[H20MOFO]

Long story short.. I have brand x starter and it sits too low to the flywheel. It's tight enough when you stick the pinon gear on the starter with a screw driver it wont retract(I guess the motor kicks it out). Last year it was about 50/50 cross your fingers hit the key and hope you don't grind. This year, new motor,she ain't going in period(the pinion gear to starter ring gear). I called Jan @ lightning and asked him if I could trade him my old starter stand for a .030 thousands one, and he sent me a new .030 taller one for free. I bolt it on and it grinds. I cut some new shims to bring the starter closer to the flywheel and whala(sp?) she works great, until last weekend. Where it's sitting right now I can't pull the starter gear in I can see the flex plate bend from me trying. I don't know if.... the only clue I have is that where it's froze up now the left side of the flexplate looks chewed a little, and the right side ,not so much. I'm thinking flexplate??? What starter are you guys running with lightning rail kits?
Sorry that ended up as long as it did..

 

[Pw_Tony]

Is this a top mount or block mount?

 

[H20MOFO]

Yep, top mount... I'll attach a couple of photos when the camera charges back up.

 

[Pw_Tony]

Does the starter sit flush on the bellhousing? I had to grind my Hardin Marine bellhousing down a little to make sure it sat correctly

 

[H20MOFO]

Yep it sits flush, it's just too low..

 

[Outlaw]

Kreg they make offset dowels in several different sizes,
you could use them to move your engine plate a small amount.

I'm talking about the two dowels on the back of your block.

 

[Widetrack]

Do you not have the room for a block mount? I use a block mount starter with a Lightning rail kit and flexplate cover! They seem to work a little better than tops IMO! WTdevil

 

[H20MOFO]

I think I'm stuck with the top mount WT, it's pretty tight down there. Paul I may pm ya, not sure if I'm folowing the dowl thing. Maybe I could just drill the back plate a little bigger where the dowls are and drop her that way.

 

[Outlaw]

jegs has them listed as bell housing locating kits. they are an
offset dowel pin
they come in .007,.014 and .021 offsets.
just remove the current dowels from the rear of your engine and replace them with an offset pair, loosen the bolts and adjust the bushings
to move the engine plate lower once you get the clearance
for your starter tighten the bolts.
Lakewood even makes some with a set screw to lock them into position.

jegs part # 620-15921 for the .021 offset.
or the cheap ones 620-15940

 

[H20MOFO]

Gotcha...thanks Paul, I had no idea those were even removeable.

 

[billet racing]

starter woes

I too have to use a top mount because of the tunnel hull. I've had problems and had to adjust the mounting hardware. Basicly i filled the holes and offset drille dthem to lift the starter just a hair. And make sure the starter is supported when bolting down, Just the wieght will pull it out of alignment when tightening.

Jerry

 

[Fonz69]

I was able to use a hitachi mini starter on my 540 in a 21' Daytona tunnel without any problems

Yes its tight and required some shaping of the sharp corner near the tunnel but it worked great for years.

 

[Fonz69]

heres a pic

 

[H20MOFO]

heres a pic

Thanks at some point I may try that, my rails are at the bottom of my stringers, I have my doubts. I guess I'm so observant I didn't notice the fact I have NO dowls)eek). I ordered some today but the rear plate holes are going to have to get bigger for this plan to work. Maybe I'll take a file to my starter.lol

 

[cave]

What ever it takes to get the top mount to work DO IT. I have the bottom mount on mine currently. Its real pain if you need to remove it. I basically need to lift the front of the engine up enough to get my ratchet onto the bolts. Its a Real PITA. I had a leak that I later found that was real bad. Water from the fly wheel flung onto the starter and caused 2 to go bad within a few months. On the 3rd starter, John, Sleeper CP told me a trick that he did that saved his starters and i use that trick now.


H20MOFO cant you shim the starter from the bell housing?

 

[H20MOFO]

What ever it takes to get the top mount to work DO IT. I have the bottom mount on mine currently. Its real pain if you need to remove it. I basically need to lift the front of the engine up enough to get my ratchet onto the bolts. Its a Real PITA. I had a leak that I later found that was real bad. Water from the fly wheel flung onto the starter and caused 2 to go bad within a few months. On the 3rd starter, John, Sleeper CP told me a trick that he did that saved his starters and i use that trick now.


H20MOFO cant you shim the starter from the bell housing?

It needs to go straight up??? I'll stick up a bigger pic of the left side of my impeller(as in where it died). When I turn the motor over with no plugs I can hear it the starter sounds good for 1/2 a rotation, then a 1/2 a turn that's not sounding right or under more of a load. I'm wondering if the flexplate could part or all of the problem.

You can't really see the worse ones, basically there are more munched teeth on the bottom of the pic/flexplate that you can't see in the pic.

 

[Outlaw]

oops.... add the dowels, thats what holds everything in line. remember the holes for the dowels need to be exact. the holes for the bolts can and should have some
clearance.

Is the rear plate drilled for the dowels? if not they should be.

 

[H20MOFO]

Thanks again Paul, good info right there. The lakewood dowls are b/o for 3 weeks, but moroso(sp) has some that are a few thou larger. Thats what I have on order. The rail kit has the holes and they're perfectly lined up with the dowl holes in the block, just no dowls. My bad.sphss

 

[Outlaw]

Thanks again Paul, good info right there. The lakewood dowls are b/o for 3 weeks, but moroso(sp) has some that are a few thou larger. Thats what I have on order. The rail kit has the holes and they're perfectly lined up with the dowl holes in the block, just no dowls. My bad.sphss

maybe a good time for a new flexplate before you
ruin the starter drive

 

[H20MOFO]

maybe a good time for a new flexplate before you
ruin the starter drive

Good point......