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Surgery to a powermaster starter - how to get the gesrs out!?

svein

Well-Known Member
Messages
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470
Location
Norway
Got my replacement casting for my powermaster starter today, and went ahead with the surgery. Bolts out, snd the nose came off. Does anyone know how to get the gears out of the front casting? Is it just a matter of using a mallet to force it out and back in, or am I being totally stupid?

original starter and new front casting:
7F08E8C1-9F14-4CE6-AB21-B9B8DA81760A.jpeg

Old starter divided:
CD905D28-B89F-4154-A877-02B126AFAC8B.jpeg

458A7339-40A6-4F52-AA97-9DB551910000.jpeg79D993DD-9942-4296-9585-2B4D66A2DAC0.jpeg76A4C779-CC22-4A3E-BD17-F0A157FCE253.jpeg
 
I believe that there is a cover that fits into the nose cone housing that the drive assembly fits through. I dont rightfully remember but, I think if You use a plastic hammer, or something fairly soft like that and tap the nose end of the Bendix drive that it will come out of there.
It fits into the recess of the second from bottom pic.
 
So I got under the car today to try to fit the starter again. Still the same fitment - its the only way it fits the bolt holes, obviousily, and it seems like its good metal to metal contact between the starter and the engine.

Any opinions or advices? I really way to be sure before i bring out the torque bar this time!

i have attached various pics of the starter as it sits tight - but not torqued down.D60EDE53-C322-4FAA-892A-D998CB695DB9.jpegB7EAC6D5-78F2-4342-BFF9-61BB155180F8.jpegC94CACC6-B694-41E7-8558-54A58C3EA479.jpeg65A15A85-4B5D-4E9B-8434-989FF169C6D8.jpeg1993A451-61CB-4799-8AEB-D25094CF59C8.jpeg35CB039E-45B6-4023-BD7A-3D7D39D48641.jpeg
 
Remove the flywheel cover to ensure it isn’t impeding and for better pic of mating surface. Let’s make sure nothing obstructing the gear/shaft placement.

the mounting surface NEEDS to be PERFECTLY clean and flat. After what you already went through, I Believe it is worth removing to inspect super close.


inspect the threaded holes carefully, as well as the bolts.

I always get the two main bolts in 99% then install the small bracket but not torqued. Then torque the 2 main bolts, finally the bracket ones.

From your pic where the arrow is—is this washer sitting on a flat surface? It looks a little like there is a lip on the edge of the starter housing? This could be what broke the last one if it is on a lip.
827E0307-6C75-412F-AA85-9338376912F4.jpeg
 
thanks so much for good advices, @Will L. !

The flat surfaces was super clean when I mounted it: had a long and good brake clean session before i got the starter up.

I’m pretty sure the surface the washer rests on is flat, but I will double check that as well.

good idea to put the front bracket on before torquing it down. Will definitely do that!

I’ll get some rust penetrant on the flywheel cover and see if I can get it off this evening and shoot some more pics! Not rushing this project - I really wanna be sure I get it right this time around!

Here is a pic of the cleaned surface:
E300A334-91F6-4FF8-8B50-B98500A1368B.jpeg

Here you can see the starter is well within the cleaned surface:


BF015B75-9B09-4F7E-A97B-8EC62D12B9F2.jpeg
 
Remove the flywheel cover to ensure it isn’t impeding and for better pic of mating surface. Let’s make sure nothing obstructing the gear/shaft placement.

the mounting surface NEEDS to be PERFECTLY clean and flat. After what you already went through, I Believe it is worth removing to inspect super close.


inspect the threaded holes carefully, as well as the bolts.

I always get the two main bolts in 99% then install the small bracket but not torqued. Then torque the 2 main bolts, finally the bracket ones.

From your pic where the arrow is—is this washer sitting on a flat surface? It looks a little like there is a lip on the edge of the starter housing? This could be what broke the last one if it is on a lip.
View attachment 59285
Exactly the way I do it
 
I never cared for those ARP bolts, the washer/flat spot is a smaller diameter than a stock GM bolt..

To make what you have now work, find a piece of flat metal maybe 1/8 - 3/16" thick, drill a hole that has very little clearance to the bolt , trim it so it is as wide as will fit and long enough to cover the corner of the starter, snug both bolts, then torque the outer one first then the other..

Those bolts don't reach the outside edge of the starter where the strength is and will crack every time...
 
Again, thanks for all your help and support!

After the disaster happened, I packed up and left the burb. No point in continuing when in that mood. Had a long sit down with my father, and we examined the torque bar I've used. After having checked everything and tried every trick, I couldn't believe that I had done anything wrong. Except I've misread the scale on the torque bar completely. My math genius dad found his calculator, examined the torque bar for half an hour and concluded that I've been torquing to closer to 55 ft/lb. Me being European, it is sold as a Nm torque bar. The ft/lb scale was not really marked I had put it exactly between what I thought was 0 and 70. Except I was wrong.

I'm feeling so shit about bothering you all with this nonsense of me being stupid, not to forget Powermaster and Quadstar. I've let them know that it was totally my fault.

Not giving up, though. So far the plan is to take it to my welder genius at work. He said he might be able to save at least one of the front ends, so I'm crossing my fingers that it will work out!

I really want to see the burb back on the road by the end of next week! :)
 
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