Help! My starter fell off.

[lyonsronnie1]

Folks, about 6 months ago my starter went bad. This is a 66 valiant, slant six 225 that we rebuilt several years back, runs pretty good now.

Anyways, about 6 months ago I got a replacement from the local parts house, and since I've had bad luck in the past buying replacement starters (sometimes they don't work!).. I was happy when it worked great.

Every couple weeks, though, the starter basically works it's way loose, the first time I figured it out the thing had almost fallen off the car.

No matter what I do to torque that sucker down (I don't want to break the mounting flanges! I might never find another starter that works, lol) the thing works it's way loose. I usually notice it when I go to start the car and it grinds my flyweel to hell.

Anyways, we're talking about the bolt (on the one side) and the nut on the other woring their way out an INCH or so to where the Starter is just hanging there.

Am I missing a washer or something, or should I just go crazy torquing it down? I'm afraid I'm going to snap the flange off.

Anybody else had that issue? I've never had another engine (or this engine with the previous starter) do that.

 

[jaimus]

Methinks there's supposed to be a lockwasher behind the nut...

 

[805moparkid]

Methinks there's supposed to be a lockwasher behind the nut...

yep and if that doesn't work use a nylock on the stud...

also there should be a "shim" under the starter

 

[camd64]

I have lockwasher for both top and bottom. Also have you checked how much you are actually torquing it down to? Book calls for 50 ft. lbs. When you pull the hardware off check the threads to make sure they are still good.

 

[Purple Haze]

As stated lock washers, nylock nut and loctite.

 

[pishta]

There is a plate behind mine, How about some of those washers with ears that you can bend up onto the flats? Or these puppies

 

[RustyRatRod]

Red locktite.

 

[wp23n]

red locktite.

+1

 

[cdawglean]

Locktite and lock washers should work. The best combination would be a lock nut with lock and flat washers but there might not be enough room for that. At work we are required to have 3 threads showing when we use the locknuts.

 

[Stacked360]

Red locktite.

Blue Locktite...red is if you never want to remove the starter again. If blue isn't cutting it...you have got some kind of fastener problem, either on the bolt end, or mounting end.

 

[RustyRatRod]

That's the biggest line of hooha I ever heard. heard people say that all my life and it's just not true. Now, if the fastener goes into aluminum, then blue locktite all the way.