Shimming a starter?
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 116
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From: Napa Valley CA
Shimming a starter?
So i recently replaced a ring gear becuase the teeth got chewed up by my starter, someone said it needs to be shimmed? Any idea where to get them? and how to do it? Couldnt find it im my shop manual. Thanks!
Maybe its the starter drive?
Maybe its the starter drive?
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 567
Likes: 1
From: Vancouver, WA
Are you saying you replaced the ring gear on the flywheel, plus a new starter gear and it's still chewing your ring gear?
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2009
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From: Burbank, WA
If this is true, then you got the wrong starter. Fords are not intended or designed to be shimmed. Even GM's are only shimmed a few thousands, if necessary, to make up for their production machining tolerances on the bottoms of their blocks and starter bodies.
Elder User
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 567
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From: Vancouver, WA
At a minimum you should replace the starter drive gear. How old is the starter? Ford starters should never need to be shimmed. I'll start by asking the obvious, you did put the ring gear on the correct way and the flywheel bolts are torqued correctly? In my experiance, I always replace the starter when ever the ring gear is replaced. Most starters wear in to the ring gear until tolerances are worn into the ring gear.
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3,038
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From: South west Idaho
This is probably the shim 'John55100' was talking about sold at NAPA. I bought it and used it to reuse a 289 c/4 trans. starter with a standard transmission flywheel as it was a new starter and i never wanted to buy another new one. 289 auto starters have a little longer nose on them than the standard ones do. I just checked a couple in my shop and it's about 1/4 to 3/8 in longer. I think the 260,302 and maybe 351 W, were the only engine ford did that way. There are two different part numbers for them.
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Senior User
Joined: Apr 2011
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From: Napa Valley CA
Don't know how old the starter is. I did not replace the starter drive gear. I am pretty sure the ring was put on right. What would be ur recommendations? New starter gear? Or new starter? Or new everything? Man this kind of stuff is frustrating.
Junior User
Joined: Nov 2010
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From: Texas
This is probably the shim 'John55100' was talking about sold at NAPA. I bought it and used it to reuse a 289 c/4 trans. starter with a standard transmission flywheel as it was a new starter and i never wanted to buy another new one. 289 auto starters have a little longer nose on them than the standard ones do. I just checked a couple in my shop and it's about 1/4 to 3/8 in longer. I think the 260,302 and maybe 351 W, were the only engine ford did that way. There are two different part numbers for them.