Thread: Pinion Gear to Flexplate Issue(s?)

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Not sure about yours but the older chevys had a starter solinoid on the starter. The current would go through it and make the starter turn. It would also make the starter gear extend to the flex plate to turn over the engine. Sounds like the starter solinoid is not working correctly. Is the spring in the solinoid to extend the starter gear?

Or the starter is not wired correctly.

Try lubricating the starter shaft where the pinion slides, either its a bit sticky or the solenoid is not pulling the pinion forward.

I went through exactly the same thing with the same motor and a Powermaster 9000 mini starter. I had to shim and reshim it to get it the proper distance from the flexplate and even after that it just never worked right. Finally, after a year of screwing around with it I tossed it into the garbage can and bought a regular full size Chevy starter and had no more problems. IMO those mini starters stink.

During that year I had numerous conversations with Powermaster and they couldn't come up with any solutions. My pinion would only travel forward about a quarter inch but the new full sized one popped way out like a starter should.

Summit is good about taking things back, I suggest you return it and get a good old regular starter and save yourself a lot of headaches. I was chewing up my flexplate because I was only engaging the first 1/8 inch or so, and the new one went all the way in. The regular ones are even cheaper, like $ 300 for a mini and $ 100 for the regular one.

Don

X2 what Don said - you've got a starter/bendix travel problem.

X3, sounds like a weak bendix