BBC starter needs milling to work?

[johnatthebox]

starter went out on my 454. went to NAPA got a new one. put it on and the starter gear shaft (supposed to be 1/8") is like 1/2" away from the flexplate teeth. took it back and got another only to find same problem. Ive read online about how BBC blocks have this problem sometimes, and the solution is to mill the bolt hole surface of the starter . I dont have access to a mill, and I need this done asap. Do i risk it with a 4" grinder? Any tips on how to keep it straight and level?

 

[nvrenuf]

I have a Tilton mini starter that had to be milled but it was only .030 to fit. At 1/2" I'd say something isn't right, maybe the wrong starter?

 

[johnatthebox]

I have a Tilton mini starter that had to be milled but it was only .030 to fit. At 1/2" I'd say something isn't right, maybe the wrong starter?

its the second one from NAPA. same #s as the one that went bad originally

 

[johnatthebox]

ok....1/2" is maybe an exageration.....but over 1/4" for sure

 

[diesel4me]

I would NOT try using a hand held grinder !..no way could anyone get the starter nose milled down level and straight that way..

What I would do,if NAPA still has your old starter core,would be to swap that nose on the new or rebuilt starter--you know that nose worked...if they already ditched the core,then I'd try looking up different year BBC starters--most if not all should be the same,but perhaps later versions that are metric have different mounting dimensions..

 

[johnatthebox]

I would NOT try using a hand held grinder !..no way could anyone get the starter nose milled down level and straight that way..

What I would do,if NAPA still has your old starter core,would be to swap that nose on the new or rebuilt starter--you know that nose worked...if they already ditched the core,then I'd try looking up different year BBC starters--most if not all should be the same,but perhaps later versions that are metric have different mounting dimensions..

i went back to NAPA but it was already gone. I should have known something was up cause the mounting bolts had a bunch of washers on them.....

 

[nvrenuf]

Lots of headache with reman stuff. Maybe consider a true aftermarket mini starter? I bought one for my 454 for $80 shipped, fit perfect (not the Tilton I mentioned earlier).

 

[dyeager535]

Lots of headache with reman stuff. Maybe consider a true aftermarket mini starter? I bought one for my 454 for $80 shipped, fit perfect (not the Tilton I mentioned earlier).

I'll second that. Headers caused heat soak problems on my stock starter (350, but nonetheless) which were cured by a mini-starter. Crummy battery wires and all.

Dad had a 454 with headers on it, same problem, heat soak. Mini-starter put on, immediate resolution to the problem. Both fit fine, no hassle whatsoever, and crank easier and faster than the stock starter that weighs 4 times as much. So much easier to install/remove due to the weight reduction.

 

[nvrenuf]

Another plus for me was that the mini starter I bought was "clockable" so I turned the solenoid straight down at 6 o'clock. It's exceptionally unlikely I'll ever have the truck in water that deep (~3') and it makes it SOOO much easy to hook up.

 

[skunked]

and the mini starter sounds cool.

 

[diesel4me]

i went back to NAPA but it was already gone. I should have known something was up cause the mounting bolts had a bunch of washers on them.....

This is why I pay the core charge and return the old part later for the refund..or bring the original part in and do a thorough "match up",if I cant afford to pay the core charge..

I would avoid trying to shim only the outer bolt to bring the drive gear closer to the flywheel--never liked that setup,having a starter bolted up at an angle with only 2 bolts holding it--without full contact to the block it is very likely to twist around and probably end up breaking or bending the bolts or strip the threads in the block..

That said,I have had a few starters I had to take a coarse file to,and shave off like 1/8" to get them to engage the flywheel teeth well enough not to sound horrible..
I'd rather take off too much on the nose and have to shim it across both bolts than have it bolted up cock-eyed with only the outer bolt shimmed..

 

[dyeager535]

I always thought the same thing...realistically when changing starters, if the one on the truck didn't need shims, or it did and you know what it took, swap the nose cone with the replacement.

Starting to go off-topic, but I'd never unevenly shim a starter, and I'd also never use non-starter bolts. Doesn't seem like it would matter, until you compare a standard bolt next to a starter bolt in the starter nose. The amount of play you gain by eliminating the knurling is enough to get me to use the recommended bolts. I'd rather not deal with a broken block.

That said, I must have missed tightening a starter bolt when I put the mini-starter in (pricey powermaster ones too!) and had it fall off driving down the road at 55MPH. Incredibly, it bounced off the road, struck the underside of the truck, made me look behind in the mirror, and saw something shiny (no idea what it was at the time) come to rest in the road. Turned around, waited for 20 cars to drive over it, picked it up, and other than the first couple threads needing dressed, was able to re-use it. Outboard bolt, and because I was on a 500 mile truck, ended up stopping and starting it twice with only one bolt holding the starter in place.

 

[johnatthebox]

This is why I pay the core charge and return the old part later for the refund..or bring the original part in and do a thorough "match up",if I cant afford to pay the core charge..

I would avoid trying to shim only the outer bolt to bring the drive gear closer to the flywheel--never liked that setup,having a starter bolted up at an angle with only 2 bolts holding it--without full contact to the block it is very likely to twist around and probably end up breaking or bending the bolts or strip the threads in the block..

That said,I have had a few starters I had to take a coarse file to,and shave off like 1/8" to get them to engage the flywheel teeth well enough not to sound horrible..
I'd rather take off too much on the nose and have to shim it across both bolts than have it bolted up cock-eyed with only the outer bolt shimmed..

What are you a mind reader?!? I was just about to attempt that this morning ...... Youre right though......Im gonna try and cut it down myself and if it doesnt come out straight, Ill spend the 50$ or whatever and have a machinist clean it up....

 

[diesel4me]

I used a very coarse flat file and put the starter in the vise to hold it--made sure to hold the file flat against the nose so I wouldn't make it angled or wavy..took quite some time..
I was tempted to try a metal cut off blade in my table saw to remove the excess metal,but I knew aluminum does not cut well with those abrasive wheels--they clog up and then tend to wander off track and require a lot of effort to push it thru once they load up..

Maybe a carbide circular saw blade would cut the starter nose metal--it is fairly soft...hard part is holding it square to the blade..
A stand up belt sander with a coarse belt might work too ....