Starter Bolts.... sometimes the break. 454mag-B1
06-14-2017 | 10:25 AM
#11
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Ayuh,..... I've got alittle,....
Ya need a battery powered small right-angle drill,.... a little piece of 5/16" wood dowel, 'n a set of left-handed drill bits,....
Mirror, 'n flashlight are always welcome,...
Ya drill through the length of the dowel to keep the bit centered on the broken bolt, which is 3/8",...
I've got an ole set of Snap-On left-handed bits, 'n matchin' easy-outs,.... rarely to never use the easy-outs on starter bolts,...
Just the power of the drill bitin' in is usually enough to run the stub out,...
Now, bein' ya already got a little permanent magnet starter, I'll note an issue I ran across a couple years ago, when I started swappin' in the little starters,...
Ya Gotta use new bolts, For that PM starter,...
The traditional Chevy starter bolts are ever so slightly longer, they bottom out, before the starter is tight to the block,...
Which of course leads to busted starters, 'n busted starter bolts,....
That said, if the old bolts were used to mount that starter, yer probably in for a Battle, as they're bottomed out, it'll be a fight to break 'em free,...
Once free, they usually run right out on the left-handed drill bit,...
Ya need a battery powered small right-angle drill,.... a little piece of 5/16" wood dowel, 'n a set of left-handed drill bits,....
Mirror, 'n flashlight are always welcome,...
Ya drill through the length of the dowel to keep the bit centered on the broken bolt, which is 3/8",...
I've got an ole set of Snap-On left-handed bits, 'n matchin' easy-outs,.... rarely to never use the easy-outs on starter bolts,...
Just the power of the drill bitin' in is usually enough to run the stub out,...
Now, bein' ya already got a little permanent magnet starter, I'll note an issue I ran across a couple years ago, when I started swappin' in the little starters,...
Ya Gotta use new bolts, For that PM starter,...
The traditional Chevy starter bolts are ever so slightly longer, they bottom out, before the starter is tight to the block,...
Which of course leads to busted starters, 'n busted starter bolts,....
That said, if the old bolts were used to mount that starter, yer probably in for a Battle, as they're bottomed out, it'll be a fight to break 'em free,...
Once free, they usually run right out on the left-handed drill bit,...
The bolt that didn't break, was loose. I'm hoping the reason this happened is because vibration loosened the bolts over time, then one backfire popped the inside bolt. The threads left in the block would then spin freely... fingers crossed.
06-14-2017 | 02:21 PM
#12
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From: westville, NJ
First, reach underneath and feel the bolt. Is there any sticking up at all? Even an eighth of an inch? If so get a pair of needle-nose and grab hold and see what happens you might spin it right out. Or maybe even a small pair of vice grips. If it is dead flush, or even sunk down in a little bit you can try with a hammer and small chisel. Put the Chisel at the edge of the starter bolt and tap a little V into the side of the bolt. Then angle the Chisel a bit so that you're trying to tap it in an unscrewing Direction and it'll probably spin right out. It might take a little doing getting a mirror down there so you can see what you're doing backwards upside down but it's doable.
Last edited by dereknkathy; 06-14-2017 at 02:34 PM.
06-16-2017 | 12:41 PM
#13
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From: Atlantic Southeast
Can you please measure them? Mine didn't come with new bolts. Thanks!
06-17-2017 | 07:56 AM
#14
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From: Leesburg, FL
I found out the hard way that Dart big blocks have shallower starter bolt holes than stock GM blocks.
My starter bolts bottomed out just as the starter was getting tight. It worked fine for at least 100 starts, then
I had the issue of all the grinding noise.
I found the starter was loose and when I removed the bolts, I noticed they looked polished on the bottom
of the threaded ends. I cut off 0.3" of each bolt and reinstalled the starter, everything is fine.
My starter bolts bottomed out just as the starter was getting tight. It worked fine for at least 100 starts, then
I had the issue of all the grinding noise.
I found the starter was loose and when I removed the bolts, I noticed they looked polished on the bottom
of the threaded ends. I cut off 0.3" of each bolt and reinstalled the starter, everything is fine.
06-18-2017 | 08:54 AM
#18
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From: westville, NJ
Last edited by dereknkathy; 06-18-2017 at 08:57 AM.
06-20-2017 | 12:37 AM
#19
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From: Atlantic Southeast
I kept meaning to get the calipers out of the car. anyway, 1.07is the amount the bolt sticks out the bottom of the starter. total length is meaningless. it is what sticks out going into block. the holes in the block I measure at 1.4-something. so you have a quarter inch gap below (above) end of bolt before bottoming out. I would recommend grade 5 over harder. more malleable. if starter flexes, you want bolt to flex, not break. another thought. you broke the inside bolt? the one up against the oil pan and forward an inch and a half? if bolt is in there to stay,,, Chevy SBC 327 350 383 BBC 396 454 High Torque Gear Drive Mini Starter 2.5HP eBay
I found out today the 10099HD ATi starter I ordered may not be the correct unit anyway for my 1996 Merc 7.4 Lx MPI after noticing the staggered bolt pattern. I could have sworn the existing starter has its bolt pattern in line but I'll have to verify first. Come to find out there were multiple types of starters as well as flywheels used thus causing this issue as well as the bolt length debacle described herein. Fun times! Thanks MC!
06-20-2017 | 01:58 AM
#20
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From: westville, NJ
I built starters for a living for a while. That bolt pattern is for the big 168 tooth flywheel. The 2 bolts parallel is for the smaller flywheel only found on 6 cyl and some small blocks. That other one I mentioned is a new type that uses the parallel bolts for either flywheel. And you can see how far apart the different flywheel sizes move the starter by the 2 bolt patterns. But that type is nice for you if you can't get that other bolt out.
