Can ya'll recommend a good starter for an SBC that won't break the bank. I got lost looking at all the new ones at Summit and Ebay. My old starter is shot... it was the kind that bolted to the bell housing with three bolts. One of the bolt holes is broken and the starter was misaligned. It looks like my block is drilled and tapped for either the straight across or offset starter bolt patter, so I guess I could use any of em'. Is there a good after-market or stock starter that you think is the best choice?
Get a rebuilt Delco from the local Parts store, Carquest is where I got mine. If you have a 153 tooth flywheel ,you will need the straight across pattern, for 168 tooth, the staggered. Get the high torque version starter, and pick up a shim kit while you are there. Hope this helps Oh yeah I think I paid about 75 with no core.
Chevy flywheels are either 153 tooth or 168 tooth ... you need to count the number of teeth on yours to buy the right starter for your flywheel. ALL of the 3 bolt to the bellhousing type starters I have ever seen FIT the 168 tooth flywheels ... But I could be WRONG ...
yeah, the 55-72 truck and early car V8 bellhousings have the 3 bolt starter, and all use the big flywheel. If the bellhousing is broken, then try a 2 bolt starter...I've done all right with starters from the chain auto parts store with a lifetime guarantee, but that was back when they cost $40, not sure what they're up to now. make sure you get the correct bolts to hold it on, and check the starter shaft to ring gear clearance (exactly 1/8") before you even try to start it the first time...in case you need to do some shimming.
Yep. Sorry, I believe I have the 168 tooth flywheel. I've got a Muncie 4 speed manual on a 58 Apache.
Can you tell me what year and car had a high torque starter with the staggered bolt pattern? My choices in parts stors are limited to the kind where the kid at the couter, unen***bered by the thought process, asks you a series of questions like "does it have ABS?"
You need one that has a starter head like this ... staggered pattern ... Most of the 69 427 BBC Chevrolets had a stater head like this ... Randy
starters for SBC's vary a lot in price and quality you can get a decent rebuilt staggered bolt pattern one at Napa....#246-4795 i've used a couple and was happy.it's high torque and has a lifetime warrant , but at $35.49 i guess you couldn't expect it to be the best starter in the world Napa also sells new delco units....and better quality rebuilts
60s big block should be the iron nose, 70s small block or big block would be aluminum. same starter was used on small and big blocks, if that tells you anything.
You should be able to get the staggered pattern high torque by asking for a big block starter. Just tell them it's a 74 Chevy truck with 454. that should be the high torque version. The correct bolts are important like Squirrel said, they have a knurled area to hold the starter tight.
Thanks for your advice. I realize this may seem a simple problem to many of you but this project is my first time to the Rodeo. Once again the HAMB community has done me right. Thanks to all ya'll.
The better starters had the little br*** spacer ( like the one above ) between the solenoid and the starter. This one does NOT have it ... and will not crank a Hot or big engine as well ... Most any decent starter shop can build you a good starter with the staggered pattern and extra fields for starting ... Be sure to get starter bolts ( like the ones shown ) They help cut down on a LOT of starter misalignment issues ...
also beware that there are several different versions of the starter bolts....aluminum stagger bolt starters take two long ones, straight across aluminum starters (for the 153 tooth) take a long and a short, and cast iron nose starters take two that are not quite as long as the ones for the aluminum nose starters. Generally the bolts for aluminum noses have a built in washer flange under the bolt head, while the ones for iron noses don't. And there are metric bolts for late model ****...don't get those by mistake
Rats! I went out and got a starter for a 74 big block. Aluminum nose just like the one in this picture... The nose is too big to fit in the space in the bell housing where the old starter was.... Can anyone advise me on what starter to get that will fit?? I'm looking for a year make and model...because the parts kid cannot find it in his computer without that.
try a 1968 396 in an automatic trans pickup, should be the right one....I think that's what I used to ask for when I got the cast iron nose starter for my old Suburban. I've had a two bolt starter in a 3 bolt bellhousing behind a big block, but it was in 1979....so I'm a bit foggy on which one it was...but most likely the cast iron nose.
Iron nose should be stronger/more streamlined. I'd try 60's stickshift car. Guess at one like a 69 Vette 427/4-speed. If you've got a good Ma-Pop Auto Parts place like i do, the guy's know what's up. It's worth a few more dollars for the help and knowledge. My guy's awesome. I told him, when he quits sellin parts, i quit working on cars. I don't have the patience for the mindless ones that say, if it ain't in the computer, i can't help you. I want to smack them with the mouse
The sad truth is ... after these cores have been thru the rebuilders a few times ... you can NEVER know whether you will get iron or aluminum. They toss everything in a big part and then take stuff out at random. When I worked at the junk yard ... I have pulled iron nose starters off a 350 2VBuick with a automatic ... knowing that Buick did not put it there. Go to a good Mom&Pop starter shop ... that has been around for awhile and have them build you a starter.
