[BigBody]

Noob here working on a 72 chevelle that has a small block with an auto tranny. Needing to pick up a starter but, am missing the bolts and any brackets necessary. How do you know what length starter bolts you need? Also, are there any brackets needed? The tranny is a th350 if that matters. I have been looking on ground up's site but, am not sure what to order and I see there are some brackets on there.

Thanks all,

Kyle

 

[texasgilbert]

You can pick up a mini starter from DB electrical, Gr8hotrods, Skip White or others on Ebay real cheap. They come with bolts too so there's nothing else needed.

 

[BigBody]

I was just going to get one from O'riellys with the lifetime warranty. Not the best quality but, for no harder than they are to change and never having to pay for another is nice.

So, would I need any bracket for one of o'riellys? What bolt length?

 

[texasgilbert]

You'd be better to get starter bolts and not regular bolts so the starter doesn't move around on you. I think some or all old GM starters had bracket at the rear but I've hardly ever had a car with one and never bought one and put it on. I'm not sure on the length. Just measure the starter at the parts store. HELP section may have starter bolts.

 

[72ElCamino]

The Starter on my small block is a napa one so I'd probably the same as your oreilly's

The starter is bolted to the car, but I know there are no other brackets other then the 2 bolts that run up through the starter.

I would take a measurement of how far they need to go through the starter, and then see how far you can safely crank them into the block and go from there.

Never had any problem with it shifting on the block or anything. Works great.



Matt

 

[Dean]

What part of Kansas?
If you're close to Kansas City, I have a bunch of starter bolts.
If not, just go to your GM dealer and get the correct bolts.

 

[cobaltchev67]

I've had a set of starter bolts bend and chew up the flywheel because I didn't have the starter bracing bracket on there...mind you this was a staggered bolt pattern starter as well. With a mini starter, I had to do some mods for it to bolt to the nose(towards the front of the car) of the starter.

For the price of a bracket(around $10 I think) and doing a few little mods, it's well worth the effort IMO vs. having screwed up set of starter bolts, flywheel/flexplate or starter itself. Just buy the bracket, it's piece of mind for me.

 

[BigBody]

Thanks for the help guys.

Dean, I'm 2 hours from KC. I live in southeast Ks in a small town called Chanute.

 

[Mike]

At any GM dealer
http://www.gmpartsdirect.com/performance_parts/store/catalog/Product.jhtmlPRODID=14&CATID=4.html

 

[Dean]

Thanks for the help guys.

Dean, I'm 2 hours from KC. I live in southeast Ks in a small town called Chanute.

Well heck, come on up to our Chevelle picnic at Riverside Park in Iola on August 23rd. then.
You and "yours" can come as my guest.
One of our members lives in Gas KS.

 

[BigBody]

Sounds like fun. I might need to get some more info on that get together. My car should be road worthy by I would hope. I'm only 20 or so min. from gas. I go there fairly ooften to their salvage yard.

 

[novaderrik]

buy the bolts when you get the starter- they are in the Help! section and will show up on the computer when they look up the starter.

 

[BigBody]

The guy at the parts store said something along the lines that their starter bolts in the help section aren't knurled( not sure if I spelled it right) like the factory ones. I guess I should go check the ones in the part store for myself.

 

[Mike]

Don't use the un-knurled bolts.
Bolts are still available at your GM parts counter.

 

[novaderrik]

The guy at the parts store said something along the lines that their starter bolts in the help section aren't knurled( not sure if I spelled it right) like the factory ones. I guess I should go check the ones in the part store for myself.

did the guy at the counter even bother to look at the bolts?
they are indeed knurled, and are probably the exact same bolts that GM sells but in a different box.

 

[swcash]

Tell the parts guys you want a heavy duty starter. There are bstarters off of a 4 cylinder that they will sell you. The rebuilders just sell you one that will bolt up.
The heavy duty starter can be identified by a longer spacer where the solenoid bolts to the starter windings.
I bought starter bolts from the Help section and they were knurled.
Before you do anything look at your block to see if it is drilled and tapped for the straight across or the staggered bolt pattern.
Squido

 

[BigBody]

Looks like staggered pattern.

 

[Dean]

did the guy at the counter even bother to look at the bolts?
they are indeed knurled, and are probably the exact same bolts that GM sells but in a different box.

Just curious, how do you know what his parts house stocks?

 

[novaderrik]

Just curious, how do you know what his parts house stocks?

i don't- but they are probably the very same Dorman bolts that they sell everywhere else. at NAPA, they don't come in a Dorman box, but they are made by Dorman. same with GM- they might come in a bag with a GM or AC Delco sticker on them, but they are still made by Dorman.

 

[charbilly2001]

If you intend to use the starter brace (which I heartily recommend) you will need the old style starter body bolts. One of those bolts has a threaded portion that comes out of the hex end of the bolt. This is what the starter brace attaches to on the starter. With out that style bolt you have nothing to attach the starter to the brace with. This bolt is at the approximately the 2 O'Clock position in the starter as you look at the front end of the starter. The other starter body bolt (the bottom bolt) is minus the extra threaded end.