Sounds like something is bent or the starter isn't hanging right. Some things to look for are:

- Cracked, usually outboard, bolt boss of the block. This will let the starter move when it engages the ring gear.

- Standard bolts attaching the starter, the GM bolts have a patterned surface that makes an interference fit in the starter's mounting block. If the hole bores in the mounting block are worn or standard bolts are used there is a slight clearance that allows the starter to move when it tries to engage the ring gear.

- If this is an older engine with the large and heavy starter it requres a small bracket that attaches to the rear of the stater motor and to the block to hold the starter parallel with the crankshaft. If this is missing the starter can droop which will bind the pinion gear in the ring gear.

These are the easy things to check for the more difficult is the starter shaft itself and the flexplate or flywheel.

- However unlikely check the bushing on the end of the starter shaft for clearance to the shaft. Excess clearance due to wear in this will let the shaft move to where it binds the gears.

- Problems with the flexplate or flywheel. Either of these can develop cracks that can missalign the ring gear but this is usually a problem that happens in one spot or two sometimes rather than anywhere and everywhere on the ring gear.

Bogie

 

Contrary to popular belief, there's a lot to installing a new starter.. Look it up in the manual..

The starter needs to be installed without the solenoid so you can check how the bendix meshes with the flywheel teeth..

Most every time, a motor will stop at the very same spot, so those teeth get worn first..

 

OK....brand new autozone starter...brand new flex plate...brand new front starter brace. It WILL not engage.
It will engage if I remove the outside bolt and twist it. That puts it about a half a bolt hole off on the outside bolt....WTF...sorry frustrating...

 

I feel your frustration cuzz I've been there. You just may have the wrong starter, I've found Autozone and other store of their ilk just doesn't have the best counter guys (I'm sure there are exceptions) or part numbers. I'm assuming you turned in your bad starter as a core (to compare bolt hole configurations).... right? You say you have a new flex plate, is it installed correctly or backwards? Hard to guess what the problem is without pictures, if you could take a few it would help.

 

Pictures are pretty tough to do. Not up on a lift. Trying to do this no my back. According to autozone this i it. no other numbers come up. It's like the mounting holes on the starter are off, badly. Totally lost as to why. Take it back and try a Napa one? Try a mini with bolt holes straight across?

 

Once it's forced midway engaged it's free. Has to be forced disengaged from mid way out. As of now it has plenty of clearance on the depth.

 

Wish I was down there visiting my kids I'd come by your place, they live near Haven and Chino Ave. I used to live in Chino Hills...... anywho looks like you have plenty of depth. You said the bolt holes don't line up? No offence meant to your intellect level but if I remember correctly chevys have a staggered and straight bolt hole arrangement, which does your block have?

Is this the same starter that you first bought at Autozone? if so will they exchange it for another one? These are "supposedly re-manufactured" starters and I really don't trust how they are done. If the old starter came off easily and didn't bind up then I'm thinking it's the starter. Did you try working the starter off of the car to see if the it works ok?

 

This is the 2nd one. Tore up the first one. Didn't have one on the block when I got it. This block has three holes. A inline bolt pattern should work. It's new starter, not rebuilt. Bench tests fine. The SOB just will not line up right. Like it's twisted. The only way it engages ( less then perfect) is if i remove the inner bolt twist the front of the starter toward the engine. It just can't be right. Once i force it. it's free until half way out and it jams. Bangs on the flex plate when trying to engage. i can manually line it up and force it in or out.

 

http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/images/3/33/Delco_remy_starter_shim_bulletin_tbstr01-2.pdf

Also make sure you have the correct bolts, some use 3/8 starter bolts, some use 10mm metric starter bolts.

http://www.crankshaftcoalition.com/wiki/Starter_motors

Sounds like you may need to install some shims on the inside bolt?

 

starter alignment

I had a bbc I purchased sans starter. After much anguish and trying several starters at the parts store and the special nose cone at the rebuilders shop my mechanic determined the bolt holes and mounting pad had been mis drilled mis machined on the block.

Tried all kinds of nose cones, shims, special bolts, studs, anything I could find on the internet or through mechanics I know, including old school starter rebuilder shop.

Needed almost half an inch of shims to line up, which kicked out right away.

Solution was to use a mini starter with the aluminum mounting block, 3 hole in my case as block had all holes drilled, and to carefully shave the mounting block until it fit properly.

My benefit because it was a new crate motor in a motorhome that apparently they could not get a starter to fit and eventually gave up on. skipnsb

 

Thanks for input guys. I've shimmed this thing about a thousand different ways. It flat won't engage or disengage from about 1/2 gear at the toward the starter end.