Starter Questions

[ceejay]

I've seen a thread on it a while back, but can't seem to find it anywhere. My current starter (staggered bolt) is grinding pretty bad at startup. Can't even get it to turn over. It came with the truck when I bought it, and it was having problems then too. I've replaced the bolts on it, and shimmed it, with no avail. The flexplate looks like it's a little worn, but it's not missing any teeth or cracked, and I REALLY don't want to replace it. I'm very weary about the starter itself. It is not the original bigger one. It is one of the smaller ones off of the 90s chevys I think (High-torque starter?). Should I go ahead ahead and replace it with another High torque starter? Or I've heard stuff about the DB Electrical ones. Or should I just replace it with an original one? Thanks.

 

[Ricko1966]

The only 1 I ever had to shim, shims would fix it temporarily and then the problem would come back take it off reshim it all good until the problem came back, rinse, repeat. The reason shimming it fixed it temporarily was the starter was removed and put back in place in the correct position.When I found the real problem shims were no longer needed and the problem has been gone about 20 years now.Problem was reman starter nose cone is not Identical to original it didn't have perfectly flat mounting pads, it had mounting pads which were raised on each side of the bolt, where the starter met the block.After time one of the high spots would walk off the side of the block so now the starter was at a slight angle.Cure was a starter with perfectly flat mounting pads, and a starter block mount to help hold the starter.Original starter works great, people didn't but these trucks to park in the garage and tinker with on the weekends, they bought them to drive to work or use for work so the starters had to be good.Last but not least, anyone who says they don't need a block mount think about this.GM thought they needed them if they only saved a dollar a truck by not using them they would have saved millions.1 dollar x every truck, those millions weren't worth chancing a broken nose cone or cracked block on a starting kick back.Ive seen both happen.

 

[ceejay]

The only 1 I ever had to shim, shims would fix it temporarily and then the problem would come back take it off reshim it all good until the problem came back, rinse, repeat. The reason shimming it fixed it temporarily was the starter was removed and put back in place in the correct position.When I found the real problem shims were no longer needed and the problem has been gone about 20 years now.Problem was reman starter nose cone is not Identical to original it didn't have perfectly flat mounting pads, it had mounting pads which were raised on each side of the bolt, where the starter met the block.After time one of the high spots would walk off the side of the block so now the starter was at a slight angle.Cure was a starter with perfectly flat mounting pads, and a starter block mount to help hold the starter.Original starter works great, people didn't but these trucks to park in the garage and tinker with on the weekends, they bought them to drive to work or use for work so the starters had to be good.Last but not least, anyone who says they don't need a block mount think about this.GM thought they needed them if they only saved a dollar a truck by not using them they would have saved millions.1 dollar x every truck, those millions weren't worth chancing a broken nose cone or cracked block on a starting kick back.Ive seen both happen.

Thanks for the reply. So what do you think? Something like the ACDelco one from RockAuto? https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinf...pDxf6dI/QmzG9t8PzHC+zuiac+HW3INKxbIraQm7FHRaw

 

[Ricko1966]

I HATE Rockauto. but since you are having a problem buy local and buy quality. At least if you have a problem again where you bought is driving distance.

 

[Snoots]

DB Electrical gets my vote.

 

[BKING33]

i had to replace several starters on my 6.2 diesel. luckily i have a manual so i could get it going sometimes. i finally broke down and bought a real starter from summit. its a power master ultra duty starter. it's worked flawless for over a year now. i would recommend only premium name brand new starters. I've seen my share of junk reman stuff over the years,

 

[mtnmankev]

i had to replace several starters on my 6.2 diesel. luckily i have a manual so i could get it going sometimes. i finally broke down and bought a real starter from summit. its a power master ultra duty starter. it's worked flawless for over a year now. i would recommend only premium name brand new starters. I've seen my share of junk reman stuff over the years,

Agreed, I got a reman starter from autozone, it started the truck ONE TIME then it failed and would not function again.
It would help if people doing the work put pride in what they did and the corporate world was a bit less greedy for profits.
But don't get me started on that topic.

