I broke yet another starter (yes, another starter thread)

[Psychoholic]

First let me say that it takes some serious trust in the advertised capacity of your lift when putting a hearse on it at full height.



In the last 3 years and probably less than 1500 miles I have gone through 3 starters. Pretty sure each one came from a different auto parts store. They usually fit up just fine and work fine right up until they don't. When the car is warm it feels really hard to start and I'm pretty sure I'm using entirely too much initial timing.

Today I put in a new torque converter (I didn't like the one that was in there so my transmission guy had one built for me) and flywheel (was getting periodic starter spins like I was missing teeth). I figured I would try and take some timing out to see if that would help with the starting problem. I am now convinced that my timing marks are completely off because it kicked back so f'n hard I thought something was going to come loose! After that the bendix had smashed itself directly INTO the teeth on the flywheel - not between them, directly into them.



I tried to back the timing back down but couldn't get her to crank. After about the 4th try there was this horrific noise that sounded like the intro to the show Lost right as the plane was coming apart and upon relifting the car I discovered that I cracked another one.



This isn't the worst one so far but I'm tired of f'ing with it. It's a low compression motor with the small chamber heads so it's not like the stock starters should be struggling to start my f'ing car.

Anybody have a solid recommendation with specific part number for a starter that I can trust?

Thanks!

Chris (Psychoholic)

 

[Psychoholic]

For fun here is the one before the one I broke today.

 

[richie49]

Psychoholic
Most flywheels you can buy nowadays arn't the correct size. The diameter is shorter and when you put a new one on the starter is too for away for good contact and the starter teeth ride up on flywheel and jump up over and can crack the starter head.you can guess how I know. I had to file down the starter head to get the clearance.If you file it down too much you can use shims. and don't forget the starter strap on the back of the starter.
Richard richie49

 

[Psychoholic]

@richie49 do you think the SFI stamped one is a better option than the Pioneer that everyone else sells?

 

[Caddylackn]

First let me say that it takes some serious trust in the advertised capacity of your lift when putting a hearse on it at full height.

I can hear the creaking and groaning of seriously stressed steel from my house when this lift is going up....

At this point, I would try to find an OEM Caddy starter from the junkyard or craigslist and just have it rebuilt by an Auto Electric shop. Yes the flywheel is probably not a perfect match, but looking at that starter casting pot metal it looks like it was made from recycled junk import car hulks. It doesn't look like it would take much to break it. Do you have the factory starter brace?

 

[5one9]

Read this Psycho

500 flexplate differences

My engine came with a stock 'solid' 500 flexplate (from here on referred to as 'blue stocker'). I have another stock 'solid' 500 flexplate (from here on referred to as 'rusty stocker'). I drove the 'blue stocker' for a few months prior to pulling the engine to repair the leaky copper head...

cadillacmagazine.com

 

[48Austin]

Do you still have front starter support bracket?

 

[PSYKO_Inc]

I'll echo the suggestion about the starter support strap as well. I went through a half dozen starters that broke the same way with my 429 before I figured that out. Since you have a 472, the strap is the same as a big block Chevy, and you can find them for around $10. (Had to make one for my 429 since they're impossible to find.)

And I know the feeling of the lift anxiety... This one was rated for I think 10k and was creaking and groaning pretty good as it went up...

 

[5one9]

I didn't know that they came with leaf springs. Makes sense though.

 

[48Austin]

All commercials came with leafs til the 90's I think, maybe 80's. They where basicly trucks. Front suspension was also different. you're looking at a "car" that is 7 to 10 lbs. Depending on options.
The starter brace is there to help to stop flexing which breaks the nose. A "real" Cad starter is different than a chebbie. The armature windings are longer and case are different. Good luck finding a "real' Cad starter.

 

[Psychoholic]

I made a bracket for it last year and I thought it was hopefully doing it's job but I guess not. I bought a Powermaster 9511 on Saturday that I'll put in in a few months but the project just got my full commitment (I'll explain in a different thread).

Here is a video of me working on my car getting it ready for our annual hearse meet last year. Fast forward to 13:35 to see the bracket being made.

 

[G-175655]

did the brace work?

 

[Psychoholic]

did the brace work?

Unfortunately I don't think it did. Car has been sitting in pieces for 2 years now and the starter is still cracked. I think the problem was the world's most grabass cheap timing chain causing it to kick back when I was starting it. I have a fresh chain in the motor now and it's going back together at present and will be getting the Powermaster starter this time.

 

[Darius]

It was mentioned that your initial timing might be too far advanced. Did you check the timing?

bro. "just asking", d