Shims are used to fit the upper control arms, the front fenders, the starter and so on. The number of shims varies for each application.
One of the easiest starters ever... 1) Disconnect negative battery cable 2) Remove nut holding power wire to starter. 3)Remove smaller wire(s) to starter. Mark which goes where if several are present, and you don't think you'll remember how it goes. 4)Remove the starter bolts that are locatd directly under the starter. 5)Starter will come out of vehicle at this point. NOTE: Many Chevy's use shims to space the starter from the flywheel. If your vehicle uses them the new starter will likely come with shims. Use the same number of shims as was in the vehicle when you took it apart. If starter grinds when starting after starter replacement you may need to add additional shims.
Go to the parts store and tell them you need some starter shims for your year truck. Then ask them how they work and they will explain it to you.
If it has shims now and you buy an OEM replacement starter, then use the shims. If it does not have shims then you will not need them. Replace the starter with an exactly duplicate, installed exactly as the original. If in doubt measure the distance from the mounting plate face to the end of the drive gear shaft and make sure that distance in the same on the replacement starter.
The starter drive gear will be too close to the flywheel, causing a grinding noise when the starter is engaged.
Need to know why you think the starter needs to be shimed.
Hiya! Yes, Chevy likes to use shims to adjust the starter spacing so it meshes properly with the ring gear. They've always been funny that way. If you're getting abnormal starter grinding, noise or failure you need to re adjust the spacing for the starter. Your local parts store will have shims with different thicknesses. If the Bendix gear wont mesh and makes a sound like a cat being stomped on, you need to use a thicker shim. If your starter is spinning and not turning the ring gear use a thinner shim. You can usually tell by the sound when your starting the car if it needs adjustment . Good Wrench.
1st thought is you need shims if the flywheel is hitting the starter. What is the year and model of the vehicle?
is the problem,that the flywheel teeth are being chewed out and same on starter. or is the problem that starter and flywheel do not mesh properly when engaged? if either of thses is the problem,this means that the gear on the starter is not matched to the teeth on the flywheel. other problem that could be causing this is none or incorrect shims used when installing starter motor. to fix this, you need to make a mark on the flywheel(use white out or something like that),and count the number of teeth.then do same on the starter motor.then find out from a drive line specialist,how many teeth shoud be on starter motor to match the flywheel.they can also tell you the shims to be used when installing starter motor to get proper clearance.
Disconnect battery. From underneath, disconnect the electrical wires from the starter solenoid. Remove starter bolts and the starter. Note the location of the spacer shims. Installation is the reverse of removal and make sure you replace the spacer shims so you wont have any screeching noise when starting. If you need more details, include the year and engine size of your camaro.
Impossible to answer that question. All starters are different. It is a trail and error deal. You need to start with THIN ones and add as needed until the starter is quite.
You may need to shim the starter. When you turn the key the gear from the starter is slamming into the teeth on the flywheel. Did you get any shims with the new starter? If not you may need to buy some. You just want to shim it out just enough where the teeth from the starter and imbedded into the teeth on the flywheel. Not too much and not too little otherwise you will chip or break a tooth off. You are trying for a good mesh of teeth to teeth.