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72-up AMC six starter woes |
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tomj 
AMC Addicted 
Joined: Jan/27/2010 Location: los angeles Status: Offline Points: 599 |
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 Topic: 72-up AMC six starter woesPosted: Apr/27/2012 at 12:19am |
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Can't seem to get a good starter for the 258 in our 72 Hornet. All the rebuilds seem to be crap. Latest one from RockAuto started sticking in less than a year, takes a couple of clicks to get it to engage, sometimes it grinds the ring gear (which is new-ish, a rebuilt torque converter).
Tried Ford type shims to tweak it's position, hard to see what the problem is exactly. Kinda driving me crazy. I've had it out, our local shop that does good work and likes AMCs has had it out, and replaced it, twice. No one can figure it out. Anyone got a good source of NEW NOT REBUILT starters? Cost isn't really an issue now. Should I go "mini" race-type starter just to get a new one? Do they truly just BOLT IN? I don't mind a small wire or connector change but I'm not reengineering the miserable thing to fit. |
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1963 American 440 hardtop
195.6 OHV, modded T-96 Twin Stick, 3.78 axle |
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mojomaxx
AMC Apprentice 
Joined: Nov/22/2009 Location: seattle, wa Status: Offline Points: 68 |
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Posted: Apr/28/2012 at 2:50pm |
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i feel your pain. We went through the same thing. Four starters in 3 months. Finally just ran across an AMC in junkyard and pulled THAT starter. amazingly haven't had a problem since.
If i hear of anywhere .. i'll let you know
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60 Rambler Amer. 4dr.
81 Eagle SX/4 81 Eagle Kammbacks (auto & 4spd) 79 Spirit GT-almost done 78 Concord AMX (Levi's) 78 Concord AMX 77 Hornet AMX 74 Hornet liftback |
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carnuck
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Joined: Mar/31/2010 Location: Seattle Status: Offline Points: 1459 |
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Posted: May/02/2012 at 9:22pm |
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Sounds like either the flexplate has issues or the starter shim (spacer between the motor and bellhousing) is missing or teh rebuilders went back to using Ford starter drives.
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tomj
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Joined: Jan/27/2010 Location: los angeles Status: Offline Points: 599 |
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Posted: May/03/2012 at 12:24pm |
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I installed the engine, the flexplate was good then (looked for the common stress cracks around the crank bolts) and the plate/shim is in place. it seems worse when cold(er; this is Los Angeles!) so I suspect it's partly from being assembled with engine oil or something. No one ever reads the GDMF manual (do not ask me to expand that acronym).
So what's the 'ford starter drive' issue? similar but wrong part type thing? |
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1963 American 440 hardtop
195.6 OHV, modded T-96 Twin Stick, 3.78 axle |
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tomj
AMC Addicted
Joined: Jan/27/2010 Location: los angeles Status: Offline Points: 599 |
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Posted: May/03/2012 at 8:09pm |
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Has anyone used starters from Summit or Jegs? They're not cheap -- $130 - $250 -- but neither is replacing starters and ring gears. For $250 you get "adjustable".
These are Jeep apps; do they clear passenger car bodies etc? |
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1963 American 440 hardtop
195.6 OHV, modded T-96 Twin Stick, 3.78 axle |
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farna
Supporter of TheAMCForum 
Moderator Lost Dealership Project Joined: Jul/08/2007 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 7127 |
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Posted: May/04/2012 at 12:32pm |
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The Jeep starters are the same as the passenger car starters for the sixes -- have one here! You have another option -- replace the flexplate with one from a Wrangler with 999 trans and use a 4.0L starter. I know, not exactly cheap and a bit labor intensive, but...
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Frank Swygert
American Motors Cars Magazine www.amc-mag.com |
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carnuck
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Posted: May/04/2012 at 1:30pm |
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For the 999 flexplate, it has to be pre '87 or you'll need the 4.0L starter. The Ford starter drive teeth are shorter than AMC ones.
Edited by carnuck - May/04/2012 at 1:31pm |
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farna
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Posted: May/04/2012 at 1:39pm |
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Jim, put your reading glasses on!!
 That's what I said... so he can use the 4.0L starter...
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Frank Swygert
American Motors Cars Magazine www.amc-mag.com |
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carnuck
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Posted: May/04/2012 at 2:07pm |
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Doh! Well then he needs '87 up to do that! Before that (like my '83 Cherokee) they used Ford style starters.
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tomj
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Joined: Jan/27/2010 Location: los angeles Status: Offline Points: 599 |
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Posted: May/06/2012 at 2:24am |
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switch flexplate to fix a starter problem? nahh, rather pay $250 for a starter! :-)
I'm not a 'swap parts til it works' person unless the swap is trivial and likely to reveal an answer. The flex plate was inspected as good (not that it's impossible I missed something). The rebuilds even LOOK bad (previous one has a weird bolt-on extention to the battery connection cuz the OEM was broken). |
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1963 American 440 hardtop
195.6 OHV, modded T-96 Twin Stick, 3.78 axle |
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