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Fun day with the Blazer (rant)

Somemedic

Somemedic

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I worked 12hrs over today at the station so i figured that it would be a good time to change the rear diff fluid. Not sure when the last time it had been done and figured it wouldnt hurt. So I loosened the bolts and let it drip slowly into a pan. When I came back I decieded to start it up and show a guy from the street dept. the iniside and how to wire up a manual glow plug button. The starter made an aweful noise, but did start up. Since this is like the 8th autozone starter in 2yrs I didnt think a whole lot of it. This is pretty common for me and no big deal. So I look up and see the bolt is loose...but... it wont get tight. I pulled it down and sure enough it it was sheared off at the threads. I had to drop the front shaft and then lower the bell housing. Not too hard but not me idea of a fun easy sunday at the firehouse. After some drilling I used an easy out, and the thing surprisingly worked. It wasnt really too hard after that. No real point to the story other than there is a little bracket that attaches to the rear of the starter and up onto the frame. Mine is missing. I will probably have one fabbed soon. I cant say it happened because I dont currently have it but if you dont you might wanna get it. Or some craftsman easy outs...
 
mangus580

mangus580

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Somemedic said:
there is a little bracket that attaches to the rear of the starter and up onto the frame. Mine is missing.
Click to expand...
It should attach to the side of the engine block.... and thats what broke your bolt for sure...
 
Recovry4x4

Recovry4x4

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RE: Re: Fun day with the Blazer (rant)

Autozone starters, guaranteed for life. And I'll guarantee you'll be replacing them for life.
 
JB

JB

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RE: Re: Fun day with the Blazer (rant)

Same thing happened with my 84 M1009. I got a replacement support bracket from Parramore Surplus http://www.parramore.com/ He has the bracket plus he has the gear reduction starters which are easier to start and lighter as well.
 
steelsoldiers

steelsoldiers

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RE: Re: Fun day with the Blazer (rant)

Another thing that will shear them off is a bolt that is too long. I got the correct rear support bracket for my 1009 and went to the parts place to get a couple of new starter bolts so I could start fresh. The ones they sold me had a different head on them and were about 3/16" too long. I figured I would try one and see. It bottomed out in the block before snugging up against the starter. If I wouldn't have been paying attention and just rammed it home, I would have had a nasty surprise later.
 
JohnFire

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RE: Re: Fun day with the Blazer (rant)

They should last your right. Mine would miss teeth everynow and then directly from the military. I know lots who have had starter problems. The nose cups seemed to fall apart on them. I think only one toasted itself completely. It was also nice going to 12V for eliminating the BS wiring that was in there since chevy made these things have an adhoc 24V system to meet the Gov requirement for 24V. Also makes it easier for jump starting or any other thing where you only need 12V. You get to distribute the load over both batteries.
 
C

CCATLETT1984

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Re: RE: Re: Fun day with the Blazer (rant)

JohnFire said:
They should last your right. Mine would miss teeth everynow and then directly from the military. I know lots who have had starter problems. The nose cups seemed to fall apart on them. I think only one toasted itself completely. It was also nice going to 12V for eliminating the BS wiring that was in there since chevy made these things have an adhoc 24V system to meet the Gov requirement for 24V. Also makes it easier for jump starting or any other thing where you only need 12V. You get to distribute the load over both batteries.
Click to expand...
that is a very common starter body (28mt) and i have not heard of issues with the nose cones, but if yours cracked (perhaps due to a missing/loose brace) i could see it missing teeth and giving you other issues. Mine has worked for years (when rebuilt last spring i was told it had never been opened, i only rebuilt it because of low cranking speed) If you have no other military trucks then its not that important to keep the 24v, but if you have a deuce or a military genset and want to be able to jump them, its rather important.
 
Somemedic

Somemedic

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RE: Re: RE: Re: Fun day with the Blazer (rant)

When I did have the rear bracket (starter no. 4 or 5) the starter was in for about a week. I went to fire it up and heard a catastophic sound that would have rivaled a semi vs. freight train. The nose cone cracked around the tip and just let go... into the rotating fly wheel. I had just replaced the flywheel a month or so before BECAUSE it had been chewed up by a previous starter (in a triangular fashion, common). I had a "come apart" with the counter dude at autozone. I apologized to him later. Wasnt real happy though...
 
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