnt trying to chew up the flexplate........

oh, question for anyone.....why is it a flexplate now? ive always heard it called a flywheel....so why did that change? of when did it stop being called a flywheel? just wouldnt mind knowing LOL