Starter questions

[turbodieselfan]

Truck would not start; determined it was starter (installed 4 yrs ago). Replaced the starter 30 days ago. Bought starter at Advance Auto (probably my first mistake). Truck won't start; when turned key heard a grinding noise from starter. Removed the starter, noticed 8-10 teeth on flywheel appeared to have been ground down. Bolts were tight on starter. Read one reply that there is a difference between 6.2 and 6.5 starters... do you think Advance Auto gave me the wrong starter for my 6.5... can you tell the difference by looking at the starter? When starter installed four years ago, remember mechanic telling me that there was something specific about the installation of these starters that you had to be careful/mindful of...can't remember what he told me....does anyone know what this would have been about? When I installed this starter 30 days ago, I aligned the bolts, bolted it down, and did not do anything "special" or notice any problems with installation. Truck started fine the past 30 days until yesterday when I heard the grinding noise when I attempted to start the truck; truck did not crank over; did not attempt a second try to start it because of the noise.

[CAdiesel]

Did you re-install the bracket that supports the back of the starter? I have read some posts where the weight/ torque of the starter has actually cracked the block when this bracket was missing. I would imagine that it is quite possible that it could also damage flywheel.
On another note- If you would fill in your signature with details of your rig we could be more helpful.

[grancito]

6.2 and 6.5 starters look quite different. 6.2 is fat, 6.5 has a thin motor attached to the reduction gear box. The starter has shims that fit between it and the engine. You need to use them to adjust the gear mesh to the flywheel.

[turbodieselfan]

The support bracket was secured. I am going to take a look at the starter again to make sure I received the right one; but it probably would not have lined up as nicely as it did on installation.

[trukdoc]

...looks like a regular gm gas starter...6.5 is a hi-torque starter--large nose like gm starter but has a small motor housing...you may or may not have to shim depending on engagement...if it worked for 30 days and failed,then take it back for warranty...jd

[grancito]

...looks like a regular gm gas starter...6.5 is a hi-torque starter--large nose like gm starter but has a small motor housing...you may or may not have to shim depending on engagement...if it worked for 30 days and failed,then take it back for warranty...jd

His starter is working but removed some teeth from the ring gear. Perhaps incorrectly shimmed.

[rodincol@yahoo.com]

Something I ran into on mine when replacing flywheele on mine after teeth were ground down, was i first ordered a 6.5 flywheele got it in and it was wrong. We searched the parts house and found out mine had a 6.2 flywheele.
Maybe something 2 look in to!

[trukdoc]

...ok for THIRTY days,then failed it should be returned for warranty...four stroke cycle engines always stop at the same place @90degrees apart on flywheel{3 spots}if he had some previous damage to that particular spot and had a starter engagement failure,it could have finished the damage to that particular spot...after pulling the starter you should remove the dust cover and rotate the flywheel BY HAND to check for furthur damage...jd