For gods sake it's 2 friggin bolts it should not be this painful!!!!! Anyway I'm intalling the starter on my 87 SBC and the ones I got from the aouto part place are 2 long. I knw they are supposed to be knurled so the starter doesnt shift. Are there different bolts for different years?? Also there is a square section cut on the starter body. What goes here? Thanks for the help. Like I said it shouldn't be this painful Todd
I've seen (and used) at least three different lengths of bolt on various GM starters that bolt to the block. Once you get the bolt length right, you may or may not find yourself shimming the starter for ring gear clearance to prevent chewing up the starter drive and/or the ring gear, too. Sometimes even the bellybutton motors don't assemble themselves for you.
There are 153 tooth and 168 tooth flexplates, they each have their own starters which mount differently. You probably have the bolts for the other starter.
I think this is what I'll do. Worst comes to worst I have a buddy with a lathe. Well get some oversized shoulde bolts, turn them down to fit knurle then and thread them to fit. Todd
I picked up the set from Dorman. They are all way to long. I still have no idea what the square hole is for??? Todd
nothing, its just a cheap chinese casting. I usually file them down and then shim them back to where they sound right. I had a block strip out the threads once, i drilled it so the bolt could drop down from the top, ground the head to seat properly, dropped it through and used a nut on the bottom. worked for years.
While we are on the subject, where do you find knurled bolts for the Mini-Starters? Last one I bought came with regular bolts. How do the metric bolts compare in length to SAE? Every bolt I have found is either too short (Might catch one or two threads), or is long enough to need washers to tighten down the starter. BTW, newer metric starter to older 70's block. Like he said, it should be easier.
I got some bolts from a guy at the Pomona swapmeet, $10 for the pair. Well worth it. I think you *might* find them in the help! section at your favorite parts store, I think I saw some there. The best place to get them is from a buddy's stash. I never guessed NAPA woulda had them , but evidentally they do. Local parts stores are usually so awful I can hardly stand to go in them. It just makes me see red. Anyway you're smart not to try to use washers or bolts that aren't knurled. Starters that don't start rarely happens someplace convenient. Good luck
If you lived close to Cincy I could hook you up. I have at least 30 sets of them in different lengths on any given day. I have dismantled many a small block.
Update: I stopped at the Chevy dealer on my way home. The bolts are discontinued. Just my luck. I'm going to reasearch what other years this same starter went on and try a couple of junkyards. Around here though alot of times they wont go and pick a small part like that for you. If not it's off to my buddies lathe and make some. I'm just amazed it's such a pain in the ass for 2 friggin bolts! Todd
yup the old help rack right ? .... i did the same thing not realizing they had 2 different lengths and the metric shit too... they had the right ones on the rack you just missed em.. Dave
got mine offen the help rack at o'reillys. short bolt about2 in. long? be sure to get the standard thread.well unless you need the .................well you know
They are standard thread. The short one is only 1-1/2 long The short one from the help rack is to long. The knurled portion is sticking through the backside of the mounting boss. Todd
that square hole is for a round plug....hahahahah sorry i couldnt pass it up.. Ive never had any problems with SBC's starters..bolt em up wire em up and shoot the juice to em.. but now just saying this..ive probably jinxed myself
gotta ask this and don't mean to be a smart ass,is that a 87 model starter? in the mean time i will go to the garage and see if i can find what you need or the package for them.i'll be back.arnold
nope don't have one or the package. how long /wide is the starter at the point where you took the pic.where the bolt goes thru. might try a different help rack, they do differ.and try a diff chevy dealership. some care some don't.
All three lengths of the starter mounting bolts, SAE and metric threaded, have been available from auto parts stores for at least 20-30 years. Every pick-your part yard has hundreds of these scattered all over the gravel under the cars in the GM section.
That's what I was going to say. Need bolts, go find a junker with the same year motor as you have and pull 'em off that. They don't usually go bad from sitting or anything. And if they're a little dirty, so what? Unless you have an all out show car, no one's going to look at them anyways.
The Jalopy Journal
