153 teeth?

[TurboDave]

Why do I read in places that our flex plates are 153 tooth??

I counted them on my flex plate (engine on stand) several times and it always comes out to 160! Am I doing something wrong? I couned and marked groups of 10. Counted the groups of 10 and got to 15, and there were still another group of 10 to get back to my starting point. I'm confused.

 

[MCH86GN]

Getting ready to order a JW SFI flexplate and it says 160 Teeth.

 

[TurboDave]

Brings up another question, don't most people that order a mini starter order them for a small block chevy, and they all say 153 or 168 tooth.

Confused.

 

[MCH86GN]

Brings up another question, don't most people that order a mini starter order them for a small block chevy, and they all say 153 or 168 tooth.

Confused.

Good question. I have a mini-starter.

 

[earlbrown]

Brings up another question, don't most people that order a mini starter order them for a small block chevy, and they all say 153 or 168 tooth.

Confused.

The location of the starter centerline relative to the crank centerline isn't the same as a SBC I guess. I've never measured.

That has to be the only answer as I'm running a V8 starter on my car and a friend with a 5.7IROC has a turbobuicks ministarter that bolted right up.

 

[TurboDave]

I'm wondering which way I should go then. I read somewhere here in an older post that the poster couldn't get his mini starter to fit. Something about it hitting the heat shield. So I'm wondering if the mini starters with the higher mounted solenoid like this one: http://www.skipwhiteperformance.com/detail.aspx?Item=3HP-BLACK
Will actually fit.

Or, would this be a better choice? http://www.amazon.com/CHEVY-BUICK-PONTIAC-STARTER-Long-Short/dp/B008TW80J4

Thanks for any advice any of you mini starter guru's can supply!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[SS/GN]

I would not waste my money on the first one unless it was a Tilton . The knock offs are not very good,they are also bulky and don't fit as nice as the GM mini . I used the GM style and bought it from NAPA and if memory serves me correct it was off a 95 Camaro. I have seen the drive gears on the GM mini starters different but the 95 Camaro seems to be a ringer. There was another design used on a Corvette that also works and I believe it was a Hitachi style. Hope this helps

 

[TurboDave]

I would not waste my money on the first one unless it was a Tilton . The knock offs are not very good,they are also bulky and don't fit as nice as the GM mini . I used the GM style and bought it from NAPA and if memory serves me correct it was off a 95 Camaro. I have seen the drive gears on the GM mini starters different but the 95 Camaro seems to be a ringer. There was another design used on a Corvette that also works and I believe it was a Hitachi style. Hope this helps

What do you mean by "a ringer"? and what year corvette has the Hitachi style?

 

[SS/GN]

When I said ringer I meant perfect match. I think the corvette was 88 or around there but no better than the LT1 Camaro starter. Something else I forgot on those bulky after market starters. The teeth on the drive are not bevelled like the oem starter and if you have any nicks or problems on the ring gear they will grind where an oem will not.

 

[TurboDave]

Thanks. Wish you had more specifics on the Hitachi. I have one on my Ford Excursion and love it!

 

[SS/GN]

Found this, personally I like the LT1 starter but both will work better than the after market.
http://www.turbobuick.com/forums/threads/highly-recomend-lt1-starter.392370/#post-3176171

 

[TurboDave]

I thought about ordering the one from Kirbans, but...... The mounting bolts that are pictured (out of focus picture) appear to be incorrect. I do know it's very important to use starter specific mounting bolts with the KNURLING. The knurling fit's up inside the mounting pad on the block for a short distance to make sure the starter can't move around any.

 

[SS/GN]

Kirbans is correct and you need to buy the bolts to match. The LT1 bolts are shorter than our stock ones and the correct bolts can be ordered from GM for the LT1 and the corvette style.. I believe ARP also has them

 

[Fast4Ward]

use washers.

 

[MCH86GN]

I bought a mini-starter off eBay, it looks just like the second one you have pictured TurboDave. Before I bought it I asked Charlie and he said it would work fine. Put it on and it works fine. Turns over much faster than stock and about 12lbs lighter.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Pronto]

I have that one from DB Electric. So far so good.

 

[charlief1]

The first one is a gear reduction type and usually holds up really well. The second one is a PMG style starter and is a smaller version of what came on our cars stock. The only draw back of the second is you can't hit or drop it or the magnets will break. Both should work fine but I prefer the gear reduction type myself. We've used the first one on high compression race engines for years and have yet to have a failure except for 1 that was in a wreck.