Starter bolt size??

[Vikingone]

In my on going battle to solve the grinding on startup which wiped out my flywheel I stumbled across something interesting today. I too the starter apart and ran the gear across the flywheel gear. They do indeed mesh properly. BUT. I put the nose of the starter on the bellhousing and found that the two 3/8x16 bolts had a lot of slop in the bellhousing. I looked at the bellhousing and it appears that one hole was tapped. So I took a tap and retreaded the one to 7/16x14. Ok. So one is good. But the other hole in the bellhousing also holds a 7/16x14 bolt but the starter only accommodates a 3/8x16. Can anyone tell me what size bolts are supposed to bolt down the starter? And do you think I should just drill and tap the starter to accommodate the other 7/16x14 bolt?


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[mriplaybass]

Drilling out the starter will obviously tend to weaken the mounting flange. If anything, I would install helicoils, and use the stock bolt diameter.
The starter nose housing is indexed to the bell housing, so the starter can't move from side to side or up and down. It can, however, rotate under torque if the bolt holes are enlarged, and the bolts are not adequately torqued. You can try rotating the starter clockwise and counterclockwise within the limits of the enlarged holes, then tightening the bolts in each position to see if this makes a difference. This should tell you if the enlarged holes are your problem. Either way, you need to fix the stripped out holes.

 

[Lumpy Grits]

In my on going battle to solve the grinding on startup which wiped out my flywheel I stumbled across something interesting today. I too the starter apart and ran the gear across the flywheel gear. They do indeed mesh properly. BUT. I put the nose of the starter on the bellhousing and found that the two 3/8x16 bolts had a lot of slop in the bellhousing. I looked at the bellhousing and it appears that one hole was tapped. So I took a tap and retreaded the one to 7/16x14. Ok. So one is good. But the other hole in the bellhousing also holds a 7/16x14 bolt but the starter only accommodates a 3/8x16. Can anyone tell me what size bolts are supposed to bolt down the starter? And do you think I should just drill and tap the starter to accommodate the other 7/16x14 bolt?


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I'm really think'n you have the wrong starter......
LG

 

[Vikingone]

I thought that. But this is the second starter and doing the same thing.


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[Lumpy Grits]

I have never had to drill out a starter mounting hole for my 6cyl.
LG

 

[Vikingone]

I have never had to drill out a starter mounting hole for my 6cyl.

LG

No. It appears that the previous owner had messed up the holes on the bellhousing. One of the 3/8 starter bolts would catch threads but barely. The other hole in the bellhousing had previously been tapped to 7/16x14. So I tapped the other hole thus making them 7/16x14. I can put a 7/16x14 bolt thru the one hole of the starter. (The non threaded hole) but the other hole in the starter is threaded for a 3/8x16. So there was a lot of play. Now I can helicoil the bellhousing or simply drill and tap the threaded starter hole to accommodate another 7/16 bolt.


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[Vikingone]

I have never had to drill out a starter mounting hole for my 6cyl.

LG

I don’t care for advanced auto or autozone so I will be getting a new starter from NAPA when the funds are there. I think I’m going to just helicoil the bell housing


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[Lumpy Grits]

Do you have any numbers on this starter for me to compare to the spare I have?
When you installed the starter-Did you push/position the motor as much towards the inside as possible?
LG

 

[Vikingone]

Do you have any numbers on this starter for me to compare to the spare I have?

When you installed the starter-Did you push/position the motor as much towards the inside as possible?

LG

I didn’t install the starter.


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[Vikingone]

Do you have any numbers on this starter for me to compare to the spare I have?

When you installed the starter-Did you push/position the motor as much towards the inside as possible?

LG

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[Lumpy Grits]

TNX-I will dig my spare out and compare.
Got mine from Autozone many years ago with lifetime replacement.
Bet they come from the same place no matter who sells'em.
LG

 

[Lumpy Grits]

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That is the same markings(DL 3209)my spare has.
Also has that all important 'Made in Mexico' marking.
LG

 

[Vikingone]

That is the same markings(DL 3209)my spare has.

Also has that all important 'Made in Mexico' marking.

LG

Lol


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