No available Starter work around;
 

As I'm sure most of you are aware there haven't been any over the counter starters for quite a while. Lately many have posted about new starters being available, however, this is not the case. For some time now several parts vendors have incorrectly listed a Chevrolet six starter as an OHC 6 application.

But don't despair the Chevy starter can be simply modified to work. This is only advised if you have NO rebuildable starter. You will need a good double cut burr to cut the nose cone for fly/flex wheel clearance.

The images below are of a Chev 6 starter I am cutting for clearance. This one still needs approximately 3/16 to a 1/4 but you get the idea.

OEM STARTER FOR REFERENCE;
 

Below are images of an original Pontiac OHC 6 starter for comparison to the above Chev 6.

Good to know. Thanks, Jeff.

If anyone needs it, I have a good core available.

After using this setup on my engine for a while now it is a viable alternative going forward. This combination works rather well to start these engines. With the failing availability of starter cores out there for the OHC engines there is a way to keep them cranking...

Parts needed:

C4 Corvette LT1 starter (AC Delco # 336-1148)
Small block Chevy 168 tooth flexplate (ATP # Z111)
Trailer axle pivot link (Nuera # 27-005)
Ford style 4 terminal solenoid (Motorcraft # SW1533)
2.25" ID to 2.5" OD bushing .25" thick (home made to make up the difference in the pilot diameter of the Pontiac crank to the Chevy flexplate)

Double check the starter gear to flexplate gear mesh (should be ~ .020"). Run a jumper wire from the "S" terminal of the Ford style solenoid to the small wire on the starter, and another battery cable from the solenoid to the large terminal on the starter... hit the key!

I know it's more of a cost than just replacing the stock starter, but if you can't find one...

I have not done a starter in a while so I am not sure I am remembering this correctly but....couldn't you swap out the nose on a Pontiac starter to the Chevy one and your all set ?

Wayne,
Yes the OHC starter nose/cone can be swapped over.
The big problem in the parts world of OHC 6 is that very few if any starters can be found.
Most new/replacment offerings are not correct, thus the need for a "Trim"

So none of these are any good?

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...ter+motor,4152

I have an extra nose cone if anyone needs one. The starter that’s presently on my engine is one where they just cut the nose cone to make it work. That’s how I got it. I’m not sure what vehicle it was supposed to fit, but I’ve heard that many starters that mount to the passenger side of the engine will work if you cut the nose cone.

They all have been chevy 6 in the past and I have advised ROCK more than once about this.

Good timing on this article, My sprint starter crapped out with no warning (internal short in the winding melted things inside a bit) this summer. To my pleasant surprise I found one on Rock Aut. Of course when it arrived it was wrong, I figured it was a chevy small block unit, but I guess it's a chevy six unit.

Since my car had it's original I just swapped the original snout over onto the new rebuilt starter and no problem.

I like Rock Auto for amazing in stock selection and really fast delivery but I've had steady issues with parts being mislabeled, they are obviously just taking what the suppliers say as verbatim and given their low employee count (hence the low prices in fairness) these issues never get addressed.

I went through three sets of rear shoes before I got the correct ones for a 69 Bonneville, I kept getting what turned out to be A body brakes. Looking carefully at the specs and pictures rather than just the application chart is an 80% solution at least.

I got to thinking about the path that I took and came up with something else... Since you guys still have the correct flexplate/flywheel on your engines, you could get away with nothing more than the Corvette starter and an external Ford style solenoid. No need to use the home-made spacers or Chevy flexplate. Just food for thought.

Are the starters the same for 230 250 auto or manual?? Thanks for posting and replying everyone I was just thinking about how old my starter could be and I should do something about it. Great post.

There is a variation in part numbers based on year and Body Style.
But that is likely related to internal changes, outwardly they are all the same casting and bolt up across the board.

The best thing to do is have yours rebuilt locally and be sure the support bracket/brace is still in place.

There’s a support bracket?? Anyone have a picture?? Looks like something else is missing on my car.

Support Brace
 

It's one of those pieces that just go away over time, but IMO a major contributor to Nose fatigue/failure.

...

No starter
 

Thank you for posting the pictures Jeff. My starter reminds me of a small block Chevy starter. No hole for a bracket. Works great but I think for now I’ll at least get a new solenoid. I don’t want to get stuck somewhere.

It looks like you have the short solenoid on there.

I bought a BBC Tilton starter at a swap meet and cut a 3/4" block to shim it down and it works just fine.

My new OHC (1 bbl, 2 speed auto) has it's original with that little bracket. I wonder if you could tap a whole in another starter body to install that bracket on changed out starters? I was thinking of fabricating another bracket for my Sprint. GM didn't put that there for nothing.