Starter Headache on my 4.3
 

OK all::

The mini monster is done.......or so I thought it was done! I'm left with a headache and for now, my hands are tied. I took back the original starter that I got with my SUV/morph and have since taken back two new REMAN's and got a HD CARQUEST starter Part # 6449SN CQSNA and two new starter bolts for my 4.3 Vortec and I have the same whinny grinding skipping noises as I did with the other new starters. I've never had a problem such as this in my entire life restoring and fixing cars of all brands!!!


I asked for a HD starter for my '1998 Chevy Blazer' << Because I don't want to stand there and explain that I need a starter for my 1998 4.3 that sits in the frame of a 1992 Toyota 4 X 4 with a 1993 body of a Suzuki Sidekick sitting on top...... I use the Chevy Blazer because the ID numbers I got off the block >>14099090M<< tell me it's a 1996-1998 block, as all three years were the same block. I assume the starter would also be identical for all three blocks.

I recently pulled the heads ( 113) off and sent them in to be tanked and rebuilt by my buddy that owns an engine building machine shop. I found the magic ENGINE ID code they all say to look for stamped on the passenger side of the block just forward of the head that reads>> W5N15UFB << I'm certain it's a B and maybe not an R. This tells me I have the 'W' engine but I can decipher no more. I'm sure it's the key to the engine's identity but I find no record of that code. I've also heard that there is a code on the drivers side behind the head on a ledge of the block. I scraped and cleaned it off and it's 100% blank!

Anyway, I've been through a ton of videos and how too's and I find that I am suppose to take an 1/8 drill bit or allen wrench and get that gap between the starter shaft and flywheel and if too tight, shim it till you do get 1/8"...... We'll today I find that I have a 3/8" gap! I bought 'kitty corner' shims just in case but there's no shimming that. I would need to either find a starter with a larger spindle gear or mill 1/4" off the mount and I don't want to mill because I think my engine info may be back. I don't know. Maybe I have a Marine block,but, they are all the same. Right?

Anyway, I find that my 11 tooth starter gear is only engaging about 1/8 " of the ring gear teeth. I hear others talk about a 9 tooth gear also. Is there a larger gear I can have installed? Is my engine info correct that I am giving the folks at Advanced Auto Parts to receive this starter that I'm having problems with? Is there a solution to this problem without having my starter milled?? I hear bad things in the 1 to 5 star reviews on these starters. It is one day old with minor turning and I am now done until I can correct this.


BTW, I've done some tests and counted 168 teeth on my flex plate and find that it's 100% flat and not warped one bit. It's a 14" flex plate. And all teeth are accounted for and are NOT warn off in the least. The other starters have taken a mild beating though.... And when I get it started the engine runs like a charm!

Thanks all for your help and please post links that may help fix my dilemma....:icon_toast:

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...ab225dabfd.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...6dd40ad935.jpg

Depending on how friendly your local auto parts store is, you might want to bring in your current starter and compare it to different years/models to see if you can find something that will close up that gap.

Make sure starter is only touching the block on the mounting pads around each bolt, not anywhere in the center between them or on a shim. Not all starter nose castings are the same. I recently had this problem on an early SBC with a late starter in an early S10 (using offset bolt pattern) I imagine V6 can be the same.

Solution for me was an aftermarket Denso starter + mounting in in-line position (needed very short and clocked just right to clear frame). If you find you have a small amount of interference between the bolts (of the block with the starter nosecone), you could probably grind the interference away on the starter nosecone until it sits flat as it should.