My 93 GT vs. Miniature Gear Reduction Starters

[KFLO 93 GT]

So I've potentially got a dilemma. It seems that my 93 GT hates the newer, smaller style starters that will bolt onto the 660's and I4s. It all started back when I finally was ready to fire my 3400 swap. I had a mini starter on my 3.1 auto for quite a while, and it only managed to start my freshly installed 3400 about 5 times before it crapped out.

So, after some searching I found an old style fat starter laying in a puddle of water and low and behold - this starter has been starting the car for pretty much a year now with no issues at all. Up until yesterday when I decided to install a mini starter I got from the JY last week. The starter is quite clean and seems tight, but once I got it bolted up and wired up - I turn the key and it only clicks. All the wires are tight as are the battery terminals - so now I'm left to wonder if it's junk or jammed.

Unfortunately for me - I took my car down off the jack stands and wood blocks before I found that the car wouldn't start - and now I have no way of getting the jack back under it because I can't push the front tires up onto wood blocks solo...

Once I get back to it I'm going to try removing a shim to see if maybe it is just bound up - but I can't even manage that until I get help to push it onto blocks.

I'm kind of baffled - it seems like this engine hates the mini starters which is ridiculous because that's what they come with stock. The fatty starter that I found in a puddle of water worked great and never had an issue once I shimmed it - so I'm hoping that maybe the new starter doesn't want the shim...

Any thoughts?

[diedemus]

it may be a shim issue, I know mine has problems with the shim right now, haven't gotten around to taking it out yet. Lop off a corner on each block with a hacksaw to push it up on them lol

[woody90gtz]

Never tried a mini but it sounds like I don't need to...haha

Can you roll the car to pop start it? Then you can get back on the wood blocks.

[3X00-Modified]

I had a mini starter in my red car since I installed that motor. Never had an issue with it. It was a 01 block. That starter was also bolted to my 05 block when that was in the red car for 8 months or so once again never had a problem... Also never used shims. And I can only see not having a shim jam the gears... how can shimming the starter away from the block cause it to bind?

Now Pinky has had its original start in it from day one, I never swapped the two, and I may do it later once I start pulling the red car apart, but right now it's not a big deal to me at all.

You need a lower profile jack to get under your car... I made sure to pay attention to that when I bought one. It just barely fits under the Z04 lip.

Be sure to just test the starter when you have it out... I would have done that first if you didn't just be sure that it worked. Who knows what your getting with JY stuff.

[diedemus]

with the teeth further away from each other they can be offset enough to catch instead of interlocking, it isn't uncommon on machinery for loose fitting gears to bind, and if they are loose for a while they can round off, so if it isn't a problem right away it can be 3 or 4 months down the road.

[Barry]

I feel you Kurt, I installed mini starter #6 or 7 about a month ago.

My issues were tune related though. With 0* cranking advance it starts fine every time now

[KFLO 93 GT]

I took the shim out and the story was the same. However, upon closer inspection it seems like the bendix is loose. I can pull the bendix gear out with 2 fingers... looks like I found the cause of the problem. I guess when I was cleaning the starter I didn't inspect it very closely... Oh well, be back from the JY in a while.

[Cliff8928]

I had the same small starter on both my 2.8 and my 3400 since around 2000. It was a reman ACDelco one with no shims used.

[KFLO 93 GT]

The car is starting fine now on another JY unit with no shims. All seems well.

In other news, I put a new water pump on my Z24 with 2.4 twin cam - and have come to realize the new thermostat isn't opening.

SWEET!

[Cliff8928]

Wow, I'm sorry for anyone who has to do a water pump on a twin cam.

[heavywoody]

I always swore that if I had to do one on that POS 97 GA, I would have scrapped the car.

Luckily, I got it to rod knock before that happened. Now I have boost. That's a win-win as far as I'm concerned.

[KFLO 93 GT]

It only took about 10 hours of rather slow paced work. Oddly enough tear down took the majority of the time, reassembly was a snap.

[3X00-Modified]

Luckily, I got it to rod knock before that happened. Now I have boost. That's a win-win as far as I'm concerned.

Until you have to do a water pump on that one.... LMAO!

A bit easier since its right up front, but you might as well do the timing belt and tensioner and pulleys while your in there.