silly starter question.....

[wedgee]

all right, this is another "I thought I knew what I thought I knew thing"...are starters, from the muscle car era, big block and small...the same??

The reason I have to ask is that I had a starter "rebuilt" because why would've have I having gone through everything else in the restoration of my car?
The starter doesnt seem to mesh, line up or whatever. I've taken it off,returned it to the shop that rebuilt it and they tested it while I was standing there and it works. Put it back on the motor and still click click etc... new everything ,can't figure it out. losened it and reposition it many times, still nothing which again makes me wonder if theres a differefence between starters and maybe it isn't correct...
the car is a 383 4spd. as far as I known all the starters I had collected over the years, that I chose from, were big block starters. and pretty sure it was the starter I took off the car upon restoration.........what am I missing??

 

[dadsbee]

Battery... +cable, neg cable, starter relay. Grab a booster cable and go direct and when it spins work backwards to find the fault. If it works at the rebuild shop, and only clicks on your car... I'd guess a bad battery + cable.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Try jumping the starter solenoid on the firewall..............and be certain you have 12 volts while cranking.

 

[wedgee]

to clarify, clicking might've been the wrong term. the gear is hitting the flywheel gear, their not "meshing"
currently the engine is on the run stand(thankfully),was going to run the engine prior to install..
just dogging me for the last couple of months.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Wrong bellhousing??

 

[WileE]

Wrong bellhousing??

What bellhousing & flywheel are on the engine ?

 

[wedgee]

Wrong bellhousing??

original bell housing and flywheel

 

[wedgee]

What bellhousing & flywheel are on the engine ?

the originals.

 

[Fran Blacker]

If you you get the drive gear out without the starter running does the gear engage with a little faddling? I've read that there are some starters with a different pinion tooth count. I could be WRONG on that. Have you triad another starter?

 

[RussT Plymouths]

Did you also replace the starter ring gear on the flywheel? Years ago, I had a new replacement ring gear that didn't have the teeth cut deep enough. It took a while to find that. And while it "worked", it didn't sound right. I had to replace the clutch a few years after and discovered a lot of wear on the ring gear teeth. The next replacement ring gear was machined correctly, that solved my starter issues.

 

[wedgee]

If you you get the drive gear out without the starter running does the gear engage with a little faddling? I've read that there are some starters with a different pinion tooth count. I could be WRONG on that. Have you triad another starter?

bought a new one last night. thing is, Ive had nothing but chrysler products from day one. dodge pickups,roadrunners darts dusters and never had an issue, I thought they were all the same and I'm 80 % sure it is the staarter I pulled fromunder the bench was the same one i pulled from the car five years ago upon dissasembly.....maybe Im wrong about every starter working with most the mopars but Im just pulling on my own experiences,haha been wrong before! Its my first engine run stand I've ever had and whi;e I'm not an electrical engineer I muddled through and think everything is right on it. new battery, relay etc..starter is getting the power it needs. yesterday after ggogling the issue , I took my dremel and cleaned the pilot hole in the bhousing ,paintand gunk etc.. and then even tryed shimmig the starter..anyway I'll see today,Ill let ya know

 

[Budnicks]

130 tooth count on the flywheel on a 10.5" clutch
&
143 tooth count on flywheel on an 11" clutch

both use a 10 tooth starter

Only the Hemi uses the 12 tooth starter

IIRC...

 

[wedgee]

Did you also replace the starter ring gear on the flywheel? Years ago, I had a new replacement ring gear that didn't have the teeth cut deep enough. It took a while to find that. And while it "worked", it didn't sound right. I had to replace the clutch a few years after and discovered a lot of wear on the ring gear teeth. The next replacement ring gear was machined correctly, that solved my starter issues.

no I haven't. it looks surprisingly good for 100k ,nothings broken, its tight and it worked good prior to rebuild so I didn't

 

[Triplegreen500]

The only part that worries me is the "80% sure it's the one I took off" comment...

Do you have access to another engine that works, that you can pull the starter off of and try it here? I'd verify it's actually the right starter before running in circles chasing all this other stuff....

 

[cosgig]

Do you have the starter shim plate in place? Maybe the starter is too deep and won’t engage.

 

[Dave6T4]

This would be the time to ditch that original power-hog starter, and put a newer mini starter on. I did it years ago on my '64 Polara, and could not get over how much easier the car started. It was like the big starter sucked so much energy, that there was not much left for ignition system.

 

[Coelacanth]

This would be the time to ditch that original power-hog starter, and put a newer mini starter on. I did it years ago on my '64 Polara, and could not get over how much easier the car started. It was like the big starter sucked so much energy, that there was not much left for ignition system.

I'd like to do that with my '70 Charger, also a 383. I've heard you can buy this starter for a Dakota on RockAuto. Anybody have a part number, year/make/model or link to this mini starter everyone is recommending? I assume it just bolts on in place of the big-*** gear reduction starter with no additional mods?

 

[Fran Blacker]

If you have a NAPA near by or if they ship one. Bought $60 4yrs ago. Need to remove plastic piece to install, no big deal.