Missing starter bolt!?

[Falco]

I was just wandering under the truck today :roll: and realized, that I'm missing one of the starter bolts. Since I've not touched the started since I bought the truck I think it was lost by a previous owner. Unfortunately there were a reason they haven't put back that bolt (the one nearer to the oil pan), it seems to be the thread has been ruined.

So I've a question:

1. Our starter isstaggered but we have the mounting hole for inline starters too, right?

2. Are the starter bolts are 16G 3/8"?

3. What can it cause to use the truck like this for a while?

To partly answer my third question, I guess I got the truck like this, I just can't see how could I lost that bolt. The truck seems to be starting right, but it has a little strange noise at startup, which I couldn't hear last year. On the other hand the starter is mounted like a rock. I've not removed the TC cover to check clearence between the starter and the flaxplate but I'll do so tomorrow.

Anyway, I'm planning to get either a CVR-5223 from Jeg's or this one from Summit:
http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=PWM-9000

They are both can be mounted inline, so this way I don't have to use the ruined thread...

Any input appreciated...

Later,

 

[TyMeUp]

A Heli-Coil will fix the thread. Don't use just any bolt though, starter bolts should have an knurl just back from the threads. This makes the bolt fit the starter housing more precisely for proper alignment to the ring gear.

 

[Captain Morgan]

odds are the new starter will include new bolts and shims.

and yes, the block does allow for inline starters to be bolted up.

 

[SY2932]

Falco, my starter and bolts are still in the bed of my truck. As is my cross member, rear driveshaft, transmission mount, mirrors, and misc other crap. You know that your stuff has been broken for too long when it turns into a storage area for stuff :roll: ... Anywho with regards to question number 2, the bolts that hold the starter on are 3/8" diameter with 16 threads per inch (TPI) and the bolt is just over 4 1/4" long. HTH's

Mike Campbell

 

[Falco]

Thanks Mike,

I know the feeling. I measured my progress with the number of components in the bed of the truck last winter... Now it's empty, but I'm still far from happy so far... :-?

Later,