01' Grand Am Starter Problems

[DMBWater0]

Ok I blew my starter about 2 weeks ago and just fixed it about 2 or 3 days ago. The starter I put on was used, off an 03' GA GT 3.4L, it looked like there was a little rust on it, in the area where the gear tries to turn the engine. I got my car to start, drove it, shut it off, and now the starter wont turn, so I took it in and had it tested, the auto parts shop said it was no good. My question is could there be something else thats wrong with my car that would cause me to blow a second starter, or do you guys think it was just my luck to get a bad one? Also is there a way you can put a starter on wrong where it would turn and fire the engine, and then burn out? Oh yea, I have an 01' GA SE 3.4L Thanks for any help.

[SE2000]

You could not put on a starter, have it work and it not be on right. Unless there was grinding, not much external could cause a starter to go bad. You seem to have gotten one on its last leg. Junkyard will usually exchange it for another.

[tenspeed]

Originally posted by DMBWater0
My question is could there be something else thats wrong with my car that would cause me to blow a second starter?

Got to agree, just bad luck. Turn the key and it spins. Can't be hooked up backwards.

The used one may have had some of the insulation on the windings go bad due to moisture when it wasn't being used.

[DMBWater0]

Well I figured out the problem, after burning through 3 used starters I decided to get a new one. Turns out I needed to use a shim to adjust the starter. Its funny how all the people I talked to never mentioned the use of a shim, until I bought the new one then the auto parts guy gave me a shim with an instruction sheet and said I needed it. You would think between the 3 mechanics and 2 junkyards that I went to about this that one of them would have mentioned the shim. All the mechanics were friends so its not like they were trying to screw me. Thanks for the help and ideas. This has to be the greatest site, its helped me so much.

[tenspeed]

Educate me.

How thick is the shim? Obviously it moves the starter gear further from the flywheel.

Was the starter motor turning when the engine was running?

I've changed a few starter motors and I don't remember a shim or gasket. Just metal to metal.

[SE2000]

If your car needs a shim, did you not have one on the old starter? Or the 3 used ones. The new one was probally the only one that needed a shim due to its manufacture. If you put in a starter that needs a shim any you don't have one, you'll get grinding.

[DMBWater0]

I'm going start off by saying that I am not the best with cars but most problems I have fixed with the help of my dad and you guys. Ok, here is what happened. When I put the 3rd starter on I noticed a high pitched noise while the engine was running, later I found out that this is because the starter gear wasn't disengaging from the flywheel after the engine fired. When I bought the new starter the guy gave me a shim and a sheet with instructions on it saying that if you don't have the right amount of clearence between the starter gear and the flywheel the starter gear wont disengage and the solenoid will burn out.