We have a 95 Chevy s10 blazer 4wd. We bought it off of Craigslist last year (which I do NOT recommend!) and it has been nothing but problems. Our latest addition to the list is the starter.

Last week it quit starting and when we would turn the key it made a high pitched screech type noise...almost like a grind. So we bought a new one. Only to find out there is a 98 engine in our 95 blazer so we needed a 98 starter. Well we got one yesterday (after taking the one for the 95 back) and my husband had a brain lapse and forgot to unhook the battery when he was readjusting the started and burned up a battery cable and the started. So this morning we took that one back (thank God for warranties) and got yet another starter. Well we got this one on and it is making the same friggin' noise the first one was! What the hell is going on? Yesterday before the wire buring incident the starter was working but was making a really rough noise when he started it.

Oh and for the record, after he put this one on he did try to start it and it wanted to but the battery was dead from him leaving the hood up all night and that stupid light being on. I am at my wits end and I am tired of having to walk my kids to and from school in 7 degree wind chills. Any help would be appreciated Thanks.

 

Did you shim the starter correctly? Too close to the flex plate and the drive gear (bendix) won't engage, just grind. Too far away and it might engage, but not have enough contact to stay engaged, resulting in grinding. The installation instructions that came with the starter should have stated the procedure necessary to shim the starter and there should have been shims with the new starter.

 

Can you define correctly? Does one side have to be tightened down more than the other...

My husband is no mechanic but he is trying.

Could it not being shimmed correctly cause it to make that horrible loud noise?

 

I updated my post shortly after posting the single question to give further details. Take a look through the material that came with the new starter.

 

The starters we bought didn't come with any type of instructions just a piece of paper with cartoon pictures on it that don't make sense. You, on the other hand, have been very helpful and I appreciate it.

Does one side need to be tightened more than the other?

Oh and they didn't come with shims either, we had to buy them separate.

 

I'm surprised on the instructions & the shims. Every starter I've replaced recently has come with very detailed instructions & new shims. I always start by reusing what is in there though and I buy new starters from NAPA, not remanufactured so maybe there is the difference.

The bolts should both be torqued to around 35ftlbs if I remember correctly or good & tight with a 3/8" ratchet.

The shim needs to be installed correctly though or it could cause the starter to not mount flat to the underside of the block, creating the situation you find yourself in.

Install the bolt closest to the block just enough to hold the starter up in place. Then slide the shim in such that the open end of the shim goes around the bolt you just installed. Then position the shim so that the second bolt can go through the hole in the shim & torque the starter down.

If you still get a grinding noise, then you either need to add another shim, or if you have too many shims, remove one. Do this dance until you have a nice, quiet starter. I know it's not fun on these blustery, cold days, but unfortunately, that is the world of re-manufactured starters. Sometimes they have to re-machine the mounting face to make them flat, requiring odd amounts of shims.

 

I can't thank you enough for your help.