Hey Guys,

I've got a problem on my new (old) vette.  My car is making a horrible sound when the engine turns over.  I thought it might need shimming, but it doesn't really seem to jive with the sound.  I pulled the starter and had it tested and it tested fine.  It cranks over quickly but as soon as the car starts it sounds like someone tried to start a running car...ewww, gives me shivers everytime I hear it, not to mention it is freaking embarassing.

I was told that it could be shimming, loose flywheel, or a bad started from questionable sources.  I hate the flywheel concept.  The teeth on the starter looked okay and I didn't turn the flywheel when I pulled the started but they didn't look too bad either.  Unfortunately I didn't think to shake it to see if it was loose.

Help!

what do you mean by shimming

While I haven't personally had to shim a starter before.  By shimming I mean to add small spacers behind the mounting bolts to space the starter properly.  I was also told by the person who tested my starter that my type of starter does not use shims.  I have read that if a starter is too close it causes a whirring sound and if it is too loose (too many shims) it makes a grinding sound when it tries to turn over.  Neither of these seem to fit my current sound.

Sounds as if the starter bendix is not disengaging correctly.  This is something to the best of my knowledge cannot be tested on stand.  When you apply current the starter gear engages with the flexplate/flywheel.  When you release the key after it has started the drive gear should retract while at the same time free spins the drive gear on the starter.  Sorta of like a clutch system within this gear.  IF its bad it may be catching.

This is the best way that I can explain it.

So I need to replace the starter?  And how bad is it to drive with this in the meantime?  I've been taking my motorcycle to work while the car is out of commish.

The starter shaft bearings can do this also.  There is no load on them when bench testing.  With this or After Sharks version, which is actually a decent description, the starter needs to be replaced or rebuilt.

And yes, too  little shim it will whine, too much it will grind.  Many did not use shims new.  But many did.