Is it right that a starter never need to shim on a Buick engine like my '70 GS350? My last starter made a little noise for some years but the noise became stronger with slipping teeth. Then I disconnect the big wire plug under the steering column for to repair the inner part of the steering column (sector gear). After that it was the end for the starter because he totally slipt over the teeth. I thought that I need to the replace starter. The teeth of the old starter and of the engine looked good when I inspected, but I suspected the solenoid of the starter. After replacing a new starter, he started almost good for two times but sadly soon the noise of the slipping teeth became enormous. Do I need to shim the starter or should the positive wires of the battery be bad? I tested the negative wire already by connecting directly from the battery to the outside of the starter. The positive wire connected to the starter are difficult to reach for to test. At the same time the blinking of turn lights are going too fast after repairing the steering column. Does have anyone experience with slipping starter through bad positive wires (also to the solenoid) or should I to shim the starter? I have read that starters never need to shim on Buick motors.
You have to have the correct starter mount bolts. They are knurled so the bolt wedges in the starter bolt hole bores to properly align and hold the starter tight in place. If you use standard type bolts, the starter will likely be misaligned and can shift do to torque and thrust when it engages, and over time you will start having starter grinding/hanging or "jumping out". If the teeth are damaged in one or more areas from bad engagements, every few starts, you will experience the starter engaging in the bad spots. It simply gets worse over time. Look at the ring gear on the flexplate and as you rotate it you will likely see teeth that look as if them have been "milled". Similar to the image below.
Is this a stock starter? Stock flex plate? Your wires have nothing to do with a grinding starter. You can only shim for gear back lash.
Thank you all for the reply. So I don't need to use shims but I have to see if I can move the starter a little bit from his place after turning the bolts a little bit off. I didn't check if there the orginals bolts were mounted but I will try to do that later. I believe those are the same which you can buy on rockauto.com. (Dorman) Does they sell the correct bolts or else where should I buy them better? The old and the new starter are stock starters but not orginal Acdelco. The new one is a Pure Energy 3664S. The old starter and flexplate seems to be good when I inspected and hopefully the flexplate still after last starting. See picture for the most badest place on the flexplate. I have check the flexplate from begin till end. I think it's a stock one but I am not sure.
