Starter for 383 seems to be hitting fly wheel

[BCHALK22]

Ok so I removed the stock starter and am replacing it with a Powermaster mini starter part #9000. The issue is that the starter looks like it is hitting the flywheel. I used the shims that came with it and am still having an issue. I also used it without shims and won't work either. I pulled the starter and tested it and it works fine. I turned aligned the teeth with the flywheel and it worked. I guess my main question is how many shims have you all had to use. Only 2 shims come with the unit. Would I new to buy more shims to install between the block? Would there possibly be a different issue. I believe this starter works for my flywheel . Please let me know if you have any answers. I am not the most savvy but I don't think it could be that hard. Thanks in advance and I will at least post pics of the car so the thread isn't too boring.

[Gregersen46]

I have a high torque starter and i had to put a 157 teeth flexplate. The stock one is 164 teeth

[BCHALK22]

The starter I ordered says its for 168 AND 153 tooth flywheels. Which starter do you have and for what motor? I am thinking i may need a different starter but i am not sure how many teeth the fly wheel has. I bought the car with this motor in it. Is there a way to determine the teeth without sitting under counting each one. I did a search on this site and ave not found anything. I also did a google search. Im an A.S.E. certified mechanic i guess. A.S.E. meaning Ask Somebody Else.

[BCHALK22]

Spoke to Powermaster this morning. The advice he provided me was to make sure the s wire is getting about 25 amps, the wire needs to be at least 10 guage and to make sure the crimp is good. Think all of that is fine but i will see when i wake up this afternoon since i just got off of work. He says this issue happens a lot and might be a bad connection. Anyone else have any other things to add to my checklist?

[NOT A TA]

You can pull the starter gear forward to check for interference. It's not easy and turning slightly counterclockwise at the same time will make it easier. You can purchase a stack of starter shims in different thicknesses at your local autopepboys type chain store. Get the type with the U in the end like the ones that come with the starter. The 2 shims provided with the starter doesn't do it in all cases. I had a 468 BBC last week that needed the 2 supplied and 2 more. Three or four different mini starters were tried. The Hitchi race starter with ARP bolts worked best.

[BCHALK22]

Thanks for the feedback. Powermaster said we would not need more than 2 shims but i think if the block has been ground down a bunch in that mounting location then it quite possibly will need shims. Anyways I will get working on it now.

[NOT A TA]

Very rarely would a block ever need machining on the starter mounting pad. Welding a chipped off end and helicoils I see occasionally but I've never seen a block where the whole mounting pad has been machined. Check to be sure the bolts aren't bottoming out before the starter is actually tight as I've seen that occur a few times when apparently the wrong bolts were included with a new starter. If it hangs on the bolts even a little it tips enough so the starter gear hits the flexplate instead of engaging properly.

[BCHALK22]

i figured as much. the starter is on there. tested the s wire with a voltmeter and found that it is at 9.some off volts. sounds like problem solved. but now i have to trace to find out why its only at 9 volts. hmm.. i did not have this issue with the same starter on my other camaro. but nothing ever goes as smoothly as it is 'posed to.i went and bought more shims which i now know i dont need. I bump started it and it fired up. the starter works like a champ and it sounds much better than the stock brick that was on there.

[Gregersen46]

I have a Chevy 350 with çrv performance starter and i have to use a 153 teeth flexplate.

[Gregersen46]

Are you use the stock starter bolts?