Starter and flywheel questions

[Guest Russ240z]

Has anyone had luck buying starters from junkyards? Do the starters recommended by JTR have any distinguishing marks or part numbers? My local yard has a huge pile of starters. It would be nice if I could locate the truck or Camaro units they recommend. I need a 153 tooth flywheel that will bolt to a 400sbc and T5. Will the external balancing 400 require any unique parts for this set up?

 

Also, I remember a thread about what to look for when looking at junkyard T5's but I can't find it now. How much play is too much in the input shaft etc...

 

Thanks.

[Guest Anonymous]

It is a crap shoot buying used or rebuilt starters without a warrany or a good return policy. Get one with a return and at the first hint of a problem RETURN IT. Who can afford a new one? When I got my old silver Z back on the road , it took 3 starters in a 4 day period from my private reserve for a good starter to kick in properly on a moments notice.

[Mike C]

Scoggin Dickey has reman GM gear reduction Delco starters for $89 for the 153 toot flywheel. These are the starters on the LT1. I can't remember from the JTR manual if that one works or not? I got a couple free from the boat mechanic down the street. Still has one corrosion short in it that I'll fix as soon as I can get a female torx that fits. Another option is the CVR or Proform starters around $150 (like the '89 'vette starter in the JTR)Nothing worse than a starter that won't... so I swear by the gear reduction ones vs. the old style heat soak prone GM starters.

[Guest Anonymous]

Heed what Mike says, if I had it to do over, I would have not used a rebuilt chevy starter but instead go with a gear reduction type. Mine is still heat soaking even with a ford type solenoid. Bite the financial bullet and get the gear reduction type, you'll thank yourself when you fill up with gas and the car actually restarts. (once I can get money to replace mine and if it weren't some sort of litering fine, i'd take mine up to flagstaff pitch it into the grand canyon and wait for the satisfying thud when it landed. ).

 

Regards,

 

Lone

 

Ps: Yeah, I know, 10 dozen people will reply there's works fine and doesn't heatsoak.. You need to come here then..

[Guest Russ240z]

Thanks for the starter info guys.

 

What about the type of matching flywheel for the 400 and T5?

 

On the T5 note, what should I look for in a used one? Are there obvious wear signs to look for?

 

Thanks again.

[Guest Thurem]

About the T5, check out www.5speeds.com . They have an identifier which will tell you what the tranny came out of. You want a World Class T5 from a V8 Camaro or Firebird(I think). The world class unit is only available from 88 up.

Thure

[Mike C]

It may be hard to find a 153 tooth flywheel for an externally balanced 400...but somebody used to make a counterweight that bolted to the 400 crank, and some aftermarket flywheels have removeable counterweights to work with either internal or external balanced motors, just most are 168 tooth configuration. Give PAW a call as they are a McLeod dealer and the ol' stanbys Summit and Jegs can probably help you out.

[Guest Russ240z]

I found this part number in a thread for the T56 and 400sbc:

 

Centerforce 700173 $260.00 153 Tooth

 

Will it work for the T5? This seems kind of pricey. There was also some discussion about the weight, 40lbs+

 

Is anyone running the T5 and 400sbc using the above flywheel or something different?

 

Thanks!

 

centerforce flywheel t56 153 tooth sbc 400 crank 700173 260.00

[Mike C]

If it is externally balanced and 153 teeth, it should work fine for your 400. Steel flywheels are usually about $200 for an internally balanced once, so $260 isn't outrageous. Typically, SBC steel flywheels are 30#. Seems pretty crazy that a 12 1/2" flywheel would be 40#... do some more investigating and you can turn some others up I'm sure.