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Top Mount Starter Question?

3.5K views 19 replies 9 participants last post by  SuperSoaker  
#1 · (Edited)
My starter is on its last leg. It is a mounted on the top of the bellhousing unlike a automotive one. This means it has to rotate counter clockwise right? If anyone knows of a good starter to run i'm open for suggestions. The engine is not overly built so i'm sure i don't need anything special. the engine is a chevy 350. Do i have to worry about the number of teeth or are all flywheels the same on these? thanks
 
#4 ·
It kinda looks like your starter isn't engaging far enough into the ring gear. I've had some issues setting up my top mount starter. The guys that made my Hi -Tork starter really stand behind there stuff. I'm curious to see what everyone else likes for a top mount starter as well.
 
#7 ·
#5 ·
yes, they are reverse rotation. just go through the one you have. i had to go through mine a 1 1/2 years ago. on mine, the bendix gear was completely gone, the bendix itself was so corroded it would hardly slide, and the starter rotor and case had so much rust inside, it was a wonder the thing would even turn.
if you doy, you need to make sure you get the correct reverse rotation bendix. there are a number of different sizes, different lengths, etc. any auto electric shop should be able to rebuild it if you don't want to...
 
#12 ·
Had my top mount rebuilt a couple times over the last 31 years, good starter, although mine has no solenoid on the starter like that one does. Just a battery power feed, fed through a Ford-type remote solenoid.
The armature shaft is grooved on mine so the reverse rotation throws the bendix into the flywheel, engine start exceeds armature speed and throws the bendix back, with a VERY light spring assist to hold it back.
Too dam expensive to replace, $300 ballpark every one I saw, and that is a rebuilt.

As noted, battery problems often masquerade as starter problems, then people replace a starter, sometimes 2 or 3 times, bich about junk starters, when the battery was at fault the whole time.
I keep a 100A load tester arround for battery testing, the one HarBer Freight carries is plenty good.
 
#13 ·
Boats with a flywheel originally (up till about 1985) came with the heavy duty truck application starter ring gear factory installed. GM discontinued that unit in the late 80s, the new replacement ring gear that is the only one available from anybody that I am aware of is about .060 smaller in outside diameter so that the starter has .030 less engagement. Not a problem with a normal lower mount shimmable unit, usually. If it is a problem we have milled the starter mounting pad by .060+ and then we can shim it back out some if required. The top mount deal takes more finesse. We flycut the mounting hole in the bellhousing about .050 closer to the flywheel, then drill and tap a hole thru the top of the mounting flange in the bellhousing to push the starter nose closer to the flywheel to get the best engagement, and locktite it (the allen screw) in place. You will also have to slightly slot the starter bolt holes to allow the starter to move closer to the flywheel. We have also just ground the starter hole closer to the flywheel, slotted the starter bolt holes, and installed studs in the bellhousing to clamp the starter in position better, that will work fine with a milder motor, just not a big inch or high compression deal. On my 21 Daytona, I ran a small bead of weld on the top inside of the hole before I flycut the hole lower by .040, it worked fine forever and nobody could figure out why it looked stock but the starter was quiet and I never had trouble starting the 572. TIMINATOR
 
#14 ·
yeah that was the first thing on my check list to do was to see how the new one engages on the flywheel. Push comes to shove i'll machine off some of the mounting plate on the starter to get it to sit farther in. if you guys are saying .050" will make you or break you i can gain that right there i would think. I'm kinda getting used to making things work with this boat, seems like nothing is a direct bolt up lol go figure.