How to shim a Chevy V-8 starter

After installing the starter on this 454 I checked the gear lash and found that it was really wide, I had to cut some shims and shim the outside bolt to reduce the lash.

[@futurefarmermatt9803]

Mannnn same thing with the starter I just got. Factory had no shims, put new up and in and she was just about as far off as that one, you’re a life saver, I appreciate you

[@aureliomartinez9535]

Thank you! Man I fought this shim bs for hours until I found your video! You rock man!❤

[@jasonthompson3135]

Yeah this is definitely the best description on what to do I appreciate that great video

[@CrashCarson14]

Thanks. Broke a bolt in the block for a 97 K1500. It had the offset/staggered bolt pattern. Looking further I realized I had the holes and even the threads to use a straight bolt pattern. But I didn’t know how to use the shims

[@2012loveontop]

Great video and well explained job you did💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽💪🏽

[@josiah7068]

This guy was helpful…. It brought me to a better understanding of what to look for however, I still want to see the specifics and the why…. Always the why… and this guy doesn’t show you what shim he’s using to measure that…. Maybe he wants to leave that in the description.. overall I have to say I really appreciate this guy for putting in a real attempt to try and show you how to shim the start of correctly and the importance of it

[@Deathurway22]

U use a alan wrench to measure the gap not a shim

[@antj211]

Nice video, I just went with a couple washers and all good

[@michaelstarr5861]

Thanks! Had same problem with my Camino, you just showed me how to fix it. I used the slotted ends of shims, so I didn't have to take the bolt all the way out. Too cold out here

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

I’ll do a better video the next time I have one in, this was another device that was a bit glitchy.

[@floresluis451]

OH MY GOD THIS IS WHAT IM DEALING WITH RIGHT NOW WITH MY 1979 EL CAMINO ......WISH U WERE IN CALIFORNIA

[@colesmallengines2409]

Dealing with my 84 choo choo 😢

[@anthonyhugger5447]

Thanks for the video!

[@ceddiesmallz]

Man thank you, life saver

[@greaseodh]

Thank u did it exactly the way you showed me. AAAAAA++++

[@jantelliquawallace355]

Just replaced the starter on my g30. Not a lost art anymore.

[@michaelstarr5861]

Yup this is the video I needed for my 1973 350. It was sounding worse than an early 80's Chrysler starter because it was too far from ring gear. Sub'd Edit: 2nd problem was the remanufactured starter had a thick spacer at the front of the shaft that kept my bendix from shooting out far enough, so it only engaged halfway across the surface of the ring gear teeth. Removed nose cone, removed the 3/16" spacer

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

Thank you, videos have improved, I finally kind of learned how to edit. Lol

[@cheeriosdelgado7598]

Mine started grinding and it’s gotten bad I’m going to try this and put it on the outside bolt to bring it closer

[@donrudy]

Hey , same problem heren . I had it slipping and corrected it 2 times without taking measurements like you . It started nice at the beginning so I got to my work and then the awful sound was back . Now taking my time and do it correctly I hope. One question, I have the same measure pin included with the starter . Do I put it between flywheel and the Bendix or the flywheel and the shaft where the Bendix is connected to . Difficult to see. Thanks in advance. Sorry for my English (

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

Between the outside of the flywheel teeth and the shaft of the starter, that will ensure that the teeth mesh together correctly

[@donrudy]

@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387 thanks for the fast response

[@jeromedodson4531]

Maybe I missed it but what size shim are you using to gauge with?

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

The rod I used used to come with the starter, it measures .12"

[@edgardomatos7742]

@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387 that was my question, the shimmy come with the starter? . You learn something new every day. My bolt that connects to the positive battery wire, for some reason, the housing was cracked , so while the battery was connected, id move the wire , and the truck would start with out being behind the wheel. So i dropped the starter , sure enough it was cracked . So going to advance auto to get a new one ..but i didnt know about the shimmy stuff ..but if it come with the starter ill check mine . Thanks . Thumbs up 👍. Appreciate your time . 1989 gmc sierra,

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

@@edgardomatos7742 anymore not all of them come with the gauge rod, that one I had kept from other ones I had bought.

[@danielgraham9104]

​@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387 I have a 97 k1500 5.7 4x4 just replaced flex plate and starter and still have grinding issues think the mechanic that installed it did not shim it any pointers ?

