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Please Help!!! Chevy Starter Woes!!!

2K views 8 replies 5 participants last post by  1972 
#1 ·
I'M CURRENTLY FIXING UP A 1983 CHEVY VAN G-20. IT HAD A VERY WORN OUT 305 V-8 ENGINE IN IT. I PULLED IT OUT(FUN). AND I REPLACED IT WITH A GOOD USED 350 SMALL BLOCK. ALL SEEMS WELL. THEN I GO TO HIT THE KEY AND CRANK THIS BEAST TO LIFE. AND NOTHING?....JUST KINDA A CLANKING HALF *** ATEMPTED CRANK OVER. HAD MY POP CRANK THE KEY WHILE I WATCHED THE STARTER. THE STARTER GEAR POPS OUT AND SOMETIMES ENGAGES THE FLYWHEEL.FLEXPLATE. OTHER TIMES IT JUST BANGS AGAINST IT. AND SOMETIMES IT WONT RETRACT. STAYS ENGAGED ON FLYWHEEL.I TIRED ADDING SMALL WASHERS AND THINGS TO SHIM IT. NO LUCK. SO HERES MY QUESTION. THE STARTER WORKED PERFECT BEFORE ALL THIS. NOT A PROBLEM. IS THE FLYWHEEL/FLEXPLATE DIFFERENT FROM THE 305 COMPARED TO THE 350?.......IT SURE LOOKED THE SAME TO ME.. I'D REALYL HATE TO GO TO AUTOZONE AND BUY A NEW $99BUCK STARTER SEEING HOW THE OLD ONE WAS FINE..........SO WHATS GOING ON HERE?.......DO I NEED A DIFFERENT STARTER?......ARE THE FLEXPATE/FLYWHEELS DIFFERENT?......LIKE MAYBE TEETH OR TOOTH SIZE.?........MY POP SAYS I GOTTA BITE THE BULLET AND GO GET A NEW STARTER FROM AUTOZONE FOR THE 350 ENGINE.....IS HE RIGHT?........PLEASE LET ME KNOW........ DUNEBUGYFROMHELL@AOL.COM OR IF YOUR SUPER BORED TEXT ME WITH YOUR TIPS.1-302-373-5339......MY NAME IS JOSH. AND I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE SOME HELP ON THIS ISSUE. THANX!!!!!
 
#4 ·
Check the grounding strap.

Had the same problem on my 74 Nova. Brand new everything and would not crank. Just half hearted and got caught up in the flywheel. I looked around the engine compartment and saw that I had not connected the grounding strap from the frame to the motor. Short story connected the strap and it cranked right over and started the beast. If you do not have a good ground it will not get full voltage. It will have a ground when you connect the motor mounts just sometimes not a good one, just enough to kick the starter. :mwink:
 
#6 ·
Try the block

Hook the strap to the front of the passenger side head. Mine is underneath the lower alternator mounting bolt. I have had problems with hooking to the tranny. Also check your battery cable connection for looseness or corrosion and fix if it is not good. Last step before taking for a test, pull it out and kick it with a set of jumper cables to see if the gear comes all the way out. If not then it is the solenoid or starter. Chevy 350 starters are cheap as hell. About 34-45 bucks for a good one. Make sure you have a good grounding strap not just a wire.
 
#7 ·
Grounded

Ok. I Will Try To Bolt The Ground Cable Up To The Head. Do You Know Off Hand If Theres Any Differences Between The 305 Starter And The 350 Starter?.........the Starter Was Working Perfect Before In The 305. I Read Someplace About Shims?. There Werent Any When I Removed The Starter. A Couple Guys I Talked To Said The Starters Are The Same For 305 And 350. Not Sure If It's True. I Will Try Ground Engine Better And Let You Know. Thanx For Your Help..josh
 
#8 ·
Difference 305 350

Not sure if there is a difference. As long as the bolts line up it should be good if the tooth flywheel is correct. you might have to shim it if it is noisy when starting. Keep in mind though you do not have to shim both sides. You can use a washer to shim it on one side. Very common problem. Hope this helps
 
#9 · (Edited)
You had asked if the flexplate was different and from my experience on my 72 Nova is yes it is. I had a 307 in the car when I bought it and replaced that with a 350 but kept the 307 flexplate, when I bought a new starter I told the guy at the auto parts store it had a 350. When I installed the starter it was waaay off from engaging, took it back told him it was a 307, got a new starter that had a different part number, installed it and was good to go. The guy at the auto parts store tryed to talk me into them being the same starter but in a side by side of the 350 and 307 starters there were obvious differences visually and in part numbers. Good Luck hope this might be some help!
 
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