Need help with a CJ7 starter

maddhatter · 02-03-2009, 12:28 AM

Ok, So here is the deal. I have a 85 CJ7 with a 258 and a 5speed. When I got the CJ it had washers that shimmed the starter out like 1/2" to 3/4" now before you say it I KNOW JEEPS DON'T HAVE STARTER SHIMS! But this one does and if I put the starter on without them it will start but the starter will never release. I know the motor is not stock and came from a 85 or 86 waggy and I have no idea what bell housing they used.

So what I need to know is. I have looked at pic's of the starters for older CJ's and it looks like the gear might be shorter. Before 76 or something like that.
Can anyone tell me if they are? and if the bolts are the same?

I am thinking they might have used a much older bell housing when they built the Jeep. They want over $100 for the older starter and would have to order it so if it is wrong it is a wasted cash that I just don't have. Any help would be great like a cheap used older starter or just one I could use to try it out.
It has always made a nasty sound even when it worked so I wonder if the tooth count might be different also. The teeth on my flywheel look bad but I am not going to change it just to end up right back here with the same problem.

Any info or help would be great. Thanks.

maddhatter · 02-04-2009, 12:37 AM

Bump!

HELP!!!!

KargoMaster · 02-04-2009, 12:48 AM

sorry, i got nothing... somethings definitely fishy...

tjjeepjeep · 02-04-2009, 10:17 AM

I got even more nothing.

Redriverranger · 02-04-2009, 12:57 PM

It's probably a ford starter. There are different ones depending upon standard shift, or automatic. There are also a couple different bendix tooth counts by application. Not really sure how to tell you which one to get.

GPER · 02-04-2009, 01:41 PM

PAD

Oh wrong board

I was going to take a picture of mine, but my hood is froze so that wont happen.

tjjeepjeep · 02-04-2009, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GPER

PAD

Oh wrong board

I believe my 'I got even more nothing.' Is the equivalent of that for here though.

KargoMaster · 02-04-2009, 02:39 PM

so is continuing to post no help to our starter challenged friend...

I think that Casey was right on with the AMC starters being Ford... just can't help any more than that... all my AMC/Ford starters are '78-'83-'86 -ish

maddhatter · 02-04-2009, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KargoMaster

so is continuing to post no help to our starter challenged friend...

I think that Casey was right on with the AMC starters being Ford... just can't help any more than that... all my AMC/Ford starters are '78-'83-'86 -ish

But are they all the same?

KargoMaster · 02-04-2009, 05:19 PM

I believe that all of my starters ('78 AMC304, '83 AMC360, '86 Ford302) are interchangable... you mentioned something about a pre-76 starter, so I thought I was out of luck in the helping you dept, but if it would help, I would happily bring you my collection.

Say the word... I'll PM my number...

KargoMaster · 02-05-2009, 01:50 AM

Here's what I got... Dirtier one is from the AMC360 (82-83 Cherokee Chief) but was most recently on a (CJ) AMC304... the darker one is from the Ford 302 (86? Mercury Grand Marquis):

AMC

Ford

AMC left, Ford right

Ford left, AMC right

Dammit it's cold out.... crappy phone pics, but they are what they are.

Some slight variations, but overall dimensions are interchangeable...
Hope this helps...

ldhyatt · 02-05-2009, 08:12 AM

like mentioned above,auto & manual trannys have different nose length on starters.You may just need one for manual tranny.I buy cheap one year starter from autozone for like $27.00. lifetimes are a little more.
good luck

KargoMaster · 02-05-2009, 11:53 AM

My pics:

Dirty = stick....

Dark = auto...

so interchangeable, IMO... at least for this case.

kyrel69 · 02-05-2009, 01:58 PM

well they do not make a shim for the "jeep" starter but they do for the ford. I thought I had to use that shim and tried it but did not fix my problem. I had the same problem you are haveing that it would not release once the motor got started. Well I got another stater from a buddy and that fixed my problem. So I took my other starter back to Auto Zone and made them give me another one.

So you might try another starter with out the shims and see if that helps. Also are the holes in your bellhouseing getting worn out. My got so bad that it started kicking my starter back so it would not touch the flywheel. Yours could be going the other way maybe?

