I have a 1951 216inline six with a 58 powerglide.. I also have a 168 tooth flexplate... what starter do i need??? How many teeth should be on a starter for the 168 tooth flexplate? Please help.. I really want to start this car!!!
The teeth stay the same on the starter. The head of the starter is different. It moves the starter in or out according to the flexplate you have. Clark
The starter teeth are the same it's the starter housing that sets the starter in for the small and a different housing that sets it out for big diameter. One starter has the bolts straight across and the other is staggered. Van
looked at the starter and flexplate mesh.. looks way off even if I offset the starter gear... an ideas?
51 Chevy should only have one starter. My post was for the later style after 62. Is it possable you have a stick starter & not a auto ? Van
it is very possible..., When i got the drive train it was stick.... whats the major difference.. complete starter or just starter gear?
Guys pay attention, he is asking about a 216, not a V8.... 168 teeth on a 216/235/261 flywheel means its for use with a 12 volt starter. There is an oval tag on the starter that says if it is 6 or 12 volts. If the car is still 6 volts, then you can't use that flexplate. You will need one from a 50-54 car, as well as a '54-earlier starter.
starter is a 12 volt, has it stamped on it.. bolts up fine just completely wrong mesh.. the starter has 9 teeth on the gear.. seems like it should have more.. thoughts?
Both starters are 9 teeth. The diameter of the gear and the shaft it rides on are different. The shaft on a 12 volt starter is .467". 6 volt is .558". get out a caliper and check it. That's the easiest way to tell what you really have. What is the history on this starter? it's possible that its been cobbled together...
You can tell whether an early Chevrolet or GMC starter is 6 volt or 139 ring gear teeth because the starter drive pulls out straight. The armature has straight splines. The 12 volt or 168 tooth ring gear starters have helical splines on the armature and will twist when pulled out. Other people answering this post are confusing this with small diameter 153 tooth Chevrolet V8 ring gears and large diameter 168 tooth Chevrolet V8 ring gears. What they say is true for what they think they are talking about. The small block V8 flywheels also work on the later Chevrolet six 194-230-250 to confuse this further.
the shaft to the rear of the gear is what I was referring to for dimentions. At any rate, the starter you have is a 6 volt (larger gear). You really should get a different starter. Any '55-62 stick or automatic 235 starter will work. If you want one with a solenoid, get one for a car.
Any chance of a part# or a place to get one? I am comming up dry. Just spent $100 having this one rebuilt too..
You shouldn't need any numbers. Just ask for a starter for a 1958 Belair with 235 and automatic... Or go to a salvage yard. Or look on Ebay. Or place an add on craigslist.... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1960...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Fact...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1960...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories Personally, I've only ever picked one up at the salvage yard and put in a set of $8 brushes myself. If it hasn't spent any time directly in the elements, like getting rained on because the hood is off the car, then you shouldn't really need to do more than that. also note that they used two styles of solenoids over the years, but either type of starter can be used in place of the other as a whole.
Well I have a newely rebuilt starter. Gonna try to swap with the correct one. Is the gear different between the two? Or just the bolt pattern?
Like I was saying, the gears are different diameters as well as the shaft it rides on, so you can't swap the bendix. The bolt patterns are not different. Like I said, any '55-62 235 starters will work. Just make sure its a solenoid operated version, not a foot pedal version, assuming that's what you want....
I think i have found a cure... We took the guts from another starter and sawapped it accross and looks like its gonna work.. Jim at SPU ( smog pumps unlimited inc) really hooked me up.. his # is 562 944 3221 and he is the man when it comes to starters, alternators and gear boxes.
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