 

[Ricko1966]

Agreed, I got a reman starter from autozone, it started the truck ONE TIME then it failed and would not function again.
It would help if people doing the work put pride in what they did and the corporate world was a bit less greedy for profits.
But don't get me started on that topic.

90 percent of people shop by price. ( hello how much is a whatever,)then call the next store and go where they got the lowest price.So the big parts vendors shop by price, not by quality.I was working at a mom and pop parts store where good parts were a priority and an Oriellys at the same time, full time mom and pop, Eve's and weekends Oreilly. I'd have the same customers , not knowing I had 2 jobs show up to Oreilly pricing the same stuff and not listening when I'd tell them it's not the same thing. ( Well it has a warranty) it sure does and, your going to need it. The failure rates between cheap and quality are unbelievable.I had customers tell me later yep you were sure right. I've done Mom and Pop, O'Reilly and Dealer parts dept. Parts are not near all the same.

 

[ceejay]

Well thanks for all the replies. I ended up ordered a DB Electrical one off of Amazon. I checked all parts stores around me, and none of them had any in stock and the ones they could order in just seemed over priced. I figured with the DB Electrical one being so cheap on Amazon, and they are pretty good about returns and what not, it was my best bet. I'm going to try to get it put in tomorrow and I'll let you guys know if it solves my woes.

 

[ceejay]

Update: Installed the DB Electrical starter. WOW. Sprayed some starter fluid in the carb just because it hasn't been started for a while and when I cranked it I swear I didn't hear it crank once, just started right up. To my amazement, I did it 2 more times, without starter fluid. Both times cranked about 1-2 times and started right up. Only time will tell how long it lasts, (I hear some say a few years, some a few months), but we'll see.

 

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Appears to be a settled issue, but I just take the heavy direct drive Delco-Remy starters that came on these old V8s to a local guy to rebuild when they go out. Works well for me!

 

[olnick]

Redid my starter 25 years ago! built a "Frankinstarter" It was in February no garage No money! Out of my replacement parts (two additional starters out of who knows what) and the one installed in the truck. The one in the truck was a standard duty two pole starter. These are easy to locate as having only 1 strap connecting to the lower solenoid. So the first thing to go were the fields! Both of the spares were 4 pole and had the dual straps at the lower connection. The Armatures were all different? The wire size went from round to square to rectangular The rectangular one was the one I used, However the starter drive in the truck was a 5 roller the other two were three rollers! So I used the 5 roller drive. The nose from the square wire starter showed less wear/scuffing on the mounting surface. After bench testing I installed the starter and it still starts like a champ. Use OEM parts!!!

Olnick

 

[Daveo91Burb]

I got lucky a few years ago and found a guy on CL selling some old Delcos. I got one of them from him - the high torque version from early 70s. Cast iron nose, no aluminum on the thing at all. I had to put a new solenoid on it and I think I replaced the brushes, but I'm thinking I may never need a new starter again. Direct drive Delcos all the way! Totally easy and effective to rebuild

 

[AuroraGirl]

I got lucky a few years ago and found a guy on CL selling some old Delcos. I got one of them from him - the high torque version from early 70s. Cast iron nose, no aluminum on the thing at all. I had to put a new solenoid on it and I think I replaced the brushes, but I'm thinking I may never need a new starter again. Direct drive Delcos all the way! Totally easy and effective to rebuild

how can you tell if its high torque or direct drive?

 

[Daveo91Burb]

how can you tell if its high torque or direct drive?

All Delco starters were direct drive. AFAIK, GM didn't go to a gear reduction starter until late 90s. I have a '97 K2500 burb parts rig (350) and it even has a Delco direct drive, smaller than the older ones, though. (I think some rigs from this era did have gear redux starters, though) As for the high torque option, pretty sure it was application driven. Not sure how I determined it was the high torque version, might have been someone on here that told me that. Or I number matched with rock auto or something.