Need help finding the correct starter..

I have a 65 GMC truck that I had my local high school install a Late 60's 283 that was rebuilt to a 327. I have tried one of the starters the the two bolt install vertically or straight up into the rear of the block. It will not engage the flywheel. I have bolt holes for the bell housing where the type of starter can mount, which is the way I am used to seeing a starter mount with 3 bolts.

Can anyone give me guidance? I have noticed that when looking for a starter they are designated by transmission type, such as 3 speed and 4 speed manuals, poerglide and automatic transmissions. Mine is the 4 speed with the granny gear. Is this considered a 3 or 4 speed. Who ever uses the granny gear unless you are planning to pull a house off the foundations. HA!HA!

Really guys, starters are not cheap to keep buying and returning. Thanks in advance.

Mark

 

Pictures. Or we're all just guessing with less info than you have.
Same deal on your clutch thread.

 

I will have to get out there for pics if the rain ever lets up. I had just figured someone had some input for now. Thanks, Mark

 

Is your flywheel 153 or 168 teeth?

 

They didn't count it when they put it in and without dropping the ****** I don't believe there would be a way to find out. Is there? Thanks, Mark

 

There are two starters with bolts that go up. One has 2 bolts straight across, as in 90 degress to the crank. The other is staggered 2 bolt, not in line, but at an angle to the crank. Both have the starter gear in a different spot to fit small or large flywheel gear.

The stock bell mount 3 bolt starter fits the large diameter ring...I think


anyways, while it's raining there,... which starter bolt pattern did you try; angled or straight across? Somebody can figure out which dia wheel you have with that info.

 

I currently have the staggered 2 bolts vertical. That one does not work.

 

You can pull the cover off the bottom of the bellhousing and mark a tooth on the flywheel and then turn the flywheel a full circle while counting the teeth.

It should have the 168 tooth flywheel if they put the stock flywheel from the truck back on it.

Usually there is an interference problem between the bottom corner of the bellhousing that the third starter bolt goes in and the the starter that bolts to the block and a lot of guys cut some of that corner off. I run the starter that bolts to the bellhousing on my truck and have for years and have had them on other trucks in the past. That is what I would suggest as you pretty well eliminate any alignment problems with the starter when you do that. It's also easy to swap end frames on the GM starters to put the one that bolts to the bellhousing on your starter if you don't want to buy a new starter. You just have to make sure that the drive end bushing is good or replace it.

 

I think if you have a bellhousing with 3 bolts for starter they had them on 68 -71 chevy pickup 307 327 bolt pattern 3and 4 speed same.

 

I have added a pict that I took while the high school had it up on the rack. The blue section which is the back of the block uses the vertical staggered starters. the 3 90 degree bolt holes can be seen. It looks like I may have ansered my own question. The starter for the 4 speed manual ****** has 3 holes and the bottom one is offset farther than the other.

 

Once I really started looking at it I may have figured it out with everyones help. I added a pic, but when I really started looking. Everything says the different designs that have vertical bolts say they are for various automatic transmissions.

There are two bolt patterns for manual transmissions. the 4 to 5 speed have 3 90 degree bolts set at what they state are 1:00, 3:00 and 10:00. That will not line up. The starter that is 1:00, 3:00 and 6:00 seems to be the closest.

Thanks all.