When attempting to start my car (for the first time after the motor swap) the starter made a loud sound the motor did not start and when I went under the car the starter was stuck in the "OUT" position, kind of jammed in the teeth of the flywheel. Again, this was the first time I have tried to start the car since the motor swap, and YES, Im still working on this swap after 5 years, im having a "kick in the pants moment" and I want this swap done.

96 DOHC motor
88 2.8l GT flywheel
96 DOHC starter.

I have shimmed it first with one shim - noise, no start, no crank after 3 seconds, loud TICK, TICK, TICK sound
I removed the shim - noise no start, no crank after 3 seconds, same sound.
I have not tried two shims yet.

Do I have the wrong combonation (gear teeth) for this to work. Will it stick because I have the wrong combo?

WIll an 96 starter work on a 96 DOHC motor with a 88 flywheel? or do I need to add the other shim? Or get an 88 starter?

Finally, I have been told that the starter on the newer 3400SFI motors is a small "high torque" type, true, will it work on an 88 flywheel?

Thanks in advance.

Rob

.

------------------

88 TTop coupe (96 3.4DOHC/5 speed in progress)
03 Vibe GT. 6spd
05 GTO, LS2, 6spd
01 Sonoma SLS, 5spd, ZQ8 sport suspension

[This message has been edited by qwikgta (edited 03-17-2008).]

I have a 3400 starter on mine. I'd recommend yanking one at the junkyard. They're very small and light compared to the direct drive Fiero type, and even the 96 type. I don't know if there's supposed to be any differences on the 96 starter - somebody familiar with them should speak up soon.

My DOHC starter has "NO SHIM" cast into it. You shouldn't need shims.
The 96 starter should work fine on the 88 flywheel. Sounds like you just got a defective one..
Also put the tranny in neutral and make sure you can turn the motor over by hand; maybe its jammed?

I used an 87 Duke starter on mine with two shims. Worked like a champ. 93 DOHC.

Silly question, but could this be a "dead battery" tick, tick, tick?

In "N" the motor turns over, my first thought too, battery is good, all parts are new. I know that does not mean much, new does not mean that it works, but I am glad no one came back with any issues about number of teeth and all. I was just making sure that I was not off using two parts that were not made for each other. I understand that the number of teeth on the stater and number of teeth on the flywheel need to "work together" and that maybe one was the wrong part. I am going to try a "mini starter" (GM 3400) to see if that works. But first, I am going to shim what I have with two shims and see what happens. I had used a shim because the 96 motor, when stock, uses one shim, but it was an auto trans.

Thanks

RJ

[This message has been edited by qwikgta (edited 03-18-2008).]

Fixed. Put in second shim, no change. Took it off and hooked up a battery to the starter itself, and wow... it works, no click. Looks like juice was the issue. When connected to a running car ( again... using jumper cables connected to the starter and ground) it works great. I think it was ground all along. I will change my ground location. I have used #2 cable for the battery relocation up front, and I guess I will have to work with it some more.

Thanks for the input.

RJ

[This message has been edited by qwikgta (edited 03-23-2008).]