I have a 355 chevy motor that I have built twice over the past few months that is in my 94 S-10. My problem is with the starter. When I turn the starter over to crank the motor the gear sticks to the flex plate or flywheel. I had a new starter I bought from a local AZ and tried to shim it and it sticks to the flex plate. So ordered a mini high torque starter from a parts magazine and I'm having the same problem. I have shimmed this starter to about .200" and it still sticks. The flex plate is turned the right way because the pad bolts right up to my stall.
The first starter worked good before and nothing has been changed except a new over haul.
Thanks for any help

Just a hunch, but it sounds like it`s keeping power applied to me, check over your wiring, and check the ignition switch. I`m sure someone else can tell you more here, but that`s just my guess.

Is it possable that the rebuilt engine is so tight the starter can not turn the motor over? Put a socket with a long ratchet on the front vibration damper bolt and try to turn the motor over by hand. You should be able to do it. If you have a difficult time try taking the spark plugs out and turn the motor over by hand. I am assuming you have already double checked your wireing to the starter and the battery is fully charged.

The starter will turn the motor over but the starter gear is sticking to the flex plate, will turn with the visegrips by hand too. I have shimmed the starter to about .300" of an inch today but it still sticks. The battery is charged and I put a charger on it while I was turning it over. I also checked the wires but tomorrow I will change the small wire to the solenoid and see if that might help.
Next thing to do will be to pull the motor for the third time.

thanks for any help

Another solution would be to get a remote starter switch, you can disconnect all the starter wires but the power wire to the battery and just use the switch, this way you can see what`s going on as well as see if your wiring has a problem or is incorrect.

I had the same problem with my camaro when I put in a aftermarket starter. I used 1/64" shim and that did the trick, although I went through 15 shims before I did just that one alone.
The problem with mine was although the bolts seemed like they were on there good and tight, they werent bolted as tight as they could be, but once they were it started right up. Just a thought, hope it helps.

With your new mini-starter, you should be able to get a paper clip or .030 wire in the low spot between two teeth on the flexplate ring gear, and one tooth on the starter pinion. If it won't go, you need a bigger shim. The mini-starter drive will stay engaged when manually extended with a screwdriver - this is normal. This feature makes it easy to do the clearance check.

Just a FYI,
I pulled the motor again and replaced the flexplate with the smaller 153 tooth flexplate. At my local AZ we pulled it up to go with the 2-speed power glide years. I put it all back in with the new flexplate and new mini-starter. Left it all alone for about two weeks then started back on it and adjusted on the valves and fired it up one late Sunday nite and my son and I drove it around the block.
It's been almost a week and so far it cranks and runs good.
My problem was something to do with the old flexplate, I believe it was warpped.
A friend said to use the smaller flexplate, said it will withstand more torque and should never have to shim the starter.

Thanks for any help..

I had the samre problem. The fly wheel was turned around and the nose piece of the starter was rubbing agaibnt the ring gear.

Hope this helps!

Whoa, this is the oldest one I seen, this ones got a beard. This thread is 5 years old.