Thread: 79 burb' with 400 sbc keeps eating up fly wheel and starters

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I've only seen it twice in 40 years but, you may need to verify the flywheel is concentric to the bell housing.

Originally Posted by 34_40

I've only seen it twice in 40 years but, you may need to verify the flywheel is concentric to the bell housing.

well i done this on all mild to race stick trans engines . this keep from killing input bearing and pilot bearing .the trans can /bell has no roll in the chevy as the starter bolts to block not bell /can. the air gap must be checked from fly wheel to starter drive gear

Originally Posted by pat mccarthy

well i done this on all mild to race stick trans engines . this keep from killing input bearing and pilot bearing .the trans can /bell has no roll in the chevy as the starter bolts to block not bell /can. the air gap must be checked from fly wheel to starter drive gear

Yep, as I said, seen a couple hurt the flywheel/flexplate. Just offering something else to check.

ive put new bolts, not sure about fly wheel but I will double check it.. previous mechanic used die grinder and slotted old fly wheel so torque converter would fit. it cracked so this is when the problems started. it has had two different flywheels since then. ive been chevy nut my entire life but have never ran into this before..
how do you check air gap?? never heard of that one before....
is there any difference between a 153 tooth starter and a 168 tooth starter??
in my defense ive never messed with any 400s as ive only owned one and it was back in the day when heads were famous for cracking. I yanked it and put in a 327.

I will back timing off and see if i can tell if flywheel may have been installed backwards.
thanks
Larry

Originally Posted by twoblularry

ive put new bolts, not sure about fly wheel but I will double check it.. previous mechanic used die grinder and slotted old fly wheel so torque converter would fit. it cracked so this is when the problems started. it has had two different flywheels since then. ive been chevy nut my entire life but have never ran into this before..
how do you check air gap?? never heard of that one before....
is there any difference between a 153 tooth starter and a 168 tooth starter??
in my defense ive never messed with any 400s as ive only owned one and it was back in the day when heads were famous for cracking. I yanked it and put in a 327.

I will back timing off and see if i can tell if flywheel may have been installed backwards.
thanks
Larry

if a bone stock 400 you need a 400 external bal wheel 168 tooth i seen were wheel is stamped for only the big bolt pattren converter many have been sloted it will not hurt if bolts fit good with no slop if so they can move and bang around and crack fly wheels i most all the time use a HD wheel with thicker center . check air gap is in all new starter boxs they give you a round wire to check the gap from ring gear to starter drive gear . the solenoid should be taken off the starter push in by hand check in 3 spots of fly wheel if checks out then put solenoid back on and should be ok .if not then shimming or trimming the starter body with a big file or mill till you get the air gap . i have milled many of small mini starter to get the were they needed to be