guess its time to plea for someone to help. I cant get the focking starter lined up on my truck. after my last truck that ate starters about once a week I got pretty good at taking them off rebuilding them and putting them back on. I got good enough that I could line them up with any sort of gauge, just by looking at the gap.
for some reason I cant get this one to line up. Ive tried gapping it with an allen wrench with the methods posted here, Ive tryed guessing at it like normally do, I even broke down and followed the instructions that came with the starter and the ones in my chilton book. for some reason the gawdamn thing wont work. Ive put it one with no shims, too close. added a small shim still too close. went one size up in shims and it was too far away.
I am 100% sure the starter is not broke (had the same problem with one that had a cracked housing) and the flywheel is good. Im tired, bruised and pissed off. its dark and I have to lay in gravel but Im so mad and want this thing going so bad that Im only taking a break to let off some steam and then Ill get back to it. it also doesnt help that I used headers for a camaro so there would be more clearance for my driveshaft and springs. gained clearance there but lost just as much in the starter area so its a tight fit to get in there.
does anybody have any ideas on what could be wrong?
on a good note, when I can get it to start the truck runs darn good and sounds awesome with the new exhaust I just had put on.
for some reason I cant get this one to line up. Ive tried gapping it with an allen wrench with the methods posted here, Ive tryed guessing at it like normally do, I even broke down and followed the instructions that came with the starter and the ones in my chilton book. for some reason the gawdamn thing wont work. Ive put it one with no shims, too close. added a small shim still too close. went one size up in shims and it was too far away.
I am 100% sure the starter is not broke (had the same problem with one that had a cracked housing) and the flywheel is good. Im tired, bruised and pissed off. its dark and I have to lay in gravel but Im so mad and want this thing going so bad that Im only taking a break to let off some steam and then Ill get back to it. it also doesnt help that I used headers for a camaro so there would be more clearance for my driveshaft and springs. gained clearance there but lost just as much in the starter area so its a tight fit to get in there.
does anybody have any ideas on what could be wrong?
on a good note, when I can get it to start the truck runs darn good and sounds awesome with the new exhaust I just had put on.

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I just returned from a guys house (we call him dirt track danny). builds racecars if you didnt guess by the name. got my truck running and drove it up to his house so he could listen and help me. he shared this bit of information that I never knew and I was just fixing to post up and share what I learned.
Danny informed me that most people dont know about the different noses that came on them. so we loaded up and exchanged the starter for one of the newer models and bam, problem solved. thanks for all the help and support guys.