This is a general starter question. I took my starter out and when I went to put it back I couldn't find the little spacer. So I put it back in anyway hoping itd still work. I went to start the engine and got a loud grinding whining noise. Im thinking it is the starter because I didn't put the little spacer in. Is that little piece of metal that important??

Keith

 

Yes, it is that important. You hear grinding because the gears are no longer aligned properly, causing the starter gear to hang up on the ring gear. The spacer allows the starter gear to mesh properly into the ring gear and, in turn, spin over the motor.

Your favorite parts store should have a starter shim pack for your vehicle. Problem is, you may have some trial and error in figuring out exactly how thick of a shim you need.