In Fort Worth, go to S & S on Miller and get one cheap for about 20.00. Bad part of town, but great prices. Old time auto store. There is also Sellers on Foch St that rebuilds starters and have been around a long time. Tony
Not to hijack but I'd like to know if there was a year of starter for the 168 tooth that fit tighter than the rest?! I have a 168 tooth flexplate on a 1970 block and my starter gear is WAY to far away (like an easy 1/4 inch) . And a starter for the 153 hits the flywheel before any bolts line up! Any help while we are on the subject of starters would be great!
Sorry that my "74 Big Block" did not work, I did not think about the diam of the nose cone. The idea for a 60's big block application should work. Or go to the local shop that rebuilds starters and generators, they can set you up with a good one. Now on a completely different issue, but related to this starter discussion. On my 38 Chevy's 454, I tried the factory high torque starter, such as the one pictured with the spacer. It would not turn over the engine when hot, even with ignition cut out. I have the Ford solenoid and good grounds. Tried a cheap mini-starter, same problem. Finally stepped up and bought the Powermaster heavy duty mini starter (don't recall the exact name or P/N, but it was like $200). It does the job, although I still have to use the ignition cutout when hot, get it cranking and then light it off. It has the dual bolt pattern straight across mounting. There is no nose sticking out, so I know it would work on almost any bellhousing application.
Might want to look at a mid to late 90s 350 truck starter. Most had the same bolt pattern as the older ones and have smaller noses, and smaller in diameter. Friend of mine put one on his big block and worked great, but he is running a ****ter shield. I think the Autozone part #rs are DL6465S or DL9990S.
I used the starter from a '90's astrovan,gear reduction,smaller diameter,and bolted in with no problems,needed the bolts that fit it ,though!
Since this is starter talk......I've been having a problem with mine. My engine cranks over fine when cold. But when I stop at the store or at the gas pump and try to restart it, my SBC doesn't want to crank over (or will turn over very slow/kick over). Almost like the engine is bound. I've tried the starter off my BB that I KNOW is good with same results. If I wait 5-10 minutes all is good. I can feel the starter and it's not all that hot. Whadayathink??? Squirrel??? 38chevy454----sounds like my problem.....
sounds like the starter is tired, if you've already ruled out the obvious things like undersized battery cables, weak battery, etc. sort of related by not quite: I had trouble with my 55 not starting hot, it would not do anything at all, but if I jumped the solenoid it would work fine. I put a volt meter on it, measured something like 5 volts between the battery terminal and the purple wire at the solenoid when the key was in "start" and it was acting up. so there is a LOT of resisance in the wiring from battery to ignition switch, thru the neutral switch, and back to the starter. I solved it by putting a little square black Bosch type relay near the starter, ran the purple wire to the relay coil, grounded the other side of the relay coil, one contact to the battery connection, the other to the solenoid S terminal. but that's not gonna fix your problem, Josh!
Sadly the only real answer to this is to pull your starter, take it to the parts place and plop it down on the counter and say I need one JUST LIKE THIS! Give him some hints on years to look at and let him go get boxes and open them till you see one that is like what you have. Rebuilts and aftermarket could say anything on the box. You have to open it in the store and compare it before you head home with it. Same thing with any rebuilt or aftermarket replacement engine part. Added advantage to this method is that when you drag in the part and plop it on the counter, the guy working there who really knows something about parts just might be interested enough come over to see what the cat dragged in. If you want to do it 1 time, this is the best way.
All my wiring is good. I KNOW it is. Maybe next time I drive it and it won't start, I'll TRY and JUMP the starter terminals. Just for kicks.... I'm looking at getting a high torque mini starter, but really, a standard starter SHOULD be fine.....only running @ 9.5:1..... Thanks Squirrel!!!
Sinister, the Ford solenoid does basically what Squirrel's fix does. It provides a full 12 volts at the solenoid so it makes good contact. Like I said, I had the problem and only the super torque starter made for 14:1 big blocks worked for me. I do have my battery mounted in the trunk which is not the best, closer to the starter is better. Also bigger cables are better, mine are plenty big (either 0 or 2 gauge cable).
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