[cookieman]

Hello, If you don't use the knurled starter bolts will starter bind up and turn slow like we use to call( dragging) in the old days ,Michael

[oldbogie]

Originally Posted by cookieman

Hello, If you don't use the knurled starter bolts will starter bind up and turn slow like we use to call( dragging) in the old days ,Michael

No, the stater will jerk around on the bolts and eventually bust the outboard portion of the block's starter mounting boss. It takes a little while but it does render the block to junk when it happens, there is no suitable repair process, many have tried, all have failed.

Bogie

[timothale]

Out farm forklift was made from a chevy truck. the SBC is way too much power ! ! Someone used the wrong bolts and It broke the Aluminum casting on the starter.

[RatPin]

Originally Posted by oldbogie

No, the stater will jerk around on the bolts and eventually bust the outboard portion of the block's starter mounting boss. It takes a little while but it does render the block to junk when it happens, there is no suitable repair process, many have tried, all have failed.

Bogie

My builder repaired a cracked starter mount boss (outer one) on my 350 sbc. I have not fired it yet but have a lot of money into the build. His repair looks good and the guy knows what he's doing. Please tell me that it wont snap again once put into service. That would suck! I'm using a mini hp starter with staggered bolts.

[Silver Surfer]

Originally Posted by RatPin

My builder repaired a cracked starter mount boss (outer one) on my 350 sbc. I have not fired it yet but have a lot of money into the build. His repair looks good and the guy knows what he's doing. Please tell me that it wont snap again once put into service. That would suck! I'm using a mini hp starter with staggered bolts.

Please post a pic of the repair.

[timothale]

It's Best to Always use the starter support brace. I don't know if the factory brace will work on with your Mini starter. The forklift did not have one.

[RatPin]

It's painted and installed now. Hard to get a picture.

[oldbogie]

Originally Posted by RatPin

My builder repaired a cracked starter mount boss (outer one) on my 350 sbc. I have not fired it yet but have a lot of money into the build. His repair looks good and the guy knows what he's doing. Please tell me that it won’t snap again once put into service. That would suck! I'm using a mini hp starter with staggered bolts.

I usually go to don't do things that bust it because it can't be repaired just to head people off from doing things to break the ear in the first place.

Yes I know it can be fixed, I also know that finding someone that has the ability to do this successfully is about 1 in 100 of automotive machine shops and after that the success rate by a highly competent welder/machinist is about 50%. So the odds are stacked against you, big time. Sometimes if the cracking isn't too bad the ear can be cross drilled and bolted as a repair, but events that allow aren't very common. Another method is to drill through, install a threaded rod and nut or braze the rod in to the hole. There used to be an adapter plate that went between the bell housing and block which allowed the use of the 1955 and some industrial starters that bolted in horizontally like a Ford does on some models. No matter which solution you pick, it's a lot of work and more likely than not will require the engine be removed and perhaps disassembled. So the simple solution is to use the bolts the OEM requires.

So it's just way better not to make the errors that lead to this problem in the first place. Plus as was suggested by timothale the starter, if using the big older model, must have the brace that connects the brush side of the motor back to the block. The mini-starters do not require this.

Bogie

[against all odds]

X3! Yes, definitely use the brace; If you're not using one, have someone start the engine while you watch the starter. i think you'll be pretty surprised at what happens. That's why you need the brace.

i think the knurled bolts should also be used to prevent any movement or shifting of the starter. The bolt holes themselves are pretty "soft" and if you have to change the starter a few times they may strip, but these can be repaired rather easy and well with heli-coils. But that's different than having the whole mounting boss crack.

[RatPin]

Originally Posted by oldbogie

Yes I know it can be fixed, I also know that finding someone that has the ability to do this successfully is about 1 in 100 of automotive machine shops and after that the success rate by a highly competent welder/machinist is about 50%.

Well hopefully my guy knows what he is doing. He is somewhat of a legend in these parts for engine building. Mostly Ford though. His name is Larry Kalsch.

Mine was not cracked clean off it just had a stress fracture that you could see in it once the block had been cleaned up. Once the repair was made it looked solid. It looked like the weld repair penetrated in very deep and I never actually asked him how he did it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of a started brace for a mini starter or do they even exist? Is a mini starter less likely to provide the amount of torque it would take to crack that boss again? It seems like the heavier the starter the more impact that would be put on the boss, but I'm just guessing.

[cobalt327]

Originally Posted by RatPin

Well hopefully my guy knows what he is doing. He is somewhat of a legend in these parts for engine building. Mostly Ford though. His name is Larry Kalsch.

Mine was not cracked clean off it just had a stress fracture that you could see in it once the block had been cleaned up. Once the repair was made it looked solid. It looked like the weld repair penetrated in very deep and I never actually asked him how he did it.

Can anyone point me in the direction of a started brace for a mini starter or do they even exist? Is a mini starter less likely to provide the amount of torque it would take to crack that boss again? It seems like the heavier the starter the more impact that would be put on the boss, but I'm just guessing.

No braces are sold for mini starters as far as I know.

If it totally fails you can use an adapter to mount the starter instead of to the block.