02-03-2009, 12:28 AM	#1
maddhatter Join Date: May 2007 Location: loveland OH Posts: 324	Need help with a CJ7 starter Ok, So here is the deal. I have a 85 CJ7 with a 258 and a 5speed. When I got the CJ it had washers that shimmed the starter out like 1/2" to 3/4" now before you say it I KNOW JEEPS DON'T HAVE STARTER SHIMS! But this one does and if I put the starter on without them it will start but the starter will never release. I know the motor is not stock and came from a 85 or 86 waggy and I have no idea what bell housing they used. So what I need to know is. I have looked at pic's of the starters for older CJ's and it looks like the gear might be shorter. Before 76 or something like that. Can anyone tell me if they are? and if the bolts are the same? I am thinking they might have used a much older bell housing when they built the Jeep. They want over $100 for the older starter and would have to order it so if it is wrong it is a wasted cash that I just don't have. Any help would be great like a cheap used older starter or just one I could use to try it out. It has always made a nasty sound even when it worked so I wonder if the tooth count might be different also. The teeth on my flywheel look bad but I am not going to change it just to end up right back here with the same problem. Any info or help would be great. Thanks.

02-04-2009, 12:48 AM	#3
KargoMaster Cleaning off the rust... Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,009	sorry, i got nothing... somethings definitely fishy... __________________ brad 5.0L \| 435 \| 203 \| 300 \| 4.10 \| 39.5 Buildup BACK underway...

02-04-2009, 10:17 AM	#4
tjjeepjeep Just tired Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Hamilton, OH Posts: 2,213 Images: 2212	I got even more nothing. __________________ I want to be the reason you look down at your phone and smile........then walk into a pole.

02-04-2009, 12:57 PM	#5
Redriverranger White ranger guy Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Red river gorge,ky Posts: 274	It's probably a ford starter. There are different ones depending upon standard shift, or automatic. There are also a couple different bendix tooth counts by application. Not really sure how to tell you which one to get. __________________ 91 Ranger ext cab, 60, 14 bolt, 4:88's, 39.5's, doubler, lot's of character

02-04-2009, 02:39 PM	#8
KargoMaster Cleaning off the rust... Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,009	so is continuing to post no help to our starter challenged friend... I think that Casey was right on with the AMC starters being Ford... just can't help any more than that... all my AMC/Ford starters are '78-'83-'86 -ish __________________ brad 5.0L \| 435 \| 203 \| 300 \| 4.10 \| 39.5 Buildup BACK underway...

02-04-2009, 12:37 AM	#2
maddhatter Join Date: May 2007 Location: loveland OH Posts: 324	Bump! HELP!!!!

02-04-2009, 01:41 PM	#6
GPER Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Kettering, Ohio Posts: 811	PAD Oh wrong board I was going to take a picture of mine, but my hood is froze so that wont happen.

02-04-2009, 05:19 PM	#10
KargoMaster Cleaning off the rust... Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,009	I believe that all of my starters ('78 AMC304, '83 AMC360, '86 Ford302) are interchangable... you mentioned something about a pre-76 starter, so I thought I was out of luck in the helping you dept, but if it would help, I would happily bring you my collection. Say the word... I'll PM my number... __________________ brad 5.0L \| 435 \| 203 \| 300 \| 4.10 \| 39.5 Buildup BACK underway...

02-05-2009, 01:50 AM	#11
KargoMaster Cleaning off the rust... Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,009	Here's what I got... Dirtier one is from the AMC360 (82-83 Cherokee Chief) but was most recently on a (CJ) AMC304... the darker one is from the Ford 302 (86? Mercury Grand Marquis): AMC Ford AMC left, Ford right Ford left, AMC right Ford left, AMC right Ford left, AMC right Dammit it's cold out.... crappy phone pics, but they are what they are. Some slight variations, but overall dimensions are interchangeable... Hope this helps... __________________ brad 5.0L \| 435 \| 203 \| 300 \| 4.10 \| 39.5 Buildup BACK underway... Last edited by KargoMaster; 02-05-2009 at 01:58 AM.

02-05-2009, 08:12 AM	#12
ldhyatt Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: jackson Posts: 13	starters like mentioned above,auto & manual trannys have different nose length on starters.You may just need one for manual tranny.I buy cheap one year starter from autozone for like $27.00. lifetimes are a little more. good luck

02-05-2009, 11:53 AM	#13
KargoMaster Cleaning off the rust... Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,009	My pics: Dirty = stick.... Dark = auto... so interchangeable, IMO... at least for this case. __________________ brad 5.0L \| 435 \| 203 \| 300 \| 4.10 \| 39.5 Buildup BACK underway...

02-05-2009, 01:58 PM	#14
kyrel69 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Middletown, Ohio Posts: 372	well they do not make a shim for the "jeep" starter but they do for the ford. I thought I had to use that shim and tried it but did not fix my problem. I had the same problem you are haveing that it would not release once the motor got started. Well I got another stater from a buddy and that fixed my problem. So I took my other starter back to Auto Zone and made them give me another one. So you might try another starter with out the shims and see if that helps. Also are the holes in your bellhouseing getting worn out. My got so bad that it started kicking my starter back so it would not touch the flywheel. Yours could be going the other way maybe?