I have a 70 Chevelle SS with a 396 and Muncie 4 speed. I currently replace the flywheel, clutch, pressure plate, and added on a Lakewood bellhousing. I am using a 168 tooth count flywheel and I decided to use a gear reduction Powermaster hitachi starter. The starter bolts to the block and clears the headers just fine. I am doing as the instructions say and checking the clearance between the ring gear and pinion gear. I am using a jumper wire to engage the pinion gear. My problem is the pinion gear does not mesh with the ring gear. I have spent hours trying different shims to correct this problem with no success. I currently have 3/8 of an inch worth of shims in and the pinion engages some of the time. It looks like I need more shims. I am running out of ideas. Has anyone else had this problem? Does anybody have any ideas what the problem could be?

Do your powermaster starter have four mounting holes on the starter?
When I first converted over from the stock started to the gear reduction style. My starter would come close to the flywheel but it would'nt touch it. I finially moved it over to the other two mounting holes on the starter and I was in business.
The only thing that made me think that it was in the wrong position was that it move the starter closer to the headers.
Hope this helps.
Everett

You have to flip the starter over. The starters come standard with the solenoid mounted on the top. To install with the solenoid down, you have to flip the starter on the mount.

You didn't say for sure how you intended to install, but I went through this with mine when I did the install, eventually figured it out.

Unfortunately the starter is bolted up using the right mounting holes. GRN69CHV if I flip the starter on its mount won't the starter be spinning in the wrong direction? Currently the solenoid is on top of the starter. Although I did clock the solenoid so it is closest the the engine block and away from the headers. I am starting to think that the problem is not with the starter but with something else. I was looking to get a cheap AC Delco or equivalent starter for my car and see if it works. But when I go to the local auto parts store all the starters they show my have staggered mounts. Does anybody know which starter is for the 168 tooth flywheel?

Big block uses the staggered bolt pattern starter.Like this http://www.sdpc2000.com/cart.asp?action=prod_detail&catid=698&pid=1286

Originally posted by 71350ss:
Big block uses the staggered bolt pattern starter.Like this http://www.sdpc2000.com/cart.asp?action=prod_detail&catid=698&pid=1286 -
John,
The mini's don't use a staggered pattern, they have a double bolt pattern to move them in & out depending of flywheel.


I did run into a mini starter that took more than 1/4" of shimming to get it right.
Ended up making an aluminum shim the right thickness after stacking a bunch of crap between the block & starter to find the right height.
Only ran into this problem once & I don't have a clue where the starter came from as the customer bought it on line for a good deal,,, that is until I spent about 2 hours making the piece of crap work graemlins/angry.gif
Probably could have sold him a starter for the time it took getting it right.
It was defiantly the starter as my dyno "mule starter" worked just fine on his block.

And it will not rotate backwards if you turn it over, it's still rotating in the same direction smile.gif

I have put more than 1/4" worth of shims in and the pinion gear still does not engage the ring gear. I am about ready to give up on this starter.

why do you need the gear reduction starter? I'm using a stock starter on my car, thats all I've ever used...weight savings?

Are you sure the aluminum mounting plate has not been installed upside down on the starter??

Also in my last post I didn't notice you were asking about stock replacement starters.
John is correct, all the 168 tooth flywheels take the staggered mount stock type starter.

I am using it to save weight but also to gain clearance away from my headers. I never thought about the mounting plate being mounted upside down. I need to go look at it again.