another mini starter question!!!!!

[TURBOELKY]

is the starter out of a gn the same as a small block starter?
reason I ask, is they look the same, and I need a mini starter. I dont want a cheap immitation starter, something decent. I did find the 11 tooth 96 impala starter works well, any other info would be appreciated! thanks...

 

[bmackinnon]

Stock TR starter is large style, but LT1 mini-style starter fits/works well (LS1 too, I think). Need to make sure the LT1 starter bolts don't bottom out in the block, as they are a bit longer than the stock TR bolts, and in some cases are too long.

EDIT - I may have the bolt lengths reversed.... stock bolts with LT1 starter are marginal/too long, I think... Believe the LT1 bolts may be a little shorter. Do a search here, and you'll find the answer in that regard....

 

[Grumpy]

is the starter out of a gn the same as a small block starter?

yes.. I have a CSI in Melissa's car have the # around here someplace

 

[TURBOELKY]

THATS WHAT I figured grumps. They look the same. So now I have many options

now for the hard part, which one?

 

[Grumpy]

its good when ya keep pics of parts you are selling

CSR Performance 100U - CSR Mini High Torque Starters - summitracing.com

 

[fastdon3]

big als mini starters 99 bucs works good

 

["Turbo-T"]

its good when ya keep pics of parts you are selling

CSR Performance 100U - CSR Mini High Torque Starters - summitracing.com

Hey when I searched on that, it shows that starter fits Chevy 305 engines. I am going to guess it fits Buick V6 engines just fine? Also what tooth flex plate was used on the Buick V6 engine?

 

[Grumpy]

Hey when I searched on that, it shows that starter fits Chevy 305 engines. I am going to guess it fits Buick V6 engines just fine? Also what tooth flex plate was used on the Buick V6 engine?

yes they do fit a 305 Chebby... I got one from a 9 sec 305 to "try" .. worked great so we bought a new one for one of my projects

 

[TURBOELKY]

Hey when I searched on that, it shows that starter fits Chevy 305 engines. I am going to guess it fits Buick V6 engines just fine? Also what tooth flex plate was used on the Buick V6 engine?

MAN, you must not have ever owned a chevy everything small block fits anysize small block, from the 50's to 86. Thanks grumpy, now thats a real starter!! pricy, but you get what you pay for...

 

["Turbo-T"]

MAN, you must not have ever owned a chevy everything small block fits anysize small block, from the 50's to 86. Thanks grumpy, now thats a real starter!! pricy, but you get what you pay for...

I've owned several small block Chevys and one big block Chevy. I am aware of the interchangeability of most parts on the Chevy sbc V8. What I am not sure about is if the starter from a Chevy 305/327/350 would fit a 231 V6.

 

[challengermike]

Isnt the starter on the other side of the block on buick,olds and pontiacs verses chevy?That would make the nose wrong.

 

[SS_Sean]

I don't want to cross Dan, cuz he's much smarter than me....however....unless you are looking for a smaller sized starter because you want more room, there is no reason to install a high torque mini-starter. Our cars compression/timing does not require anything near the cranking power of a high torque mini-starter for $230. The stockers work just fine. Now, if you want to save a little weight and some room, then by all means, buy away. If not then save your money for something else. Make sense?

 

[novaderrik]

MAN, you must not have ever owned a chevy everything small block fits anysize small block, from the 50's to 86. Thanks grumpy, now thats a real starter!! pricy, but you get what you pay for...

oh yeah?
try putting a stock style aluminum nose starter for a big flywheel in a 350with an automatic trans in a late 60's car with the big flywheel and a manual trans. you will never get it to bolt up, since the nose cone will be too big for the bellhousing.
stock, they used a special starter with a cast iron nose in those manual trans vehicles, but the smaller, lighter, and stronger starters from a late 90's truck will fit, since the nose is different.
beyond that, there are small flywheels and big flywheels- which require different starters.. and some small blocks aren't drilled to accept a starter for a small flywheel...
and that just about covers half of the different small block starter variations.. every other aspect also has a number of different variations- oil pans, timing covers,intake manifolds, valve covers, etc- as well. .the small block Chevy isn't as universal as most people have been led to believe.

 

[charlief1]

The two different chevy starters are paralell (small flexplate) or offset (big flywheel) Buicks/chevy have a passenger mounted starter and olds/pontiac are mounted on drivers side

 

[Turbo1dr]

I just bought another mini starter this past week. I put the first one on in 2005. It had many, many starts on it since I live in the city and only travel 4 miles to work and back.

Fits like a glove, light weight and the price is right. Look at this starter and compare it to the factory LT1 Delco unit....looks the same.

Link to starter.

 

[SS_Sean]

Wow! Nice price.

 

["Turbo-T"]

Looks too good to be true.

 

[at7we2]

I just bought another mini starter this past week. I put the first one on in 2005. It had many, many starts on it since I live in the city and only travel 4 miles to work and back.

Fits like a glove, light weight and the price is right. Look at this starter and compare it to the factory LT1 Delco unit....looks the same.

Link to starter.

has to be made in China - where else would they put a sticker on a starter that says "Super Torque Racing Starter"???

sorry no flame intended. I just have to laugh at the way most foreign manufacturers label their products. It's like everything they sell is marketed to a 5-year old. :biggrin:

 

[XxDarkSidexX]

has to be made in China - where else would they put a sticker on a starter that says "Super Torque Racing Starter"???

sorry no flame intended. I just have to laugh at the way most foreign manufacturers label their products. It's like everything they sell is marketed to a 5-year old. :biggrin:

yea forget eGay....some china stuff is okay like the parts with no moving parts. instead get a LT4 starter, go on the chevy forums theres many for under $100 bucks, works bomb. LT4 is a gear reduction type mini starter with an all aluminum case which generates more torque than the stock starter. Lighter, stronger, with gear reduction over a stock unit. I just was selling one for a friend used for $80 or $85 check the SW section maybe its there still. all else fails craigslist home slice. with the money you save on a used lt4 you can get the tbs.com alternator upgrade kit, makes for a nice 1 2 punch for relatively cheap imho.

DS

 

[TURBOELKY]

oh yeah?
try putting a stock style aluminum nose starter for a big flywheel in a 350with an automatic trans in a late 60's car with the big flywheel and a manual trans. you will never get it to bolt up, since the nose cone will be too big for the bellhousing.
stock, they used a special starter with a cast iron nose in those manual trans vehicles, but the smaller, lighter, and stronger starters from a late 90's truck will fit, since the nose is different.
beyond that, there are small flywheels and big flywheels- which require different starters.. and some small blocks aren't drilled to accept a starter for a small flywheel...
and that just about covers half of the different small block starter variations.. every other aspect also has a number of different variations- oil pans, timing covers,intake manifolds, valve covers, etc- as well. .the small block Chevy isn't as universal as most people have been led to believe.

i've never owned a manual transmission chevy with a small block in front of it, so I would'nt have known that. And every chevy small block i've built or worked on, all had the same size fly wheel. I'm sure there is many variations out there, but the original questions was will a small block chevy starter fit a buick 3.8, i've found my answer, thanks.

thanks for the information guys, I'm sure others appreciate it too. I'll stick to the lt1 or lt4 starter.