Okay -- hope that works for you... if not... I'll come up there myself!! In the interest of good international relations. LOL
:cheers:

No problem man, I've been there done that and if you get everything within spec it will work flawless. Remember that you have + and _ of the spec. The best way to check it is go or no go.

For instance on your ring gear clearance, take a .060 feeler gauge and a .140 feeler gauge. The .060 should go and the .140 should not. The same will hold trud on the pinion back lash. You will need to stack your feeler gauges for the ring gear clearance.:thumbsup:

:hail:
:thumbsup:

I still don't understand why you stated this:

"There are three different flywheel "tooth counts"... and some starters might only mesh with one or the other. One is 142 teeth, one is 158 teeth - the other is 163"

So why no mention of the most common 153 and 168?

Then you give a link to a 139 count, which also isn't included your three set of numbers.

When I search flexplate on the summit website, flexplate-Chevrolet, I get that one with 139, 25 at 153, and 42 with 168 .

Not trying to argue, just wondering.

Hey I'm the one that came up with checking the engaged clearance of the pinion gear in the first place!! :( Just kidding. I'm glad you are on your way to solving the problem. I only mention the paper clip as most people don't have or know where to get pin gauges. The "medium size" is just a rule of thumb to get you a usable clearance.

I am however concerned with one of your statements. When the starter you showed first is mounted, the pinion should not be extended nor engaged without actuating the starter solenoid. If it is, I believe you have an issue with that starter. The picture you show in this link http://www.transmissionadapters.com/...i%20torque.jpg is showing the pinion in it's retracted position for this type of starter. When you bolt it up, you should not have to shim it much to get the .100 clearance. It should absolutely not be engaging the flywheel. Can you get some photos? Unless I misunderstood, that shouldn't be.

Chad.....my mini starter is almost identical to the one you posted a link to. I had almost no clearance between the pinion and flywheel. The shim is about .100 thick.

when mounted the unengaged pinion is TOUCHING the flywheel, therefore i have to shim the so that armature sits back and therefore sits my pinion further back, this will make it so that my pinion will only touch the the flywheel when engaged.

I will take pictures tonight and show you what i mean, that is if it touches again, i shimmed the starter with the expose pinion to fit further back, so wish me luck tonight!

:captain:

THAT would explain the grinding you heard perhaps!!

If you make it down here (I am only 2 hours south of you) I'll take Gregs coffee. :rofl:

Seriously, I didn't do anything at all. I hope it works out. Maybe you will drive it down for one of the shows here? GG Puyallup, Seattle Roadster show? Then I'll get to see it !

Todd,

I never would have guessed that could happen. I have mounted 5-10 of those in the past on small blocks in circle track cars and have never seen that. Learn something new everyday! I had a couple that I would have liked to machine the mounting block to pull it forward, but even then only .02 or so.


Greg,

Absolutely

You're on it's tail now!