We have a 1985 S10 with a 350 small block and 700r4 combo. However, our block is one of the rare blocks tainted with “The Problem” where the starter bolt holes are drilled too far away from the flywheel, and the starter won’t reach. I’ve read some posts about it and it says to throw a different starter on there, but a regular size starter won’t fit up in there. Our mini starter fits fine, but because the holes are drilled too far out, the starter doesn’t engage fully into the flywheel, and just grinds. Does anyone have a good solution? I can’t think of anything to do besides maybe filing some off of the mounting surface of the starter, but I don’t know if it’ll get any closer to the flywheel.

 

Do you have the old starter that was in there? It's 40 years old, something was working in there for all those years. If you have it match it at the parts store. You can also go to a good machinist and have new holes drilled to fit the starters that you have.

 

Or if you have the old one it can probably be rebuilt

 

well, I don’t have the old starter, but no factory size starter will fit up in there. There’s not a lot of clearance to slide the starter in there between the frame and the headers. I think only a mini starter will fit. But, the starter that’s in there is the correct mini starter, but the holes in the block are drilled to far out and the starter doesn’t make good enough contact with the flywheel. Is there an easy way I can get it closer? I’ve read about the blocks being machined wrong but nobody ever seems to fine a good solution.