Technical How to shim a Chevy starter.

I have one block that requires no shims, and a couple of others that have driven me crazy getting the correct adjustment. I have learned a new trick that will help anyone that has gone through the heartache that I have trying to get the starter properly shimmed.
Step one, can be done on or off the car, but it is easier if the starter is on the bench.
Make a 1/16 rod that has a 90 degree bend at the end to pull out the Bendix gear.
Pull out the Bendix gear and paint it with a light coloured quick drying paint, such as yellow or white.
Install the starter with the number of shims you think you need. Start the engine approximately 10 times.
If the starter is on the car, pull out the Bendix gear with the hook and inspect the pattern. If the pattern is in the middle and not bottoming out on the flywheel or flex plate, then you are fine.
If the wear pattern is at the top, remove a shim.
If the wear pattern is too close to the bottom, add one shim.
This works for me.
Bob

 

Slick, I've done the rod between the Bendix gear and the ring gear thing a number of times but that is just slick.
Way back in the dark ages when my ears worked I could listen to them crank over and shim them pretty good but those days are long gone.

 

Cool, thanks.

 

Neat trick, thanks! I have a Quick Time bellhousing and I've wondered how I might check the shimming at some future starter change without removing the bellhousing. Now all I've got to do is remember the trick!

Chris

 

Never thought about trying to read a pattern on the gear like a ring & pinion. You could probably do the same thing with a dab of gear marking compound if you happened to have some on hand.

 

A squirt of red oxide primer is what I used .. wipes off easy if need be.