Problem: When I turn the key the car emmits an awful screeching noise when the starter engages or it (rarely) grinds.

Solution: Shim the starter

Ok, I along the lines of the 1/8inch drill bit method, I slid under the car and found that my starter bolts in parallel to the flywheel not perpendicular. Which means I cannot shim it farther away from the flywheel. It can only be shimmed so that the travel distance of the starter gear matches up to the flywheel. Now since I can't pry the starter gear out (no room at all)how do I check for the correct travel distance so that it is engaging the fly wheel fully? There is very slight wear on the front (initial contact) teeth of the flywheel.

Sorry for the trouble but I just got the car and the maintenance manual is in the mail still http://www.camaros.net/forum/frown.gif
Thanks!!

Is this a small block Chevy with a 2-bolt starter attachment? It may not look like it but shimming the starter does increase the distance between the teeth; I would try it anyhow. You only need to remove one of the bolts and loosen the other; the shims have a hole at one end and a slot at the other. The slot lets you slide the shim into the loosened side without having to remove the bolt.

If this doesn't work are you sure you have the correct starter for your engine/flywheel? Chevy made a BUNCH of different nose pieces although there are a couple that cover most applications. Let us know what exactly you have if the shims don't work.

SBC, the starter has 3 bolts holding it on. One on bottom and 2 on top/side that are almost on top of each other (straight shims won't work). If I had to guess (after talking to the gearheads here at work) I think it either has the wrong starter, or needs a new one because the bendix gear is worn. The starter is old anyway so a new one might just be a good investment.

Can you remove the solenoid from the starter, manually pull the fork arm, and engage the starter gear?

Make sure the starter gear (Bendix, drive, etc. many different trade names) is still in good condition.

As you add shims you move the starter down in relation to the block. As you add shims you decrease the tooth depth engagement because the starter shaft is below the ring gear centerline.

If you are having a high-screeching sound the starter gear may be grinding on the front of the ring gear because the tooth depth engagement is too deep (non enough shims). Maybe going up one drill size will cure it. If you can manually move the fork arm using the paper clip method to measure the gear lash will verify the drill bit method. You may also have too many shims and the starter gear is grinding on the top of the ring gear teeth.

I have put several factory starters on the same motor/ring gear and had drastic differences. Once I found a starter nose/ring gear combo that worked I never separated them.

Engagement length is another matter. Like others I've never had a problem with the factory starter engagement length. The main thing is that whoever rebuilds the starter needs to put back in the same starter shaft shims.

My GMPP starter only engages 2/3 of the ring gear length. I have not found a way to increase the engagement length. I use a remote starter switch to check the running engagement length while I lay under the car.

Hope this helps. Good luck.

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Also be sure to use the factory starter nose brace. This adds a lot to the stability of the starter.

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Click here to see see my car and hear 5-speeds. http://www.geocities.com/casanoc

Screeching can be caused by a bad bendix clutch.
If there is no sign of tooth bashing I'd look at the bendix.
Growling can be caused by a worn bushing in the aluminum housing. It will allow the armiture to contact the field coils.
David

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There are shims made by GM for your type of starter, where you can find them is the hard part, I would sugest that you take a very close look at your flex plate, are the teeth more than 1/4 worn towards the transmission?
The teeth will wear in a funny fashion where about 10 -20 teeth will wear in one spot only, so you get a big grinding and screetch when ever the engine stops at this spot and you try to restart it,
You may be into replacing the flex plate, if it is a standard trans yoiu can replace the ring gear only, but you do have to take it off the engine,.
A new stater may solve the problem for a short time, but it will reappear soon.
Good luck

One last sugestion, is that if you do replace the starter, make sure you bolt up the support bracket at the front of the starter, I know it is painful to hook up but it is important in hold the starter up.