[@didiask592]

what are you measuring with what size is that rod to measure the top of the gear to the shaft

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

That rod measures .12"

[@didiask592]

@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387 thank you

[@rusoperformancerd5306]

One question when I turn it on, it sounds a lot and I put it in new because I bought it new cheaply, that's why what I saw when it arrived was that the connector where the ignition positive goes in the starter motor was broken, what would it be, I don't know what's happening or not. It's original I don't understand what it could be I'm crazy now and the starter motor is new I don't know if it's because it's not the original but it slips and it sounds loud and takes a while to start crashing the bendix help me

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

The sound would be because it’s not shimmed correctly, not sure about the terminal being broken

[@maceobane2804]

ok my friend, I am having the same problem, I have instlled shims but the starter motor is still grinding. I cannot see in between the ring gear and the starter enought to put the wire measuring tool. If i lower the starter then bolt it back into place the vehicle will start like new but only that one time. each time I shut the engine off I have to lower the starter and rebolt it for the engine to start. is the starter too close or too far from the flywheel I made that determination because the starter cannot go up and down so it has to be wiggling from side to side. Pls help me remedy this situation. 2 mechanics and $300.......I need this problem solved.

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

I think you have more than a shimming problem, your symptoms are something I’ve never seen before, are you sure you have the correct part for your engine? There shouldn’t be a way to move side to side either. If you still have your old starter I would carefully compare it to the new one to make sure it’s right.

[@maceobane2804]

I have purchased the reccommended GM part number (starter) and it worked for over a year but just recently it strter doing this so I replaced the bolts as well. Pls reccommend something.

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

@@maceobane2804 if it suddenly started grinding then it’s either the teeth on the flywheel (which is what happened to this truck) the bendix on the starter, or both. Pull the starter and rotate the engine a full revolution while watching the teeth to make sure you don’t have a bad spot (they tend to stop in the same two or three places when you shut them off), if there’s no bad teeth then it’s a bad starter again.

[@maceobane2804]

@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387 I took the starter apart and put the teeth from the starter into the teeth of the flywheel and guess what??? the teeth on the starter motor was larger than the teeth on the flywheel, thus the starter motor teeth was riding on TOP of the teeth on the flywheel. The starter motor was getting enough "grip" to trun the flexplate but when the bendix retracts back into the starter moter it throws the alignment off for another start. the starter is the right GM part number but wrong part altogether. I found an OEM starter in the junk yard and it works just fine.

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

@@maceobane2804 I’ve done other videos on new parts being wrong or built wrong

[@jesusglez4497]

My problem is when I try to start it grinds and the shaft stays in the flex plate do I need it farther ? If so where would I shin It inside bolt or out sorry brother I’m young and dumb and have been having trouble with mine

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

You usually shim both bolts straight down, I’ve never had to shim an inside bolt by itself

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

Shimming down moves it slightly away from the flywheel, it’s rare that you have to shim the outside like on this one, that brings it closer.

[@jonhsmith2706]

Did that ever work on yours

[@walterwhitaker1395]

Let me ask this question? On the assembly line when they bolt on a starter are they shimming every starter?

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

I doubt it, I think there was one shim on most, the shimming was necessary because rebuilt starters had the mounting surface decked so that it would be perfectly level. That truck had no shim but was too far away due to the hog head being too tall brand new, most likely the thickness of that one shim they put under the older ones. Through the 90's I never found a stock shim but a lot of the older ones had one.

[@danielebbeling4056]

Do you know the size of the key to check lash ?

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

@@danielebbeling4056 the first comment asked that question, I believe it was .12", the one I did today came with a much larger size so it's not standard.

[@RJ-ex9on]

Couldn’t see what you was doing sir.

[@michaelboronda3866]

Good job would be better if you tilted that phone a freckle

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

At the time I had no stand at all, I also didn't edit at all...now I have a Walmart vlog kit and a free editing program. Lol

[@lynnlowery8204]

Hi, what do you mean when you say it almost spun out ?

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

The starter gear nearly spun out on the ring gear to the point that the engine would have stopped cranking.

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

It slipped a few times when it went by the bad spot on the ring gear

[@2ilovemonday]

Excuse me ! Why not show in your video WHERE ? you put the shim ? thank you.

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

Because I describe where it goes, between the starter and the block, I also describe how to cut the shim and put it on the outer bolt to set the gear closer as I had to do with this one.

[@jonhsmith2706]

I have same starter i tried 2 if those shims because i have to much gap between still doesnt close the distance so frustrating

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

I’ve had a lot of fitment issues with new parts in the last few years on older applications

[@ElliottParker-it2hr]

​@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur43878:10

[@ElliottParker-it2hr]

​@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387....b

[@diehard559_bulldog7]

What size Allen key

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

It's not an Allen key, it's a rod that used to come with the starter, I'll have to measure it and get you the correct size.

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

The measuring rod that used to come with the starter measures .12"

[@raniyamorrow5899]

Hello

[@stevenwithanS]

I did all that and had a new starter destroy itself on the second try.

[@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387]

@@stevenwithanS was the timing off, I’ve seen a kickback blow the head apart due to stuck weights in the distributor

[@stevenwithanS]

@@bulldogsautomotiveadventur4387 if it is, it's not out enough to do that. Just crummy starters I think.