I have a stock 1977 sbc engine, 350 automatic trans, 168 tooth flywheel. I puchased a mini starter from summit straight bolt pattern adaptable to the 153 or 168 tooth flywheel. When I bolt the starter to the block the starter gear is engage by about 1/8". * Flywheel is installed with the pads toward torque converter * I have approx. .265 between flywheel and engine block * Have tried 4 different mini starters (starter gear is against the bearing of the starter). * Called Summit twice no help * Called Powermaster no help Full size starter works fine but I need the room for headers/frame swap. Please help. Thank you Tom
Try a "mini starter" from a newer model chevy truck. These were OE on the new SBC trucks. You can get them from any parts house Advance, Autozone, whatever. I think they started in 1995 on the Vortec engined trucks. You will definetely know when you fiind the right one as they are much smaller than the big 3510 series starter. I've been running one on my '87 chevy for about 7-8 years now. Its a daily driver so even though now the starter is dying I am satisfied with the life of it. If you have trouble finding one I can get you a part # but may take a day or so.
P6449S for the 168 tooth flywheel and staggered bolt pattern. (1995 chevy 1/2 ton 2wd with 350 engine) P6470S for 153 tooth flywheel and straight bolt pattern (95 camaro with v8) These are numbers for advance auto. Auto zone is the same. I use these guys because their website is useful, not because the are any help in the store. I usually get a blank stare when I ask for something in either place. But if you walk in with a part number you can usually get something. From my experience with starter numbers...this will be useful at other stores, too. Oh and by the way, does your block have both sets of holes? I cant remember on a 77. If not, the above info will be useless to you as you have the straight holes with the 168 flywheel which could be the problem. Starters on chevy's are one reason I am a Ford fan now.
I am a store mgr for NAPA and always sell a 4n5110 big flywheel small block and use a 4 inch hardened grade 8 bolt, try to find the support bracket for the back if you can, some people have had problems with the starter moving around and the 98 truck starter bolts will not fit an early small block. The thread length and shoulder is different. We have one of these starters cranking a 871 blown 496 with no problems. I have also had to round the ends on the reg. mini starters to make it work if the end of the drive hist the flywheel. I just had a post about heat soak on my 54 chevy and had to put on a mini and thats what I had to do to clear the flex plate. Hope this helps.
hey partsman do you have a factory mini starter for 168 flywheel and straight bolt holes? I think this is what he will need if he doesnt have both sets of holes in the block. I'm not sure GM ever made 'em this way. Jus checkin. Thanks
Just checked in my book and with my supplier and it looks like that doesn't exist. Back in the 70's gm had a taxi starter that had a cast iron nose and both bolt patterns and it fit the big flexplate but it is the big starter, some of the mini starters from summit have a shim to put between the motor and the mounting block, that may help with interferance between the drive and the flexplate, call if I can help 501-982-1591 store line. Not trying to sell just trying to help.
I got some new mini starters that might work for you. I have one on an M series truck crate motor. Works great. It's a delpi I look alike. Must use new GM starter bolts. Supplied with the starter.
I'm thinking this is the cause of MANY of the chevy stater woes. I'm talking about the grinding, crappy sound, flexplate wearing buch of chevy starter stuff people have endured through the years. Can we say that if you have a straight bolt block you should use the 153 flywheel and applicable starter and if you have staggered block you should use 168 and applicable starter. If you have a block with all 3 holes...you have a choice. Is this a fair assessment? Now back to helping the originator of this thread. Does anybody have a straight bolt ministarter that they know will work on a 168 flywheel? 325W what flywheel are you running? straight or staggered bolt patter on block and starter?
According to all of my books and the what I have told my customers in the past, diagonal holes is 168 tooth, straight is th 153 tooth. According to my vendor the only way to have straight holes and big flywheel is to get the gear reduct with the dual pattern mounting block. May have to shim the motor back and round the end of the drive some with a die grinder so when the drive rotates into the flywheel it clears the tip. I got those directions from the guys at powermaster and it has fixed my problem everytime.
Sorry, I reread your post, yes if you block has both patterns you have the option of either flexplate, or if only one pattern you are stuck with that starter flexplate combo.
Well I went and bought the P6449S from advance. The case of the starter is rubbing the flywheel directly beside the starter drive gear. I do have the three mounting holes in the engine block allowing me the use either type starter. I'm thinking about disassembling the starter and grinding and or filing the starter where it is contacting the flywheel, and then rounding the teeth on the drive gear. My only concern is that the starter drive gear will engage too far. Any thoughts? Thanks to all who have responded Tom
Would a 153 flywheel provide a larger gap between my flywheel and engine block. Currently with the 168 tooth I only have .265 clearance. Thanks again, Tom
Has the block been align bored' and maybe try half shim on inside bolt only that will rotate starter from flywheel don't go more than 2 or 3 thick .
once purchased a 77chevy 350 engine and 350 tranny complete,with a mini starter , didnt pay much attention at the time ,,but later when i seperated them there was a 3/16 spacer plate between the motor and tranny ,,,,,no it wasnt an adapter plate,,,i just asumed that it was for starter clearance ...............hope this helps
on a chevy the starter and flywheel are both attached to the engine so a plate between the engine and trans would have no effect on the starter to flywheel clearance. A spacer between the engine and trans only affects starter to flywheel clearance on combinations that the starter bolts to the transmission I.E ford and chrysler.
*****FOUND THE PROBLEM****** Before I attempted to modify any of my new starters I installed the original (OE large) starter. The engine starts fine, but when I was removing it I noticed my flexplate was cupped almost like it was made that way. I layed under the truck and had a buddy bump the starter and it is almost perfectly round but cupped. I believe if after I remove it if I laid it flat the center would be approximately a 1/4 higher then the teeth! Looks like I need a new flexplate. Thanks for all the help and suggestions. Tom
The flywheel I have is the 168. The starter is for a 168. Company that makes this mini starter also makes the one for the 153. It cost several dollars more than the $90.00 I can get the 168 for.
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