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Mini starter alignment

BAFRAID

She’s looking like a Super Bee again!!
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So I just bought a mini starter that was recommended. It fits into the transmission great except that when the nose cone piece fits into the small area inside the transmission it doesn’t allow the bolt holes to lineup. I’m wondering if I shave some of that nosecone piece off of the starter so it has a more play if that will be OK or if that will ruin something
 
Yes I have had to grind on the starter nose before on some, others not. Don't sweat it and give it a grind
 
yes some minis you have to grid some off.
 
Had a little trouble with mine. Not sure if I did have it square or maybe it was cocked. Maybe file the edge of the nose to round the front edge.
 
Are you using a gasket/seal/shim with the starter? A lot of the factory 4-speed
bellhousings required one, for example.
 
Are you using a gasket/seal/shim with the starter? A lot of the factory 4-speed
bellhousings required one, for example.
I have a metal shim but did not instal it
 
I used regular shim but shims for mini starter are available .
 
I've been using the Summit Racing brand with no fitment issues. Used about 6 of them so far on various vehicles.ruffcut
 
I have a metal shim but did not instal it
Between using that and trying to perhaps smooth out the round nose on the starter to match the
"pocket" you can see inside the hole that the nose goes into, things ought to work.
 
They hit the block sometimes too. Just had to ‘clearance’ a 400 block quite a bit. Use the steel shim also
 
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Found my problem. There’s this Terminal bracket bolted onto the starter to reroute the terminals. It was hitting up against the block so I took it on the grinder and ground it down. It ended up exposing one of the copper terminals so I wrapped it with electrical tape. Probably not the best idea since it will probably rub and short out. Do I need this terminal rerouting block on here?
 
If that plastic terminal block comes off, take it off and try it. I removed mine and had good room around the block.
 
As threewood has already said, take the terminal block off and leave it off. The plastic cap will actually fit back on to cover the wires when you’re done. Also check the attached area of your block, they sometimes require grinding in here too
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Grinding the block would be a last resort to me, a lot easier to replace a starter than a block.

Not if your starter doesn’t fit. You could replace the starter a 1000 times and it would still need it. A stock starter fits just fine. A Delco mini for a Dakota needed clearance. This block needed about 20 thou. Not much.

That amount of of clearancing took about three minutes. After it’s painted nice an orange again you never know. I don’t see what the issue of grinding the block is..
 
Not if your starter doesn’t fit. You could replace the starter a 1000 times and it would still need it. A stock starter fits just fine. A Delco mini for a Dakota needed clearance. This block needed about 20 thou. Not much.

That amount of of clearancing took about three minutes. After it’s painted nice an orange again you never know. I don’t see what the issue of grinding the block is..

No issues, your engine so you can grind all you like. My point is that before I would be grinding on the block I would want to make sure that it was necessary. You have to remember that there are others who come on here who may not have a lot of experience and saying "grind the block" may not but the best solution. I have taken a grinder to many engines for one reason or another but that is after ensuring that it was necessary and I knew exactly how much I was taking off and what the potential effect might be.

Sometimes you have to do what you have to do but in general if the engine was working previously, the replacement of the starter should not in most cases require grinding, however if it does, so be it.
 
The way I look at it is, that every B motor I’ve had needed some clearancing if using a Dakota style mini starter, so if I buy a new starter and grind it and the starter craps out they likely won’t give me any warranty on it as it’s been ground down etc, you know how it is if you give a manufacturer a reason to deny warranty.
So now I’ve got a useless starter on my hand, I’m out the money and I need to buy a new one and start all over again. Hence, grind the block, that way I can change the starter as many times as I want or as necessary without having continued grief of having to lie on my back and grind a starter, try to test fit it while trying to see if I have taken enough off the starter, all while screwing around with removing and reattaching the wires with headers in the way Etc...

Never had a 440, but from what I understand, they don’t require any clearance work...
 
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