What mini-starter are you V8 vega guys using?

[sugaryuk]

When I first got the car it was having problems starting so I shimmed it and all was fine for the last few months. Then it started making some horrible noises for the last couple of starts, so I pulled it and found 3 of the teeth ground off. My starter looks like a house brand no-name mini hi-torque starter. The bolts holes are aligned so I assume its a 153 tooth flywheel and it is using knurled bolts (bolts show no sign of being out of round or stretched). I can replace the starter drive gear and put it back in, but then I will probably just have the same problem sooner or later. I've read many threads about others having similar problems with the lower priced starters, solved by putting in a higher quality one. So which starter are you using and any problems??

Also, this seems to have started after I tightened my blower belt a little too snug (you could hear the whine a block away!!) and may also may of tightened 2 blower to manifold bolts down a little too much (supposed to be 10 lbs? I did 20-30ish-had to remove them for valve cover change). Could this of caused too much tension thru blower rotors, causing too much strain on my starter?



*** Mods---I know this should be in electrical but I wanted more exposure-- feel free to move it after a couple of days.

[T-FATTY]

The starter options from your local parts house are gonna be as follows.

Straight bolt pattern
- 9942......$150......very very light...smallest of all starters

Offset pattern
- 9997s.....$129.....best and lightest of all the offset pattern starters
- 9914s.....$153
- 9990s.....$142

They all are very good straters and are smaller than most aftermarket hi torque starters and still are a torque reduction planetary gear starter.
I believe they all have at least 180lb ft of torque....up to 225 lb ft.

I am using the 9942 and the 9990....they both crank very quickly
EDIT: these are GM mini starters.

[cjbiagi]

I prefer to use the "GM style" mini starter that supports the gear on the end of the starter. Many starters do not use this style and just have the gear hanging off the end with no support. To me, having the gear supported on the end with a traditional nose is just a better design. It is crucial to actually measure the gap between the starter gear and flywheel when shimming the starter. Everyone knows how important it is to set up rearend gears, this should be considered just as important. Here is the style I use