I have a 1994 Camaro z28. I am getting it back in running order with a proper tuneup. While I was doing the tuneup I noticed that that starter was going bad, so I bought another rebuilt one. After installing the starter the solnoid went bad and started to spark. So I returned the starter and purchased another from the same place. I went to install this starter and it fit a little different then the other two. After I was done installing the starter I went to crank it and it just free spinned. So I came to the conclusion that it was the incorrect starter. So once again I went back to the place where I purchased the starter, and got ANOTHER ONE!!! This time it looked like the two before. So at the same time I bought some shims just in case I needed them. So I bolt up the third starter and it grabs right and turns the motor. Now I went to start the car today and it just free-spins like the last one. Do I need to use these shims with the starter? This is the correct starter for my car so I know I have to be doing something wrong. I have to get my car up and running tomorrow, thank you for your time.

 

bump

 

bump

 

I bought a high performance starter about 8 months ago and it was way off. The instructions that came with it said to manually pull the gear up to engage the flywheel and check the gear meshing to see if a paper clip just fits between the tooth of one gear and the valley between 2 teeth on the flywheel. Make sure the 2 are directly inline. I had to shim mine way too much to get it to fit and I'm still way too far away. Be careful some starters are made for both 168 & 153 tooth flywheels like the one I got and some are 168 only and some are 153 only. I hope this helps.